The Dawson County Middle School Tiger football team picked up its first win of the season Sept. 9. The Tigers defeated visiting Pickens County Middle School by a 13-6 score. Dawson is currently 1-2 overall on the season.

“We looked a lot better on both sides of the ball. The defense played really well. The offense was able to move the ball down the field and score. It was a good win,” said head coach Thomy Edwards.

The Tiger defense forced Pickens to punt on the Dragons first offensive series.

A bad snap by Pickens gave Dawson great field position.

Two plays later, Tiger Jake Leete scored on a 5-yard run. The extra point was good and Dawson held a 7-0 lead.

Defensively, the Tigers were strong. Dawson held Pickens on its next two offensive possessions.

Dawson scored again on another Leete run from 11-yards out. This time the extra point was no good, and the Tigers had a 13-0 lead with 1:03 remaining before halftime.

On the ensuing kickoff, Pickens returned the ball out to the 50-yard line. One play later Pickens found the end zone on a 50-yard run. The Dragon extra point was no good and Dawson was left clinging to a 13-6 lead at the half.

Tragedy struck in the second half.

With Dawson driving down to the Pickens 1-yard line when one of the Dragon players sustained an injury. The injury to the Pickens player was so severe that he was air-flighted by a helicopter from the field. His condition was not available at press time.

With about four minutes left in the game both head coaches decided that the best thing to do was to call the game.

“The boys did a really good job. Jake Phillips and Corey Voyles really played well on the defensive line. It seemed both of them were in the backfield all game. I thought Jake Leete ran the ball hard, as did Conor Woodbury. Woodbury is only a seventh grader, but you could not tell that by the way he plays,” Edwards said.

The team will travel to Jasper Middle School this week for a game against a very tough team. Kickoff will be at 5 p.m.