The year 2022 was a hard one for many around the country. The pandemic, economic hardships, and politics seemed to dominate the news, but there were some bright spots in the sports world. Locally, athletes broke local records, exceeded personal goals, and one team even claimed a Super Bowl win. Here are some of the highlights that occurred over the past year.
January –
Tigers Hold Banquet - The 2021 DCHS Tiger football awards banquet was held to celebrate the team’s accomplishments and recognize some of the program’s outstanding participants. Both players and cheerleaders were honored during the event.
Isaac Knowles was named as the Tiger Most Valuable Player at the event. He had 72 receptions for 1,030 yards and six touchdowns in 2021, as well as having 104 rushes for 882 yards and 15 touchdowns. Knowles also recorded 30 returns for 644 yards and one touchdown, and even had 13 passing attempts with seven completions for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
Knowles also made school history, playing in 47 football games, the most ever by any Tiger, and has played eight playoff games for DeKalb, also a record. He has also had three first round playoff victories, another record, while also recording a record four playoff wins with the Tigers. Knowles is also second in school history for 26 wins with the team.
Another top award of the night was presented to Tiger senior cheerleader Addison Puckett. She walked away with the Most Valuable Football Cheerleader Award.
February –
Fish and VanVranken Honored - The Saints’ Devin Fish and Lady Saint Chloe VanVranken were honored with All Conference Awards at the Upper Cumberland Middle School Conference Tournament hosted by DeKalb Middle School. Fish on the year averaged scored 11 points, had three rebounds and two assists per game, while VanVranken on the year averaged eight points, and three rebounds per game.
Knowles Signs with Tech - Isaac Knowles signed a letter of intent to play for the Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech University. A signing ceremony was held at DCHS, where he was joined by friends, coaches, and family.
DCHS Basketball Players Honored - Several DeKalb County High School basketball players won All-District awards, including three Lady Tigers and six Tigers. Lady Tiger Kadee Ferrell was been named to the First Team All-District, while Ella Van Vranken was named Second Team All-District. Avery Agee received Honorable Mention and was named to the All-Freshman Team.
For the Tigers, six DCHS players earned All-District Basketball honors. Conner Close was named to the Second Team All-District as well as earning Most Improved, while Elishah Ramos was named Third Team All District. Jordan Parker was named to the All-Freshman Team, while Brayden Antoniak and Stetson Agee earned Honorable Mention. Antoniak and Isaac Knowles were named to the All-Defensive Team.
DCHS Basketball Holds Banquet - The DeKalb County High School basketball program held its annual Awards Banquet, recognizing some of the season’s standout players and cheerleaders. Sophomore Conner Close was named the 2021-22 Tigers’ Most Valuable Player, while senior Kadee Ferrell was honored as the Lady Tigers’ Most Valuable Player. Junior Amelia Atnip was named the Most Valuable Cheerleader.
May –
Local Fishing Pro Wins Big - After sitting in 69th place after Day One of the three-day tournament, fishing pro Matt Stanley of Alexandria, Tennessee, rallied on Day Two, finishing in 13th place with 29 pounds, 9 ounces going into the final day. Stanley brought another limit weighing 22 pounds, 2 ounces to the scales to win the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake Chickamauga. Stanley’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 51-11 earned him the win by a 1-pound, 11-ounce margin over second-place pro Kevin Meunier of Lamar, Indiana and earned Stanley the top payout of $60,000.
DMS Competes in District Tourney - The DeKalb Middle School golf team competed in the M3 Eastern District Tournament at Pine Creek Golf Course in Gladeville. The DeKalb girl’s golf team, consisting of Chloe Boyd and Emily Anderson, finished second overall to move on to the Regional tournament at Two Rivers Golf Club in Nashville on May 12/13.
Tigers Baseball in Post Season - The DeKalb County High School Tigers baseball team began post-season play last week, taking on some familiar foes as they moved through the brackets. The team would end up winning over Macon then falling Upperman through the TSSAA District 7AAA tournament. The Upperman game wrapped up the 2022 DeKalb County Tigers’ season.
Tigerettes in Post Season Play - The DeKalb County High School Tigerettes softball team began post-season play, hosting the first game of the TSSAA 7AAA District Tournament against Stone Memorial before traveling to White County to face their old nemesis, the Macon County Lady Tigers.
The third-ranked Tigerettes would get the win over Stone Memorial then fall to Macon County in the first round of games. They would then travel to White County, where they would claim a shutout over Livingston, then fall to Upperman, ending their season.
Infinity Athletics Wrapped Up Season - The local cheer and tumble gym, Infinity Athletics, wrapped up season 10 of their growing All-Star Cheer program. Four teams represented Infinity this past season: CHAOS, BLAST, IMPACT, & LEGACY. All four teams were extremely successful as the three older and eligible teams won bids to the highest level competitions in the country in their respected divisions.
Beneke First in Division - Track star Ally Beneke jumped to first place in the Division 1 AAA high jump competition at the TSSAA state track and field tournament. She jumped 5 feet, 6 inches to bring home the title beating out Nolensville’s Elise Dobson by 2 inches.
June –
New Tigerette Coach Announced - With the departure of Coach Danny Fish from both the DeKalb County High School Tigerette softball program, and the Lady Tiger basketball program, school officials named Danielle Tyson Horton as the third coach for the Tigerette softball team in school history. She will also be the team’s first female coach.
Alley Named Coach of Lady Tigers - School officials on June 10 that 25-year-old Brandy Alley will take over head coaching duties for Lady Tigers’ basketball. She is the fourth female head basketball coach in the history of the Lady Tigers behind Helen Lee, Holly White and Amy Tobitt.
Denman Assistant Golf Coach at MTSU - Head coach Mark McEntire hired former Blue Raider and DCHS golfer Payne Denman as the next assistant coach for Middle Tennessee men’s golf. Denman is a 2010 DCHS graduate.
July –
Sinclair and VanVranken Top 5K - The 24th Annual Fiddler 5K and One-Mile Fun Run was underway, featuring 270 participants, with 247 finishers. The race had a pace of 11:44/mile, with an average time of 36:23 minutes. In the race, 17-yearold Matthew Sinclair of Carthage, was the overall winner, coming in with a time of 19:17, while 16-year-old Ella Van Vranken of Silver Point, came in first in the female category, fifth overall, with a time of 20:11.
Fishing Team Competes in Bass Shootout - Two DeKalb Fishing Team members Wesley Kent and Mason Taylor competed in the first ever High School Bass Shoot Out tournament held on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton. They walked away with the award of big fish and a check for $1000.
Jumbotron at Vanhooser Stadium - The DeKalb County High School Tiger football fans got to see some new technology this year with the completion of the team’s new Jumbotron scoreboard at Dr. John L. Vanhooser Memorial Stadium. The 16-foot by 10-foot video board was added to the field’s updated scoreboard and features video ads, as well as highlights.
August -
Tigers Basketball Coach Announced - DeKalb County High School announced its new boys’ basketball coaches for the 2022-23 season. The announcement came after longtime Tiger basketball Coach John Sanders announced he would be moving to assist the Trousdale team. The new head Tiger coach is a familiar face to DeKalb students with Joey Agee taking on the job. Agee served as the assistant DeKalb West school principal for the past several years, and is the former DeKalb Middle School boys coach. Cody Randolph will join Agee as assistant coach.
Tigers Win Season Opener - The DeKalb County High School Tigers faced off with border rival Warren County in their opening game of the season. It would be a battle right to the last seconds of the game. The Tigers would claim the 35-34 victory.
October –
Tigers Get Homecoming Shutout - The local fans were out in force, the student body was fired up, and the Tigers were on the field ready to play. It was a crisp, clear fall evening, and the Tigers were ready for their homecoming game against Livingston Academy, where they would get a shutout victory.
Pee Wees Win Super Bowl - The future of football looks bright in DeKalb County with one of the Junior Pro teams going all the way and winning the Super Bowl last weekend. The Junior Pro “Super Bowl” Conference Classic was played at York Institute in Jamestown, where the undefeated DeKalb Pee Wee team would take the day in a double overtime thriller.
Field Named in Honor of Coach K - A dedication ceremony was held honoring the only soccer coach DeKalb County High School has ever known. Coach Dylan Kleparek or “Coach K” as he is known on the field, was recognized with a sign naming the DCHS soccer field as “Dylan Kleparek Coach K Soccer Field.” The field has officially been known as Kleparek Field for some time now, but the ceremony highlighted the honor.
November –
Gottlied Qualified for Championships - DCHS senior, Aaron Gottlied, qualified as an individual for the TSSAA Division 1 A-AA State Cross Country Championships, at Macon County High School. This marks the fourth year in a row that Gottlied has qualified for this event. He finished the race with a time of 17:45 for the hilly 5K course.
Tigers Fall in Play-Offs - The DeKalb County High School Tigers football team’s season skidded to a stop after they fell in the first round of the TSSAA Class 4A Football Play-Offs, on the road against East Hamilton in Chattanooga. It was the fourth straight loss for the team that seemed as if luck was against it.
Alley Unbeaten in First Games - New Lady Tigers’ basketball Coach Brandy Alley was unbeaten for her first three games as a head coach, with the ladies claiming a victory at home to start the season, then traveling to Gordonsville to claim two more wins in the Hall of Champions competition.
Tigers Start Season with Wins - The DeKalb County High School Tigers basketball team remained unbeaten through its first three games of the season, claiming one win on the Tigers home court, then traveling to Gordonsville to claim a pair of wins at the Hall of Champions competition.
