Season Ends for DCHS Tigers with 21-14 loss at East Hamilton in State Play-Offs

November 5, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The DeKalb County Tigers made a quick exit from the TSSAA Class 4A Football Play-Offs with a 21-14 loss to the East Hamilton Hurricanes at Ooltewah Friday night.

The season for the Tigers comes to a close with a record of 6-5 while the Hurricanes (8-3) will advance next Friday, November 11 hosting the Upperman Bees (9-2) who defeated Chattanooga Central 34-7 in the first round of the play-offs Friday night.

An injury to quarterback Jordan Parker prior to the game limiting his ability to throw effectively forced the Tigers to rely on the ground game and a knee injury to talented offensive lineman Ean Jones sidelined him during the game.

Still, the Tigers controlled the time of possession keeping the ball for 37:05 minutes of the 48-minute game and star running back Colby Barnes racked up 327 yards on 55 carries with one touchdown.

DeKalb County scored first with 3:46 left in the 1st period on a 37-yard touchdown run by Malachi Trapp completing a 98-yard drive. Kicker Juan Ortega added the extra point and the Tigers led 7-0.

East Hamilton scored on a Tiger turnover with 10:57 left in the 2nd period after a botched snap. Zachariah Laboo scooped it up for the Hurricanes and returned 64 yards to even the game up at seven after the PAT by Spencer Payne.

The Hurricanes took the lead with 3:26 left in the 2nd period on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Juan Bullard to Kirreeese Willis. Payne booted the extra point and East Hamilton led 14-7.

Colby Barnes scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 11:53 left in the 4th period capping a 58-yard drive and with Ortega’s PAT the game was tied at 14-14.

The Hurricanes then took the lead for good with 10:31 left in the game on a 26-yard touchdown run by Juan Bullard completing a 65-yard drive. Payne added the extra point and East Hamilton went on to claim a 21-14 victory.

SUMMARY
DEKALB COUNTY 7 0 0 7 – 14
EAST HAMILTON 0 14 0 7 – 21

DC – Malachi Trapp 37-yard touchdown run (Juan Ortega kick)(3:45, 1st)
EH – Zachariah Laboo 64-yard fumble recovery (Spencer Payne kick)(10:57, 2nd)
EH – Juan Bullard 56-yard pass to Kirreese Willis (Payne kick)(3:25, 2nd)
DC – Colby Barnes 3-yard run (Ortega kick)(11:53, 4th)
EH – Juan Bullard 26-yard run (Payne kick)(10:31, 4th)

EH STATS DC
8 First Downs 25
11-95 ` Rushes-Yards 67-396
124 Passing Yards 7
219 Total Yards 403
11-8-0 Passing (Att-Comp-Int) 2-5-1
6-50 Penalties-Yards 2-20
4-37 Punts-Average 1-43
0-0 Fumbles-Lost 1-1

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing: Juan Bullard 9-61, Michael Hinton 2-34 (EH); Colby Barnes 55-312, Jordan Parker 7-55, Malachi Trapp 1-37, Ari White 2-3, Jon Hendrix 2-(-11) (DK)

Passing: Juan Bullard 8-11-0 124 yards (EH); Jordan Parker 1-1-0 9 yards, Jon Hendrix 0-3-1, Malachi Trapp 1-1-0 -2 yards (DK)

Receiving: Kirreese Willis 6-89, David Cole 2-35 (EH); Malachi Trapp 1-9, Colby Barnes 1-(-2) (DK)

November 4, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

DeKalb County High School continued its monthly observance Thursday of recognizing a teacher, student, and parents or guardians of the month.

Each received a certificate from the school and a gift card for a meal from the Soda Fountain of F.Z. Webb & Sons Pharmacy. A different restaurant offers a meal gift card to each month’s honorees.

Teacher and Assistant Golf Coach Luke Dycus, who has spent 28 years as an educator including the last three years at DCHS, was selected by the administration as Teacher of the Month while 17-year-old Senior Isaac Sasser is Student of the Month, voted on by the teachers. Parents of the month are Doug and Richelle Hendrixson, and this honor was based on a winning essay written by their daughter Hailey Hendrixson, a 17-year-old Senior at DCHS.

DCHS Assistant Principal Thomas Cagle said Dycus is a gifted and versatile educator and well deserving of the Teacher of the Month Award.

“Coach Dycus is one who can do and has done a little bit of everything here from extra bus duty and working extra gates at ballgames to standing in as a game administrator at some soccer games for us. He is an absolute outstanding asset to our school. Luke helps so much with our PBS program. He is also a big asset with our CDC classroom and helps with some of those students who need his guidance in different ways. We are very glad to have him,” said Cagle.

“This is the first time I have ever received something like this in my 28 years of teaching, so I was surprised and shocked but very thankful,” said Dycus.

“I moved here three years ago and from the day I stepped on campus I felt that warm, welcome environment. People accepted me and I feel like I have family here even though I am not from here. I have thoroughly enjoyed being here”.

Originally from White County, Dycus’ teaching career over the span of almost 30 years has taken him several places.

“I graduated from Tennessee Tech with a master’s degree and also got my undergraduate degree from there as well. I am originally from White County. I lived and taught there for a number of years. I also taught in two other states, Alabama and Georgia for a few years. I came back to the middle Tennessee area because my dad was the principal in White County for a number of years and my mother worked in White and Putnam County, so I wanted to be close to them. I came back and started teaching in White County and had a good time there but after my son graduated from White County in 2020, I decided I needed a change of scenery and thought I would come here so I did and I have been happy ever since,” he said.

“I am currently the assistant golf coach here at DCHS and then I run the positive behavior support program for our school. I get a lot more out of that than my students get out of me. I get a lot from them. Our administration here has been wonderful to me, and our central office staff has been great. I am so happy to be here and so thankful to be in an environment working with people like this,” said Dycus.

It was third time’s charm for Isaac Sasser, who was named “Student of the Month” at DCHS after being nominated twice before.

Cagle said Sasser, son of Trey and Savanna Dodds, is among the best of the best students at DCHS.

“Isaac is a senior and member of our Fighting Tiger Band. He is an excellent student and has a positive attitude every day. He is always willing to help in any way he can. Isaac was nominated by a teacher and an administrator a couple of times before and this month was elected by all the other teachers in the school. He goes above and beyond every day in what we ask and expect of our students, and he really shows what it means to be a DCHS Tiger,” said Assistant Principal Cagle.

“It completely caught me by surprise, but I am honored,” said Sasser when asked how he felt about being named “Student of the Month”.

Isaac is co-captain and keyboard percussionist in the DCHS Fighting Tiger Band. During his two years with the band, he has played piano, vibes, marimba, chimes, 1st/3rd bass drum, and cowbell.

“I initially wanted to play piano but grew to love all the percussion instruments,” Sasser said. “I love playing music, especially in sync with the band.

Sasser says one of the more challenging aspects of being a band member “had to be getting the music down as I had very little experience with music.”

He would like to continue playing music in the future, perhaps at Tennessee Tech where Sasser plans to further his education after completing two-years at Motlow State.

In the classroom at DCHS, Sasser said his favorite academic subject is science.

Although they could not be on hand to receive the honor, the “Parents of the Month” Doug and Richelle Hendrixson are no doubt touched by the stirring essay from their daughter Hailey written in tribute to them.

Hailey said this essay was a way of expressing love and appreciation for her parents who have been a source of strength for a family going through adversity dealing with her brother’s cancer diagnosis.

“I didn’t do it (essay) just for the award. It was for both my mom and dad in going through all the bad things happening right now with my brother Douglas who is almost 21 years old and in treatment for cancer. Because of my parents, we are all staying positive and getting through it together becoming stronger as a family. I am really proud of my parents. They are always there for me, and I love them. I don’t know what I would do without them,” she said.

In addition to her brother, Hailey has a twin sister, Emily.

After high school, Hailey said her ambition is to become a country music star. Her favorite country performers are Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood.

“Hailey’s essay was excellent,” said Cagle. Its one of those that really reaches you and addresses all the things her parents are doing at home to help her through challenges that we may not always know about,” added Cagle.

November 4, 2022
By: Dwayne Page

The largest single day turnout for early voting in DeKalb County turned out to be the last day!

The DeKalb County Election Commission reports that 280 people cast ballots on Thursday, November 3 for next Tuesday’s state and federal general elections. That’s 275 in person and five by absentee.

For the 14 day early voting period, October 19 through November 3 a total of 2,134 people voted. While that is a good turnout, it is down a bit from the early voting total for the August DeKalb County General Election at 2,357.

The early voting breakdown by precinct is as follows:
Alexandria: 147
Temperance Hall: 96
Liberty: 136
Snow Hill: 124
Smithville Church of God: 381
Rock Castle: 12
Courthouse: 417
Johnson Chapel: 110
County Complex 254
Keltonburg: 125
Blue Springs: 88
Church of Christ Annex: 244
Total: 2,134

The early voting numbers are also down in DeKalb County from the November elections of 2020 and 2018 but there are reasons for that.

In November 2020, a total of 4,606 voted early in DeKalb County but that was a Presidential Election which always creates a greater turnout. Four years ago, in November, a total of 3,135 cast ballots early in DeKalb County but there were more contested races on the ballot that year including a U.S. Senate and State Senate Race along with the Governor, Congressman, and two State House of Representative elections.

Next Tuesday, November 8, voters will be making their selections for Governor, Congressman and State Representative and voters in the 4th district only will have a candidate for Constable to fill an unexpired term. In addition, voters will be making their choices on four constitutional amendments. Polls at all 12 precincts in DeKalb County will be open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. and WJLE will have LIVE election return coverage after the polls close at 7 p.m.

Candidates for Governor are: Republican incumbent Bill Lee, Democratic nominee Jason Brantley Martin and Independents Constance M. Every, John Gentry, Basil Marceaux, Charles Van Morgan, Alfred O’Neil, Deborah Rouse, Michael E. Scantland and Rick Tyler.

Candidates for U.S House of Representatives District 6 are Republican incumbent John Rose and Democratic challenger Randal Cooper.

Candidates for Tennessee House of Representatives District 40 are Republican Michael Hale and Democrat Tom Cook, both from DeKalb County.

The lone candidate for Constable in the 4th District is Republican Lane Ball.

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