Sweet Victory for DCHS Tigers

September 2, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

Sweet Victory!

After disappointing losses to non-region opponents Warren and Smith Counties the previous two weeks, the DeKalb County Tigers had plenty to celebrate Friday night in its 31-9 victory over the visiting Livingston Academy Wildcats. DC saw the return of its starting quarterback, senior Briz Trapp, who in this game scored 2 rushing touchdowns and threw for another. Trapp had been knocked out of last week’s game with what turned out to be a sprained ankle. The victory extended the Tigers’ win streak over Livingston Academy to four in a row and it puts them at 1-0 along with Stone Memorial and Upperman as the race begins for the regular season Class 4A, Region 4 title.

DeKalb County will travel to Watertown Friday night, September 8 for a showdown with the Purple Tigers. Game time is 7 p.m. and WJLE will have LIVE coverage. Watertown is 2-1 with victories over Forrest 17-0 and Gordonsville 17-7 and a loss to Sequatchie County 27-21.

The Tigers drew first blood Friday night on the strength of a 27-yard field goal by Adrian Prater with 2:47 left in the 1st period capping a 70-yard drive that stalled on 4th down at the Wildcats 10-yard line.

Livingston Academy later cashed in on a scoring drive covering 55 yards as Jaxon Boles took it into the endzone on a 1-yard touchdown run. The 2-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but the Wildcats grabbed a 6-3 lead with 11:09 left in the 2nd period.

DeKalb County regained the lead with 8:35 to go in the 2nd period and would never trail again after Cecil Ketchum scored on a 1-yard touchdown run which was set up after Austin Nicholson picked off an LA pass at the Wildcats 33-yard line and returned it to the 1. Prater booted the extra point, and the Tigers went up 10-6.

Livingston Academy threatened late in the first half. After a 50-yard strike on a passing play from near midfield, LA found themselves in the red zone at the 5-yard line but couldn’t punch it in and had to settle for a 21-yard Dylan Watson field goal with five seconds left before halftime to cut the Tiger lead to 10-9.

The Tigers would own the second half. After a great return by Jon Hendrix to open the 3rd period, DC mounted a 44-yard scoring drive which ended with QB Briz Trapp finding the endzone on a 7-yard TD run. Prater nailed the extra point and with 9:48 left in the period DeKalb County had extended its lead to 17-9.

Trapp later went to the air for the next score launching a pass to Jordan Parker covering 54 yards with 6:39 left in the 3rd period. Prater’s PAT was good, and the Tigers stretched their advantage to 24-9.

Late in the 3rd period Jon Hendrix intercepted an LA pass which set up the final Tiger scoring drive of the game. From their own 19-yard line, the Tigers drove down field and scored on a 2-yard QB keeper by Briz Trapp with 5:17 left in the game. Prater converted the extra point and DeKalb County claimed a 31-9 victory.

September 1, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

The Vol Radio Network kicks off its 75th season of University of Tennessee Football coverage on Saturday in Nashville from Nissan Stadium. The pre-game show “Big Orange Countdown” begins statewide network coverage at 10 a.m. Eastern / 9 a.m. Central Saturday morning prior to Tennessee’s season opener versus Virginia at Noon Eastern / 11 a.m. Central.

WJLE will have LIVE coverage on AM 1480/FM 101.7

The show is hosted by John Wilkerson, Brent Hubbs, former Vol wide receiver and team captain Jayson Swain (2003-06) and a rotating VFL special guest each week featuring former captain Will Overstreet (DE, 1998-2001) or Chris Brown (TE, 2004-07). Fans can ask questions on social media via X/Twitter @VolNetwork. UT Director of Athletics Danny White and Chancellor Donde Plowman will be stopping by the booth as special pregame guests on Saturday.

Following “Big Orange Countdown”, Bobby Rader hosts “Spotlight on the SEC” before handing things over to the game broadcast crew 25-minutes prior to kickoff. Bob Kesling begins his 25th year of calling University of Tennessee football games. He will be joined by former Vol and NFL quarterback Pat Ryan who is entering his third season as color analyst. Wilkerson (network host), Hubbs (spotter and contributor) and Swain (sideline reporter) round out the in-game broadcast crew. David Grim serves as the network’s statistician this year.

Following the game, the “Big Orange Scoreboard and the Josh Heupel Show” provides complete and exclusive postgame coverage with scores, updates and interviews with Tennessee players and head coach Josh Heupel. Vol Network programming is then capped off with “The Final Scoreboard” hosted by Wilkerson, Rader and VFL Troy Fleming (RB, 2000-03).

The Vol Network, one of the largest collegiate radio networks in the country, can be heard on over 64+ stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, UTsports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App, SiriusXM and the Varsity App.

September 1, 2023
By: Dwayne Page

State Rep. Michael Hale, R-Smithville, will hold a series of town hall meetings in September to hear from residents in Cannon, DeKalb, Jackson and Smith counties regarding their priorities for the upcoming legislative session in January.

WHEN/WHERE:
Cannon County – Sept. 5
Cannon County Courthouse
200 West Main St.
Woodbury, Tenn. 37190
6:30 p.m.

Smith County – Sept. 11
Smith County Ag Center
159 Ag Center Ln.
South Carthage, Tenn. 37030
6:30 p.m.

DeKalb County – Sept. 12
DeKalb County Community Complex
712 South Congress Blvd.
Smithville, Tenn. 37166
6:30 p.m.

Jackson County – Sept. 21
Timeless Events on Main
200 South Main St.
Gainesboro, Tenn. 38562
6 p.m.