Dawson Co. Tigers fall to Denmark 11-1
DCHS Soccer, Sports, Team FYN Sports February 19, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers (0-5) fell to the Denmark Danes (2-1-2) at home on Tuesday night. The Tigers’ lone goal came from senior Michael Velasquez with eight minutes left in the first half.
Senior Michael Velasquez makes a play on the ball while guarded by a Denmark player.
Denmark struck first with back to back goals early in the first half. On the second goal, Tigers’ goalie, sophomore Gio Hernandez, was injured after hitting his head on the side of the goal. The backup goalie for Dawson Co. was junior Mason Truitt, who played the remainder of the game.
Junior Caleb Bonesteel loads up for a booming kick.
Denmark scored two more goals before Velasquez scored with eight minutes left in the first half. The Danes scored three more times before the break to lead 7-1 halfway through the match.
Denmark scored four more times in the second half to win 11-1.
The Tigers play again on Thursday at home against Pinecrest Academy at 7:30 P.M.
Dawson Co. defeats Cherokee Bluff 70-62 to advance to Region 7-3A championship
Dawson Co. Basketball, Sports, Team FYN Sports, Tigers Basketball February 8, 2020
The Dawson Co. Tigers (25-2, 14-0 Region 7-3A) defeated the Cherokee Bluff Bears (17-11, 7-6 Region 7-3A) 70-62 on Friday night at East Hall. The win gives them a spot in the region championship. The Tigers hit eight 3-pointers in the first half to give them a double-digit lead at halftime that helped them win the game.
Senior Jasper Gibson scans the defense.
Jasper Gibson led the Tigers in scoring with 24 points, and Mason Barnes scored 18 points. Eli Burress had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The game was intense from the opening minutes of the game. The Tigers were active on the offensive glass, which helped them lead 21-15 at the end of the first quarter.
The intensity picked up in the second quarter, with the referees having to separate players and a technical foul was assessed to the Bears. Despite the adversity surrounding the game, the Tigers were able to take a 42-27 lead into halftime.
Freshmen Jaden Gibson dribbles into the lane.
The Tigers continued to battle hard in the second half. They closed the quarter on a 13-1 run to lead 55-34 heading into the fourth quarter.
Cherokee Bluff closed the game with a late run, but Dawson Co. held on to win 70-62.
The Tigers play on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at East Hall against GAC in the Region 7-3A championship.
Dawson Co. Tigers throttle The King’s Academy 76-39
Dawson Co. Basketball, Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports, Tigers Basketball December 14, 2019
The Dawson Co. Tigers (9-1, 3-0 Region 7-AAA) picked up right where they left off on Friday night. They defeated The King’s Academy Eagles 76-39 in the final game of the North Georgia High School Showcase on Saturday at Dawson Co. High School. Campbell Reed paced the Tigers’ scoring barrage with 16 points. Mason Barnes also scored 15, and Jasper Gibson scored 12.
Jasper Gibson at the free throw line.
The Tigers outscored the Eagles 15-2 in the first quarter, with the only points scored by the Eagles coming at the free throw line. The final nine points of the period were scored by the Tigers, the final points coming on assist from Jaden Gibson to his brother Jasper.
The second quarter was more even, as the Tigers only won the period 20-18. Scoring came in bunches for both teams, as Dawson Co. led 35-20 at halftime.
Dawson Co. started off the second half strong by scoring the first nine points of the third quarter. After the Eagles hit a 3-pointer, the Tigers went on another run, this time a 12-0 run. They headed into the final period leading 56-25.
The Tigers showed no signs of slowing down. Ty Whitmire scored all eight of his points in the game in the first minutes of the fourth quarter. His personal 8-0 run extended the lead to nearly 40. It stayed right around 40 for the rest of the game, as the Tigers won 76-39.
Mason Barnes looks to make a play.
Dawson Co. will play again next Tuesday at Lumpkin Co. High School at 7:30 P.M.
Tigers use defense to earn 68-36 win against North Hall
Dawson Co. Basketball, Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports, Tigers Basketball December 14, 2019
The Dawson Co. boys basketball team defeated visiting North Hall 68-36 on Friday, Dec. 13. Jasper Gibson lead the way with 28 points, while Mason Barnes chipped in 17 for the Tigers.
Mason Barnes’ crossover shakes the defender.
The Tigers asserted their dominance on defense in the first quarter. They scored the first five points of the game quickly, while only allowing the Trojans to score five in the quarter. Both teams turned the ball over at a high rate, and the Tigers only managed to take an 11-5 lead at the end of the quarter.
The second quarter is when the Tiger offense got going. Both teams traded baskets to open the quarter, but Dawson Co. broke the game open with a 6-0 run that was followed by a 12-0 run. The second run started with Gibson hitting 3-of-4 free throws after a shooting foul and a technical foul. The run was capped off by Jasper Gibson hitting his brother Jaden Gibson for a 3-pointer late in the quarter. The Tigers took a 34-18 lead into the break.
At halftime, the Dawson Co. Lady Tigers coach Steve Sweat honored Marlie Townley as she collected her 500th career rebound in their win over North Hall.
Jasper Gibson shoots the technical free throw.
The third quarter started off the same way the second ended. The Trojans scored the first points of the half, but Dawson immediately responded with a 10-0 run to extend the lead. Late in the quarter, Jaden Gibson returned the favor by hitting his brother Jasper Gibson for one of his five made 3-pointers on the night. The Tigers led 50-24 by the time the quarter had ended.
The Tigers went on a 12-3 run to start the fourth quarter and seal the game. They also scored the final six points to win the game 68-36.
Dawson County returns to action tomorrow Saturday, Dec. 14, as they host to Clarke Central at 8 p.m.
Dawson County Volleyball Falls to GACS 3-0 in Elite Eight
Dawson County High School, Team FYN Sports October 27, 2019
In only their 4th year as a program, the Dawson County Tigers’ volleyball team was in uncharted territory. This is the farthest they’ve made it in the state tournament.
Dawson County huddles up before the match.
There was obvious excitement for the girls, as they started off hot getting a quick 7-4 lead over the Spartans of GAC. However, GAC responded by rattling off 7 straight points to give them an 11-7 lead in the first set. The Tigers weren’t ready to give up and went on a run off their own to tie the game at 11. The rest of the set was all Spartans, as they scored 4 straight and 12 of the next 14, eventually winning 25-15 to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
The second set started off neck and neck, with the two teams trading scores. The Dawson girls found themselves ahead 8-7, before GAC went on another big run. They scored 6 straight and 15 of the next 16 to take a 22-9 lead, before winning the set 25-13.
Dawson County star #4 Chloe Bennett jumps to hit the ball.
Down 2-0, Dawson showed heart by getting up quickly 4-1 and then 7-3. GAC responded by tying the set at 8. It stayed tight for a few volleys, before the Spartans had one more huge run in them. They won 11 straight volleys and 15 of the next 16 to win the set 25-11, ending the Spartans season.
Congratulations to the Dawson County Tigers on their best season in school history!
Dawson County Tigers preparing for season at North Forsyth camp
Dawson County High School, Dawson County High School, Sports, Team FYN Sports July 17, 2019
With the regular season only weeks away, high school teams in the North Georgia area know that they have to take every chance they can to get better. That’s exactly what the Dawson County Tigers and several other teams from the North Georgia/metro-Atlanta area are doing this week at the North Forsyth High School contact camp.
The camp started this morning at 9 a.m. and lasted until around noon. Each team had a chance to play in a scrimmage game twice. Teams will return again tomorrow at the same time.
The scrimmage games were played in a format that allowed seven to eight minutes of possession time for each team. After time ran out the teams would change possession. Plays were stopped at first contact with the ball carrier.
The Tigers scrimmaged Southwest DeKalb for the first game. This game was played at a slower pace so the Tigers could rotate players. Junior Varsity and Varsity teams were present for the Tigers, so the rotation schedule allowed playing time for both teams.
An interception caught for the Tigers in their first scrimmage game against Southwest DeKalb High School.
Dawson County scrimmaged Collins Hill in the second game. Although this game was played in the same format as the first, it was played at a faster pace to focus on moving the ball and gaining yardage. Each game lasted an hour and a half.
“We’ve got a very young squad, a lot of these guys are just trying to get their feet wet before we officially kick off next week,” said Sid Maxwell, head coach for the Tigers. “[We’re] Just trying to get another chance to come out and play somebody.”
Maxwell said that this camp is the third contact camp for the Tigers this summer, and they are gearing up for the start of their mandatory practices next week.
Watch the full video interview with Coach Maxwell below, and check out pictures from the camp on Team FYN Sports Facebook page!
Sports talk Thursday with Lauren Hunter-Football is coming
Sports August 2, 2019
We’ve been talking about it all summer. I’ve covered more camps than I can count. Young athletes have been out as early as January lifting and preparing for it. Finally on Wednesday I felt it.
Football season is coming.
Wednesday morning bright and early found me on the football field of Fannin County High School covering the last day of their youth football camp. Now as I said a few sentences earlier I’ve been out all summer covering football camps, but this was the first time it really clicked with me that we are only a few weeks away. And I won’t lie, a lot of it had to do with the weather.
Being at the Fannin County youth camp on Wednesday in some cooler air made me realize just how close we are to football season!
There was a slight breeze and I dare to say chill on Wednesday that I hadn’t felt all summer. Granted it was early in the morning and I’m so used to summer heat that even the slightest temperature drop can make me reach for my jacket. But this time, surrounded by young athletes who are the future of their program, it all started to set in.
It’s hard to imagine Friday Night Lights when it’s 90 degrees in Georgia in the middle of July. When I think of football I think of all the late Friday afternoons when I was in high school and the trees were ablaze with the bright orange and reds of fall. I think of the UGA games I’ve gone to where it’s been so cold part of the reason I was standing was not so much to cheer than to try and keep warm.
I will admit, football season has kind of snuck up on me this year. Earlier in the summer, Team FYN Sports was in baseball mode covering the local youth tournaments. I was in baseball mode keeping up with the Braves. But this is the South, and not just the South but SEC stronghold too. So of course even though baseball comes to the forefront, football stays simmering on the back burner at all times. That’s another reason why when I felt that cooler air on Wednesday, I was so easily able to slip back into football mode.
Local high schools start back as early as the week after next, with scrimmages coming the week after and then regular season the week after that. It’s crazy to think how time flies, and for teams that have been out practicing all summer, they realize that this is where the rubber meets the road.
I remember the first story I did for Team FYN Sports involving football was earlier this summer when Dawson County scrimmaged Pickens in a spring game. It took me a moment to realize when I got to the Dawson County field to realize that were weren’t in August, and this being in May we still had another three full months to go. But you couldn’t have told that to either of the two sides that night.
The mommas of the Dawson County Tigers formed a tunnel for the players to run through at their spring game like it was a regular season game.
The Dawson County mommas circled up for pre-game prayer, and lined up to form a tunnel for their sons to run through onto the field. Both home and away stands had a decent amount of fans to fill them. Both schools even brought their marching bands, and Pickens brought their cheerleaders. This energy is what I try to convey to everyone when I say that sports, and especially football, create a community rivaled by few other events.
Each time I’ve gone to a camp, or scrimmage, or even just a practice in this community, I’ve seldom been the only one there who is not a part of the team. Parents will come by to see their sons, or even just community members will drop by to get a look at the team before they run out for the first game. There’s something else special about following a team from the ground up, a season from the beginning to end. I know I’m not the only one that feels that way, and it makes my job all the much more enjoyable.
Over the last couple of weeks BKP and I have been going around North Georgia and interviewing coaches from all of the teams we cover. While last week I focused on the coaches and all of the effort that they have been putting in, it’s no overstatement to say that these players have been putting in their fair share too.
And they all seem ready. They’ve all been lifting and getting stronger since the beginning of the year. They’ve been out running drills and working for positions since the weather was warm enough. Now they’re breaking out the pads, helmets and fine tuning plays until it’s time for that first kick-off.
Football season is coming, and from the locker room to the press box, I think we’re all ready.
7-AAA All Region Teams Announced
Sports, Team FYN Sports May 15, 2018
Congratulations to all athletes chosen for All Region Honors in 7-AAA baseball for the 2018 season. Dawson Co. Tigers are represented well with 1 first team and 5 second team All Region athletes.
Dawson County Runs Past Lumpkin County 45-0
Team FYN Sports September 28, 2019
Coming off a tough home loss to Denmark, Dawson County knew they had to make a statement at Lumpkin.
And they did just that.
The Tigers opened the game with a kick return by #21 Shawn Thomas to the Indians 21-yard line to start them out strong. Dawson’s offense couldn’t get much going, and had to settle for a 36-yard field goal by #99 Caleb Bonesteel to give them the early 3-0 lead.
From this moment on, it was all Tigers.
3 Tigers get ready to play defense against Lumpkin County
Following a 3 and out by Lumpkin, the Indians skied a punt that only travelled about 10 yards forward to around the 30. The ball landed right on the sideline, but not out of bounds. One Indian and one Tiger met at the ball, but neither of them touched it. #12 Riley Herndon swooped in, grabbed the ball, spun out, and returned it for a touchdown to give the Tigers a 10-0 lead less than 3 minutes into the game.
On the next possession, #20 Tripp Caine intercepted a pass on third down to get the ball back for the Tigers. After a first down, #10 Zacchaeus Holtzclaw fired a 9-yard touchdown to #8 Hunter Barron to extend their lead by a touchdown less than 2 minutes later.
With the game starting to get out of reach, Lumpkin knew they had to make a move. Getting down to 4th and 1 on their own 30, the Indians decided to go for it. Dawson stopped them in their tracks and forced a loss, simultaneously killing any momentum Lumpkin had.
It took 3 rushes on the following possession for #15 Isaiah Grindle to take it to the house on an 11-yard score to make it a 24-0 game less than 7 minutes into the game.
#15 Isaiah Grindle rushes against Lumpkin County
Following a 3 and out by the Indians, Grindle ran in another touchdown, this time from 34 yards out to extend their lead to 31-0 less than a minute into the second quarter.
Lumpkin again couldn’t get anything going with another 3 and out the next possession. Dawson kept their momentum going with a 40 yard reception by #1 Dakohta Sonnichsen to set up a 23-yard touchdown reception for Grindle, giving him 3 on the game and the Tigers a 38-0 lead heading into the half.
The second half went by fast, as it was a running clock due to the sizeable lead.
Lumpkin started out the second half with another 3 and out. Dawson scored their final touchdown of the game on freshman #17 Keegan Stover’s first career pass attempt. On 4th down, Stover hit #39 Tucker Caine on a 36-yard touchdown to give them a 45-0 lead with 5 minutes left in the third.
2 Tigers look to their coach for the play call
Following the teams trading multiple 3 and outs, the Tigers were able to kneel the ball and run out the clock.
The Tigers play host to East Hall next Friday as they look to move to 5-1 on the season.
https://youtu.be/77GDNt4ynuM
Pre-season football interview with Dawson County Tigers head coach Sid Maxwell
Dawson County High School, Dawson County High School, Sports, Team FYN Sports July 24, 2019
Sid Maxwell is going into his fourth season as head coach for the Dawson County Tigers, and in those four years he has helped to create a successful program that reaches beyond the high school team and into the feeder programs. His philosophy? Three words: trust, care and commitment.
“It’s just a system that young men know that whatever we do we’re going to try to make them a better athlete,” said Coach Maxwell. “They also know I’m never gonna ask them to do anything that doesn’t have a purpose.”
The Tigers went 10-2 in their season last year, but Coach Maxwell knows how the keep the guys humble. Especially for seniors who may be stepping up for their final season.
“Some people…you put that crown on their head and they feel like they’re better than everyone else because you made them a leader. When they raise their head up, what happens to their crown? It falls off.” said Coach Maxwell. “So the guys we anoint going into this season are going to be the ones that keep the crown on their head.”
Dawson County Tigers fans and high school football fans alike can watch the full interview below!
Trojans Take Sweep Of Tigers
Sports, Team FYN Sports April 23, 2018
The final game of the three game series between the Trojans of North Hall and the Tigers of Dawson was played at North Hall on Friday with the Tigers falling short in a 5 inning mercy rule game. The Trojans would take the sweep of the series.
The Trojan bats struck first in the bottom of the first with 3 runs and added 9 in the 2nd, 2 in the third and 4 in the fifth to take the GHSA mercy rule win in 5 innings over the Tigers of Dawson. For the Tigers, the offense wouldn’t give it and Dawson battled for 7 runs in the third to make it a 12- 7 game heading in to the bottom of the inning. North hall answered with 2 of their own to extend their lead to a 7 run margin. The tigers added 1 in the fifth to end their scoring on the day. To reach the 10 run requirement for the mercy rule, the Trojans added 4 in the bottom of the fifth to take the game and the series.
Dawson sent four Tigers to the mound on the day throwing 133 total pitches with 69 being strikes. Thirteen of the eighteen runs for the Trojans were earned and they had eight walks. The Tiger fielders committed 2 errors on the day but overall played a very solid game.
The Tigers regular season came to a close on Friday and the coaching staff are preparing to right the ship from a disappointing 10-17 season.
Dawson Falls In Last At Bat
Sports, Team FYN Sports April 22, 2018
The Dawson Tigers traveled to the northern side of Hall County on Monday to hit the diamond against a really good North Hall Trojan Baseball team. The Trojans, sitting atop the region and needing a victory to help clinch the region title, would not give up. The Tigers gave all they had but fell short at the hands of last inning rally by North Hall.
Dawson struck first putting a run on the board by way of a lead off walk by Hudson Sapp and was forced out at second base on a fielders choice. Brother and teammate Palmer Sapp reached on the fielders choice and advanced to second on a wild pitch , the to third on a sacrifice by Connor Bearden. Sapp scored on a passed ball by the Trojan catcher giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Dawson added single runs in the second and third innings as the Trojans put three of there on up in the bottom half of the second and one in the third to carry a 4-3 lead in to the top of the fourth inning. The bats for both teams were silent in the fifth setting up and exciting finish for the fans that gathered. In the top half of the sixth, Dawson struck for three runs on hits by Browning, Bo Lewis with a walk by T.J. Allen. The Trojans helped with the Tiger runs committing a couple of errors in the inning. The Tigers carried a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the sixth and yet the Trojans didn’t lay down. North hall tied the score at six each with two doubles and a single in the inning. Going quietly in the top of the seventh, the Tigers and their fans were not ready for what was to happen next. With the opportunity to steal a victory, the Trojans needed one run and that they would get. Two singles and a sacrifice fly sealed the win in walk off fashion giving the Trojans the last inning win by a score of 7-6.
Next up for the Tigers of Dawson Co. will be at home as they face these same Trojans in game two of the three game series on Thursday.
Dawson Offense Struggles In Loss
Sports, Team FYN Sports April 23, 2018
The Tigers of Dawson County hosted the Trojans of North Hall in Game 2 of the three game region series on Wednesday at the home of the Tigers. Dawson put one run up on the board on six hits in the game with 9 strikeouts. The Trojan hurler went all seven getting the complete game victory in a dominating performance.
The Tiger were held scoreless until the third. Palmer Sapp, 3-4 on the day, stepped to the plate with 2 outs and down by six to the Trojans. On a 1 ball and no strike count, Sapp took the North hall pithcer deep over the center field fence for a solo homerun for the only run in the game for Dawson. Only three other Tigers would reach base by hit. Hudson Sapp(1-2), Nathan Sorrells(1-3) and Hunter Barron added one hit each for Dawson.
Defensively for the Tigers, Palmer Sapp, Nathan Sorrells and Cameron Moore to the hill and in 7 innings the three combined for 16 hits, 10 runs all earned, 4 walks and had 8 strikeouts. Dawson played solid defense behind their hurlers committing only 1 error on the day. In the 10-1 win for the region champion Trojans, 6 runs in the third, 1 in the fourth, 2 in the sixth and 1 in the seventh. In the field, the Trojans committed no errors.
Next up for the Tigers will be a trip to North Hall on Friday to face the Trojans in game three of the series and last game of the regular season. Game time is set for 5:55 P.M.
Tigers Host Lumpkin County Friday
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 27, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Highly-motivated Lumpkin County is next up for Coach Sid Maxwell’s Dawson County Tigers and the Indians would like nothing better than to swing into Tiger Stadium Friday and upset the state’s No. 10-ranked Class AAA team.
Lumpkin County (4-4, 2-2) is still hoping to earn the second seed in the Region 7-AAA playoffs. They could achieve that with a win Friday should the Tigers lose to No. 1-ranked Greater Atlanta Christian next week.
But that is a very big mountain to climb. The Tigers (7-1, 4-0) are unbeaten at home this year and currently riding a five-game win streak. Since an early-season double overtime loss to West Hall, no has come within 14 points of beating Dawson County.
Coach Shane Williamson’s Indians feature a ground-and-pound offense led by a trio of good runners who average better than 6 yards per carry. Senior fullback Zach Matthews is the leading rusher with 1,152 yards and an average of 6.1 yards per carry. Running back Cole White is next, having rushed for 627 yards and an average of 7.5 yards per carry, followed by quarterback Chandler Woodham with 580 yards rushing and an average of 6.1 yards per carry.
But Lumpkin County appears to pass out of necessity. Woodham has a completion average of just 34.9 and has only passed for an average of 28.4 yards per game.
Dawson County should be a highly motivated bunch also. A victory sends the Tigers into a much-anticipated showdown with GAC next week for the Region 7-AAA championship in Tiger Stadium. And these Tigers have a lot of weapons on offense, defense and special teams.
Quarterback Coey Watson has amassed 1,756 yards in total offense and accounted for 24 touchdowns. Payton Myers has rushed for 452 yards and scored seven touchdowns.
The wide receivers are dangerous Austin Young, who averages 18.9 yards on 36 receptions and has scored seven touchdowns. Speedy Nick Murphy averages 16.2 yards per catch and has scored four touchdowns.
The Tigers defense is one of the region’s best. At East Hall last week, they turned in three goal line stands, holding the Vikings scoreless on three trips inside the 10-yard line. Linebacker Luke Martin is the ring leader. He has 121 total tackles for an average of 17.3 per game including 16 tackles for a loss. Defensive back Colin Glover averages 12.7 tackles per game and Jeremy Whalen averages 10.
Dawson County’s opponents are learning to kick the ball away from Kolton Brumbelow who has scored on kickoff returns of 95 and 99 yards.
Defeating Dawson County in Tiger Stadium may be too formidable a task for the Indians.
Tigers Romp in Region 7-AAA Opener 45-27
Sports, Team FYN Sports September 30, 2016
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — With Dawson County trailing 14-10, the Tigers’ Kolton Brumbelow took the second half kickoff at his own 1-yard line and streaked down the Tigers sideline on an electrifying 99-yard touchdown run that started a 35-point second half outburst and led to a 45-27 romp over host North Hall Friday.
Dawson County (3-1, 1-0) outscored the Trojans 10-0 in the first quarter on a Peyton Allen field goal and an 18-yard scoring pass from senior quarterback Coey Watson to Nick Murphy.
But the second quarter belonged to North Hall (4-2, 1-1) as the Trojans rallied to a 14-10 lead. Junior Jack Brown accounted for both of North Hall’s first half touchdowns. He scored the first on an 8-yard run to cap a 72 yard scoring drive.
Cutter Sanford picked off a Watson pass and returned it to the Tigers 49 to set up the Trojans next score. This time, Brown bulled his way in from the 1 to stake North Hall to a 14-10 lead at halftime.
Whatever Coach Sid Maxwell said to his team at halftime was golden. Sparked by Brumbelow’s electrifying kickoff return to start the second half, the Tigers reeled off 35 straight points to put their Region 7-AAA opener away.
Watson completed 19 of 28 passes for 223 yards, including touchdown passes of 18 and 26 yards to Murphy.
Payton Myers had another good night running the ball. He rushed for 107 yards on 12 carries, including a 33-yard run.
Wide receiver Austin Young was the Tigers leading receiver with 7 catches for 86 yards.
The Tigers return home next Friday to play Union County. North Hall will host East Hall.
Dawson County rolls to 46-0 win over White County
Sports, Team FYN Sports September 23, 2016
DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Dawson County hasn’t had much luck in its short football series against White County. The Tigers and Indians had squared off six times before Friday night and White County won five of those games. But luck didn’t enter the picture Friday as the Tigers put a convincing 46-0 whipping on the Indians in the Tigers homecoming game.
The offense worked methodically behind an all senior offensive line of Wyatt McMahon, Matt Stewart, Brice Henson, Tyler Womak and Keelan Kraus, scoring on its first three possessions.
Quarterback Coey Watson shredded the Warriors secondary, passing for more than 200 yards, including a 41-yard scoring strike to Austin Young in the third quarter. He also ran for a pair of touchdowns.
Meanwhile the Tigers showed they have a stable of talented running backs. Payton Myers, subbing for injured running back Taylor Cronan, ran for over 100 yards and two touchdowns to spark the ground game. When Dawson County pulled the starters in the third quarter, senior Dennis King ripped off runs of 16 and 20 yards before scoring on a 1-yard run with 1:13 left in the third quarter.
On their first possession, the Tigers drove 80 yards in 11 plays with Myers getting the TD on a 5-yard run.
Defensive back Chance Armstrong set up the next score when he intercepted a pass at the Tigers 40 and returned it to the Warriors 42. Four plays later, Watson scored on a 2-yard run ran in with the 2-point conversion for a 15-0 lead.
The Tigers next scoring drive covered 70 yards in nine plays with Myers scoring his second touchdown on a 5-yard run and the route was on. Cole Dennis wrapped up the first half scoring by kicking a 17-yard field goal that gave Dawson County a 25-0 lead.
“We were solid all the way around tonight. We moved the ball and kept on attacking and just never took our foot off the gas.”
After White County went three and out on its first second-half possession, The Tigers cranked up another long scoring drive, moving 86 yards in 16 plays. Watson capped the drive with a 1-yard run.
White County ripped off a couple first downs on its next possession before Nate Umberger intercepted a pass from Kaleb Crane and returned it 39 yards to the Indians 41.
Watson then connected with Young on a 41-yard scoring strike that gave the Tigers a 39-0 lead with 4:06 left in the third quarter. At that point, Coach Sid Maxwell sent in his talented young reserves for mop up duty.
Maxwell said he was proud of his team’s effort. “They played their hearts out. There is no quit in these young men.”
The win marked the final non-region game of the season for Dawson County. The Tigers (2-1) travel to Gainesville next week to take on the North Hall Trojans in a Region 7-AAA game. White County (1-4) returns home to face Blessed Trinity.