October 21, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Talented senior running back Malachi Trapp scored all five touchdowns for the Tigers in their 35-20 victory at White County Friday night as DeKalb County clinched 4th place in Region 4-4A and a berth in the state playoffs in two weeks, the program’s 13th consecutive post season appearance.
The Tiger defense also stood tall keeping the Warriors out of the endzone for the entire second half.
Next week, DeKalb County (5-4 Overall, 3-2 Region) will wrap up the regular season at Upperman to face the undefeated Bees (9-0 Overall, 5-0 Region) at Baxter. Kick-off will be at 7 p.m. and WJLE will have LIVE coverage.
The Warriors got on the board first as quarterback Tripp Pinion found Gage Stephenson on a fourth down 16-yard touchdown pass. Noah Skeith came on for the extra point and White County led 7-0 with 6:23 left in the opening period.
DeKalb County answered with 34 seconds left in the 1st period on a 20-yard touchdown run by Malachi Trapp, capping a 53-yard drive. Kicker Adrian Prater converted the PAT and the game was tied at 7-7.
White County took the lead again on an 8-yard touchdown run by Demarious Dowell with 11:22 left in the 2nd period completing a 60-yard drive. Skeith missed on the PAT but the Warriors held a 13-7 advantage.
The Tigers then found themselves down 20-7 with 7:49 left in the 2nd period after White County’s Tripp Pinion connected with Darvon Richmond on a pass that covered 81 yards for a score before Skeith converted the extra point.
DC cut the gap with 5:47 left in the half as Malachi Trapp scored from five yards out to make the score 20 to 14 after the Prater PAT.
The DeKalb County defense forced a fumble setting up the Tiger’s go-ahead score late in the 3rd quarter. Ty Webb recovered a Demarious Dowell fumble at the Warriors 24-yard line. Malachi Trapp then finished the Tiger drive on a 5-yard TD run with 3:20 left in period. Prater came on for the extra point and DC led for the first time in the game 21-20.
Malachi Trapp scored his final two touchdowns in the 4th quarter to seal the win for the Tigers on runs of 5 yards and 9 yards. Prater booted the extra points and DeKalb County went on to clinch a 35-20 victory and state play-off berth.
Here are the Region standings: The top four teams earn a state play-off berth at the end of the regular season.
Upperman: 9-0: Overall, 5-0-Region
Macon County: 8-1 Overall, 4-1 Region
Stone Memorial: 6-3 Overall, 4-1 Region
DeKalb County: 5-4 Overall, 3-2 Region
White County: 4-5, 1-4 Region
Livingston Academy:3-6 Overall, 1-4 Region
Cumberland County: 2-7 Overall, 0-6 Region