September 2, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Sweet Victory!
After disappointing losses to non-region opponents Warren and Smith Counties the previous two weeks, the DeKalb County Tigers had plenty to celebrate Friday night in its 31-9 victory over the visiting Livingston Academy Wildcats. DC saw the return of its starting quarterback, senior Briz Trapp, who in this game scored 2 rushing touchdowns and threw for another. Trapp had been knocked out of last week’s game with what turned out to be a sprained ankle. The victory extended the Tigers’ win streak over Livingston Academy to four in a row and it puts them at 1-0 along with Stone Memorial and Upperman as the race begins for the regular season Class 4A, Region 4 title.
DeKalb County will travel to Watertown Friday night, September 8 for a showdown with the Purple Tigers. Game time is 7 p.m. and WJLE will have LIVE coverage. Watertown is 2-1 with victories over Forrest 17-0 and Gordonsville 17-7 and a loss to Sequatchie County 27-21.
The Tigers drew first blood Friday night on the strength of a 27-yard field goal by Adrian Prater with 2:47 left in the 1st period capping a 70-yard drive that stalled on 4th down at the Wildcats 10-yard line.
Livingston Academy later cashed in on a scoring drive covering 55 yards as Jaxon Boles took it into the endzone on a 1-yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but the Wildcats grabbed a 6-3 lead with 11:09 left in the 2nd period.
DeKalb County regained the lead with 8:35 to go in the 2nd period and would never trail again after Cecil Ketchum scored on a 1-yard touchdown run which was set up after Austin Nicholson picked off an LA pass at the Wildcats 33-yard line and returned it to the 1. Prater booted the extra point, and the Tigers went up 10-6.
Livingston Academy threatened late in the first half. After a 50-yard strike on a passing play from near midfield, LA found themselves in the red zone at the 5-yard line but couldn’t punch it in and had to settle for a 21-yard Dylan Watson field goal with five seconds left before halftime to cut the Tiger lead to 10-9.
The Tigers would own the second half. After a great return by Jon Hendrix to open the 3rd period, DC mounted a 44-yard scoring drive which ended with QB Briz Trapp finding the endzone on a 7-yard TD run. Prater nailed the extra point and with 9:48 left in the period DeKalb County had extended its lead to 17-9.
Trapp later went to the air for the next score launching a pass to Jordan Parker covering 54 yards with 6:39 left in the 3rd period. Prater’s PAT was good, and the Tigers stretched their advantage to 24-9.
Late in the 3rd period Jon Hendrix intercepted an LA pass which set up the final Tiger scoring drive of the game. From their own 19-yard line, the Tigers drove down field and scored on a 2-yard QB keeper by Briz Trapp with 5:17 left in the game. Prater converted the extra point and DeKalb County claimed a 31-9 victory.