The DeKalb Tiger football team won a 28-21 nail-biter in a late game rally against the York Dragons Friday night in Smithville.

The Tigers went ahead of York with nine seconds left on the clock after chasing the Dragons for most of the contest. York drew first blood with a touchdown run by Cole Cooper with 45 seconds on the clock in the first quarter of play. A good extra point attempt by Ethan Probst put the Dragons up 7-0.

The team from Jamestown added another touchdown on two-yard run by Quarterback Mason Cravens with 49 seconds left before in the first half. Probst successfully kicked another EP to give York a 14-0 lead at the half.

The Tigers came out of the locker room for the second half on a Dragon hunt, scoring with 5:11 on the clock in the third period on a two-yard run by Quarterback Steven Jennings. Matthew Poss put up a good extra point, cutting the DeKalb deficit to 14-7.

York upped their advantage to 21-7 when Trevor Threet caught a touchdown pass with 11:17 left in the fourth period, however, and another good EP from Probst, put the Dragons up 21-7, and left the Tigers in a tight spot.

The Tigers fought their way to the goal line again with 8:08 left in the game, scoring on a five-yard pass from Jennings to Tyler Bundy. Poss put up another good kick for the extra point, and DeKalb drew within a touchdown of the Dragons, 21-14.

The DeKalb defense held, and the Tigers took the ball back, putting a touchdown across on a 10-yard Jennings keeper with 4:26 on the clock. Another good kick from Poss tied the game up at 21.

The Tiger defense once again stepped up, shutting the Dragons down in a fourth-and-one situation on their own 21. DeKalb took possession of the ball and drove it downfield, scoring on a three-yard Jennings run with nine seconds left in the contest. A final EP from the foot of Poss gave the Tigers a 28-21 lead.
Dragons took possession of the ball, but a Riley Sexton interception on a last ditch long ball gave the ball back to the Tigers as time expired, and the Dragons dropped to 3-0 on the season.

DeKalb County, now 2-1, travel to Cumberland County on Sept. 9, then play two more road games, at Smith County on Sept. 16, and at Macon County on Sept. 23.

The Tigers will return home to host Sequatchie County on Sept. 30, and will travel to Grundy County on Oct. 7. DeKalb will play at home against the Upperman Bees on Oct. 21, and will travel to Cannon County on Oct. 28 to wrap up the regular season.

All games start at 7 p.m.