September 15, 2024
By: Dwayne Page
The undefeated DeKalb Saints football team (8-0) will host a first-round play-off game Thursday night, September 19 against Fentress County in quest of a conference championship. The game will kick-off at 6:30 p.m. at the DCHS football field.
The Saints completed an undefeated regular season Thursday night at Sparta beating White County 26-0. The Saints’ unblemished record also includes wins over Fentress County 8-0, Cumberland County 46-8, Macon County 36-0, Smith County 34-6, Warren County 40-0, Prescott Middle 32-6, and Upperman 36-0.
(In the video posted here recorded Friday, September 13, Saints Coach Justin Poteete and three of his eighth grade players, Rocky Cantrell, Bryson Redmon, and Jordan Schipp are featured talking about the season. Cantrell plays slot receiver, safety, and cornerback. Redmon’s assignments are at defensive end and receiver and Schipp plays at left tackle and defensive tackle)
“Its been a good ride so far but there is definitely more work to do because its win or go home now. Its time to put our best foot forward and get after it,” said Saints Coach Justin Poteete.
The conference is made up of two divisions. The Saints won their division of the conference and Avery Trace won the other division.
“Thursday night was for first place and whoever won (Saints or Sparta) would be first going into the playoffs and the loser would be second,” explained Coach Poteete.
“It’s a four-team play-off,” he said. “It’s one versus two. We (Saints) will play the number two team (Fentress County) from the other side of the conference. Avery Trace is the number one team on the other side and they will play our number two team (Sparta). The winners of those two games will meet up for the championship,” said Coach Poteete.
“By being first you get to host a game but still win or lose you have to show up and play because no bad teams are in the playoffs. We got the win Thursday night. We celebrated it. We enjoyed it but today our mindset is on York.” he continued.
Asked about how the team could improve after scoring so many points this season and giving up so few, Coach Poteete replied that there is always room for improvement.
“We have had some mess ups this year like on the D-line as far as jumping offside and things like that but the effort is there for the most part and that makes it easier to coach. There is always room for improvement but the good thing about this group is that it’s a tight group and a very competitive group. They like to come out and hit. That’s the key thing about football. They embrace that physicality, and I think that makes us what we are. We need to make sure we are disciplined but as long as we fly around and play football, I think we will be alright,” said Coach Poteete.
Credit for the Saints’ success is given by the coach to the entire team but three players in particular have played key roles.
“We have a three headed monster in the backfield with Collin Donnell at quarterback, Reed Midgett at halfback and running back and Gavin Frazier at running back or halfback but with this team they don’t really care who has the ball and how many touches they have because for them its how many points are we going to score and how many points are we going to give up as a team. Its a team game,” he said.