October 16, 2020
By: Dwayne Page
The DeKalb County Tigers will be in Lafayette tonight (Friday) to face the Macon County Tigers with a regular season region football championship on the line.
(Click Link Below to Hear WJLE’s Tiger Talk Program)
https://www.wjle.com/tiger-talk-october-16/
Both teams enter the contest undefeated at 2-0 in Class 4 Region 3A. Overall, DeKalb County is 5-3 while Macon County is 6-1. A win for the Tigers would clinch the region title for them.
After a 1-3 start to the season, DeKalb County has reeled off four straight wins including last week’s 42-7 victory over Smith County at Carthage.
Tiger Coach Steve Trapp said overall he was pleased with his team’s dominating performance against the Owls. “We had one mishap on defense and that’s what can happen if you do something wrong and give up a play. Early in the season we did that a lot more than we have the last few weeks. We did it once last week and it cost us as far as points. A lot of people may be thinking about our offense and how many points we have been putting up but that won’t happen if our defense doesn’t do what they should. If the defense is making the other team punt that gives our offense more opportunities to go out there and attack and be aggressive. That is something we really were not doing very well early on but for the last month the defense has been getting stops and the offense has been putting points on the board and our special teams has also been playing well,” he said.
As for tonight’s opponent, Macon County, “defensively a lot of it holds true to what they have done the last couple of years with a few new wrinkles. Offensively they have been mostly Wing-T. A lot of times an offensive system is either a Wing-T and that’s what you’re going to run or you are going to be a spread team, a Pro-I or whatever. What makes them unique is that they are equally doing spread and Wing-T and not doing a bad job at it. For us preparation wise this week was really more challenging because our defense has to be prepared to defend two offensive systems. On tape we have seen games where they relied on their spread system and in others where its been their Wing-T system. We have to make sure we are up to task on both of those systems so that neither works for them,” said Coach Trapp.
Coaches as well as players and fans understand the significance of tonight’s game. A win and the Tigers can claim the program’s first ever regular season region football title in DCHS school history.
“In January when we set our team goals this is one of the first to represent our district or region as a number 1 seed in the state playoffs and that has never been done here. Another thing we have told our guys this week is we want you to understand what is at stake and not just focus on what is there for you but to focus on what it takes to get it. This is still simply about putting on your helmet, getting on the field, and doing your job better than your opponent and if you do that when this game is over it will be a glorifying feeling,” said Coach Trapp.
DeKalb County has beaten Stone Memorial 31-30, Grundy County 32-0, Cannon County 49-7, Livingston Academy 38-14, and Smith County 42-7. The Tigers’ losses have been to Warren County 30-24, Upperman 27-21, and to Watertown 21-14. Next week the Tigers have an open date and will wrap up the season at home over Cumberland County on October 30.
Macon County has defeated Smith County 43-7, Westmoreland 13-7, Mount Juliet Christian 39-12, Glencliff 1-0 (COVID win), Cumberland County 48-7, and Stone Memorial 29-20. The one loss was to Trousdale County 21-13. Next week, Macon County hosts White County and will conclude the season at home against Livingston Academy in two weeks.
Class 4A Region 3 standings and team records:
*DeKalb County: 4-3 (2-0)
*Macon County: 6-1 (2-0)
*Livingston Academy: 5-3 (2-1)
*Stone Memorial: 3-5 (1-3)
*Cumberland County: 0-8 (0-3)
Kick-off will be tonight at 7 p.m.
WJLE’s pre-game shows begin with “Coach to Coach” at 5 p.m. featuring former coaches Doug Matthews, Dave McGinnis, and broadcaster Larry Stone.
“Murphy’s Matchups” airs at 6 p.m. featuring the Guru of Tennessee High School Football Murphy Fair.
“Tiger Talk” begins at 6:30 p.m. featuring DCHS Coach Steve Trapp and Tiger Football Players Evan Jones, Colby Barnes, and Isaiah Harrington.
WJLE’s “LIVE” play by play coverage starts at 7 p.m. with Luke Willoughby and Andrew Dixon
LISTEN LIVE ON WJLE AM 1480/ FM 101.7 and LIVE STREAMING at www.wjle.com.