Tigers 3-0 after another OT victory

It was a packed house at Coach Steve Trapp Field last Friday night as the DeKalb County Tigers faced off in a border battle with the Purple Tigers of Watertown. Yet again, the black and gold kept fans on the edge of their seats with another overtime win. If DeKalb keeps this up, they'll have to hand out heart monitors at the gate. Watertown is one of those teams that, no matter how good DeKalb is playing, always seems to have our number. Whether it was something psychological or pure luck, the Purple Tigers somehow always came out on top. As the game got underway, it looked like luck was on their side once again. Watertown got the ball first, starting at their own 35 after the opening kick went out of bounds. They lost a yard before having to punt. DeKalb started their first possession at their own 33, and a flea flicker to Preston Cantrell took the ball to the Watertown 20. A Collin Donnell run took the ball to the 17, then a Jesse Foutch pass to Tucker Webb was called back to the 33 due to an unsportsmanlike penalty. Cantrell was next caught in the backfield at the 44, and a delay-of-game penalty backed them up five more. Facing a fourth-and-Toledo, the Tigers punter pinned the ball at the two-yard line. Watertown QB Garrett Davis ran a keeper to the five, then another keeper broke loose for a 95-yard TD run. With the extra point, the Purple Tigers were on top 7-0 with 7:24 left in the first quarter. DeKalb just couldn't get moving in the first half of the game and would get mired in penalties and mistakes. Starting at their own 22, they went three-and-out and punted. The Purple Tigers had penalty troubles of their own. The return had Carmello Davis return to the 28, but a block in the back put the ball at the 10. On a third-and-11 play, a pass had the ball at the 27, but a personal foul on DeKalb gave them extra yardage at the 41. Another Davis keeper was to the DeKalb 49, and another gave them a first down at the 47. An Xa'Kurion Burns run was to the 34, then Davis took a sack by Braxton Bain at the 35. Another keeper was good for two yards, then a pass to Burns was intercepted by Foutch in the end zone near the end of the quarter. Once again, the Tigers began moving in the wrong direction. After a keeper went for no gain, then a pass to Donnell was caught at the 16, where he fell. A delay-of-game pushed them back five, then a false start five more. A Donnell was stopped at the nine, and the Tigers had to punt. The Purple Tigers started at their own 45, but would lose nine yards before they had to punt. It would be an ugly slugfest marred by penalties throughout the rest of the half and third quarter. It wouldn't be until late in the fourth quarter before the DeKalb Tigers finally got on track. After a high snap and a fumble on a punt play, the Watertown kicker miraculously got the punt off, and DeKalb would start at their own 28. With 4:11 left on the clock, a Foutch keeper was good to the Watertown 49, then a pass to Keegan Taylor fell incomplete. Another keeper was good to the 47, and another reached the 40. On a fourth and one, Foutch kept the ball and powered in for two yards. Foutch then connected a pass to Cantrell to the 19, then found Taylor in the end zone for the touchdown. Adrian Prater's PAT was good, and with 2:39 left to play in regulation, the score was tied 7-7. Watertown would get the ball on their own 44, but bad snaps and a block-in-the-back call doomed the drive. The punt ended at the 13, and regulation ended with Donnell running to the 15. The game went into overtime. DeKalb won the coin toss and elected to play defense. Starting at the 10-yard line, a Davis keeper reached the five, then another only reached the four. Another Davis run was stuffed at the line, and on fourth down they ran once again. The keeper was stopped at the two-yard line by Reed Midgett for no score. DeKalb's turn at the ball started at the 10, and Reed Midgett carried to the two. Foutch kept the ball himself next and was in for the game-winning touchdown. The black and gold claimed the 13-7 overtime victory. The 3-0 Tigers travel to the 2-1 Friendship Christian Commanders this Friday, September 11, with the game scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.