January 8, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County High School basketball schedule will have a different look starting with the 2021-22 season.
Currently, DeKalb County is part of District 8 AA, Region 4. A year from now, DeKalb County will be part of District 7 Class 3A, Region 4. The change was not sought by the school but due to recent TSSAA Reclassification.
DCHS baseball and girls softball will also be moving from District 8AA to District 7AAA in 2021-22.
District 8AA is currently comprised of DeKalb County, Macon County, Upperman, York Institute, Watertown, Livingston Academy, Smith County, and Cannon County.
In addition to DeKalb County, the new seven team Class 3A District 7 will be made up of Livingston Academy, Macon County, and Upperman along with newcomers Cumberland County, Stone Memorial, and White County.
Longtime district rivals York Institute, Watertown, Smith County, and Cannon County will remain in Class 2A. York will become part of District 5AA with Bledsoe County, Jackson County, Monterey, and Sequatchie County.
Cannon County, Smith County, and Watertown will join Westmoreland in District 6AA
DeKalb County Lady Tiger Basketball Coach Danny Fish said while the new district will be more challenging for his program, it provides an opportunity.
“Just when you thought District 8AA couldn’t get any harder, it will. We will be losing teams we have traditionally been rivals with for a long time. Watertown, Smith County, York Institute, and Cannon County will be moving out of our district. Stone Memorial, White County, and Cumberland County will be moving in with us (DeKalb), Macon County, Livingston Academy, and Upperman. That will be real tough. We thought it was a gauntlet before but it’s going to get harder in the upcoming seasons but we have played those teams in the past. In the last couple of years we have been able to split with White County and they were the District 6AAA champions last year. When we get in that district I believe we can rise to the occasion. Maybe our kids will train a little bit harder and longer and more throughout the year to make us more competitive in that district. I hope we can continue our process of staying in the top (district). We have worked really hard over the past couple of years to get where we are at and I think we will continue to work harder in the future to stay where we need to be once again. If we can make it out of that district into the region we will have a chance to win it all because will be playing by far in one of the toughest AAA districts in the state,” said Coach Fish.
“its going to be a lot different. The new teams coming into the district, White County, Cumberland County, and Stone Memorial have historically been really good in basketball so an already tough district for us will get tougher for sure. That will be starting next year (2021-22) and for the next four years. It will be challenging but we will be ready to compete,” said DCHS Tiger Basketball Coach John Sanders.