Under grey skies and the golden-eyed eagle plastered across the scoreboard of War Eagle Stadium, the Dawson County Tigers suffered back-to-back defeats on Thursday night at the hands of South Forsyth High School.

Tigers

Starting two hours earlier than scheduled due to a Georgia High School Association (GHSA) rule regarding late games, the Tigers' matchup against the Region 5- 7A War Eagles ended with nearly 14 minutes remaining on the clock due to the mercy rule.

According to Tigers Head Coach Patrick Muenchen, the sudden change of game time kept starters Christian Harper and Gabe Funderburk out of the game due to conflicts with after-school jobs.

But Harper and Funderburk were just two of four starters missing from the Tigers' roster on Thursday night. Team co-Captain Pablo Hernandez sat the match out due to a card violation and Caleb Bonesteel is suffering from a bruised ankle bone.

Due to these absences, several junior varsity players got some experience playing at the varsity level.

South Forsyth finished fourth in their region last season and exited the state playoffs in the second round, so the Tigers were dubious of their chances before they got off of the bus, teammates say.

“Our chances were slim,” junior Aaron Mulinberg said after the game. “We knew that coming into the game.”

The game ended with a score of 10-0, with the War Eagles securing a decisive victory. 

Next week the (0-4) Tigers will host the Denmark Danes on Tuesday, Feb. 18. 

Lady Tigers

For most of this matchup, the Lady Tigers, last year’s 7-AAA Region Champions, played on the defensive, keeping the contest scoreless until halftime.

This successful first half by the Lady Tigers was due to an incredible game by junior goalie Addison Hoard who reached double-digit saves in the first half alone.

However, the Lady Tigers were unable to walk away from War Eagle Stadium with a victory.

The War Eagles came out of halftime even more on the aggressive than they had been playing prior and ended the second half with three unanswered goals.

The (0-4) Lady Tigers hope to get their first victory of the season next Tuesday when they face off against the Region 7-4A Denmark Lady Danes at Dawson County High School.