September 30, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
Students at DeKalb County High School have been celebrating Homecoming with Spirit Week activities and it will conclude today (Friday) with a parade and a football game as the Tigers host the Livingston Academy Wildcats.
(Click Link Below to Hear WJLE’s Tiger Talk Program)
https://www.wjle.com/tiger-talk/
The presentation of the Homecoming queen and attendants will be at 6:30 pm. Kick-off is at 7:00 p.m. and WJLE will have LIVE coverage of the game with the Voice of the Tigers John Pryor and Luke Willoughby.
Meanwhile the DCHS Homecoming Day Parade will depart from the high school Friday at 12:30 p.m. and make its way down Broad Street to South Congress Boulevard over to Smithville Elementary School. The parade will then come back onto Congress Boulevard to Northside Elementary School before motoring back down Congress Boulevard and turning onto Don Cantrell Street beside City Hall and entering the public square. The parade will end in a pep rally and the announcement of the winning entries.
DeKalb County, 5-1 overall and 1-1 in the region, needs a victory to keep their regular season region title hopes alive. The Wildcats (0-6) are coming off a 19-7 loss to Jackson County last week while the Tigers stepped outside the region beating Cannon County at Woodbury 55-7.
The Tigers, who started the season 2-0 before losing to Macon County, have reeled off three straight wins. Talented running back Colby Barnes has been key to the Tigers’ success. Last week he had 28 carries for 242 yards and 5 touchdowns in the win over Cannon County.
Although Barnes has been a big factor, Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said so has been the play of the offensive line, quarterback, and the defense.
“Its not just Colby. It’s the guys up front. It’s J.P. (quarterback Jordan Parker) making sure the ball gets to where it needs to go. It’s the receivers outside blocking. That’s something we have told them they need to add to their repertoire. We have always asked them to do that but even more so now. We’re trying to keep teams off balance using those receivers in different roles where we still have the ability to throw the ball down field enough to make all the teams have to honor that. I really like what all our guys are doing for us right now. I like how they are working up front and giving Colby the lanes to run in. Barnes has had some big nights but he will be the first to tell you that he couldn’t do it without those guys around him. The defense continues to get better. Our offense has cleaned up a little bit so hopefully we’ll stay clean and efficient on offense and our defense will stay on point,” said Coach Trapp.
WJLE’s Pre-Game shows begin with “Coach to Coach” at 5:00 p.m. featuring former UT assistant coach Doug Matthews with former coach and Tennessee Titans Radio Play by Play Color Analyst Dave McGinnis and broadcaster Larry Stone talking Tennessee and SEC football.
“Coach to Coach” is followed by “Murphy’s Matchups at 6:00 p.m., a look at Tennessee High School Football from Murphy Fair with commentary on games and coaches’ interviews.
“Tiger Talk” airs at 6:30 p.m. with the Voice of the Tigers John Pryor interviewing Coach Steve Trapp and Tiger football players Shadie Rankhorn, Ty Webb and John Ellis.
Kick-off is at 7:00 p.m. with play-by-play coverage on WJLE AM 1480 and WJLE FM 101.7 from the Voice of the Tigers John Pryor and Luke Willoughby. You may also listen on the LIVE Stream at www.wjle.com
The DCHS 2022 Football Schedule is as follows:
REGION OPPONENTS (*)
August 19: Warren County-(Tigers won 35-34).
August 26: Smith County-(Tigers won 17-14)
September 1 (THURSDAY): Macon County*- (Tigers lost 21-13).
September 9: Watertown-(Tigers won 26-14)
September 16: Cumberland County* (Tigers won 48-13)
September 23: Cannon County- (Tigers won 55-7)
September 30: Livingston Academy* (HOMECOMING)-Smithville 7 p.m.
October 14: Upperman*-Baxter 7 p.m.
October 21: Goodpasture-Goodpasture 7 p.m.
October 28: Stone Memorial* Smithville 7 p.m.
WJLE will have LIVE coverage of each week’s games and LIVE streaming at www.wjle.com.