The DeKalb County High School Tigers football team was back in action last Friday, on the road in Smith County playing their first road game of the season against the Owls. It would be a slow start for both teams, but the Tigers would finally get going in the second quarter.

Smith County won the toss and elected to receive to start the game. With a return at their own 19, a false start would back them up right from the beginning. They would only gain back the penalty yards before having to punt.

The Tigers would not do much better. On first down at the Smith 34, a pass play to Jon Hendrix was complete to the 10, but an illegal man downfield penalty would nullify the gain and put them back five. DeKalb would not gain another yard and would end with a punt.

Starting at their own 20, the Owls would finally start moving. They would get a first down at their own 35, but there the drive would again stall. They would end up losing two yards before they would again punt.

Ryan Lyons would return the punt to the DeKalb 42, but a penalty for a blindside block would back them up to the 27. There, the Tigers would only gain eight yards before again punting.

Smith started at their own 25, and would gain a first down on the drive at the 37, but then a hold doomed the possession. They would only reach the 35 before they would again punt.

DeKalb finally got their act together on their next drive. Starting on their own 37, a Jordan Parker pass to Lyons was good to the 46 at the start of the second quarter. A Parker keep was downed at the Smith 46, then another gained the first down. A Cecil Ketchum carry was good to the 28, then another Parker keep was down to the 20. Parker would carry for four more yards, then a Ketchum run was good to the eight. There, a handoff to Ketchum was fumbled, but recovered at the 10, then Parker called his own number and was in for the touchdown. Adrian Prater’s extra point attempt was no good, but DeKalb was on the board, 6-0 with 8:44 left in the half.

The Owls returned the kick to their own 26, but they would continue to be plagued by penalties. They would make the 36, but then an illegal man downfield call backed them up to the 31. They would only reach the 37 before punting, and the Tigers were ready to make them pay.

The punt would roll dead at the 27, and there Jesse Foutch got a carry to the 34. A Ketchum run was good to the 39, then another was stuffed at the line. A pass to Jarett Hamilton was good to the 22, but a penalty would back them up five. From the 27, Parker connected a pass to Lyons for the touchdown with 1:23 left in the half. A Parker keeper was good for a two-point conversion and DeKalb was up 14-0.

That’s where the score would stay until the second half, when Smith County kicked off to DeKalb. Jon Hendrix would take the return from the DeKalb 20, all the way down to the Smith County 20. There, a Ty Webb carry gained one yard, then a pass to Hendrix was good to the six. Ketchum was handed the ball next and was stopped at the one-yard line, where Webb would punch it in for a touchdown. With Prater’s extra point through the uprights, the Tigers were up 21 -0 with 9:14 left in the third.

The Owls continued to struggle and would only gain seven yards from the 13 before having to punt. Lyons would return the punt to the Smith 39, where the Tigers again had great field position. Parker would take a sack back at the 46, then a pass to Lyons was dropped. Parker then attempted a deep pass to Lyons on the next play and got a pass interference call on the Owls. On a third and two at the 31, a Parker keep was stuffed at the line, then on fourth down Parker kept the ball and was down to the 19. There, a pass to Hendrix was incomplete in the end zone, but another pass to Lyons was good for six. With the extra point, DeKalb held a 28-0 lead with 5:20 left in the third.

The Owls were now in desperation mode, and it would pay off. Starting at their own 24, a run by Jermaine Cason was good to the 32, then a pair of carries by Kaiden Mason were down at the 27. A Riley Martin pass to Cason was good to the 43, then a Mason run was down to the DeKalb 43. Another pass to Cason took the Owls to the DeKalb 19, then Mason broke loose for a run for a touchdown. A two-point pass play failed, but the Owls were on the board 28-6 with 1:04 left in the third. It would be the last points they would see.

Ketchum would return the kick to the 33 but a hold would back the Tigers up. DeKalb would lose yards on the possession, and would go three and out before punting.

Smith County got the ball at their own 32, and looked to be driving again. A keeper was good to the 42, then a Mason run was good to the 50. A keep on third down was good to the DeKalb 46, then a Mason carry was down to the 43. A Martin pass to Gage Gibbs was down to the 35, then a low snap ended with a two-yard loss. A pass to Ben Howell was good to the 31, then a Martin pass was intercepted by Andrew Dakas at the 33. Parker would hand Ketchum the ball on the next play and would go all the way in for six. With the extra point, the Tigers held a 35-6 lead with 7:25 left in the game.

The Owls would get the ball one more time but would only manage one first down before punting. DeKalb would end the game, sticking to the ground and running the clock. They would gain three first downs before taking a knee to claim the 35-6 victory.

Parker had 12 carries in the game for 43 yards and one touchdown, while Ketchum had 17 runs for 159 yards and one touchdown. Webb had three runs for three yards and one touchdown.

Lyons had four receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns, while Hendrix had two catches for 20 yards, Hamilton one for 39 yards, and Ketchum one for one. Parker threw on 15 attempts for eight receptions and 121 yards, with two touchdowns. 

Lyons had two returns for 28 yards, Hendrix one for 71, and Ketchum one for 23. Prater had three punts on the night for 128 yards, and went three for four on PATs.

The Tigers next travel to Livingston Academy this Friday night for their first district game of the season.