The DeKalb Saints junior high football team scored their first points of the season, and carried an 8-6 lead into the locker room at halftime over the visiting Watertown Purple Tigers, but couldn't maintain the advantage as the visitors rallied for a 28-8 win over the Saints, Thursday night in Smithville.
Watertown took the opening kickoff back 73 yards for a touchdown, but failed on the two-point conversion attempt. The Saints marched the ball down the field on the ensuing drive, and scored on Dylan Freeney's 34-yard touchdown run. Freeney also plowed into the end zone for the two-conversion, and the Saints led an opponent for the first time this season, with 5:04 left in the first quarter.
Both teams turned to theor defenses for the remainder of the half, as the 8-6 score held up until the intermission. The Purple Tigers blocked a DeKalb punt on the first drive of the second half, and the Watertown offense scored two plays later on a 19-yard touchdown run. The conversion attempt failed, but the Purple Tigers went on top, 12-8.
Watertown scored on their next two drives, while the Saints turned the ball over twice, including once inside the five-yard line. The game was also interrupted for about 20 minutes, due to a power failure at the football field. The game represented the final home game of the regular season for the Saints.
The local junior high team now drops to 0-6 on the season, and will wrap up the regular season, next Thursday night, October 4th, at Cannon County. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
