The Tigers refuted the notion of being underdogs on their own turf. Dawson County (3-4; 2-2 in Region 6-AAA) controlled the clock and used a dual QB offense orchestrated by sophomore Gunnar Weaver and senior Preston Bannister on the way to a 14-0 win over White County (2-5; 1-3).
Dawson got going early on a Bannister keeper from one yard out after a huge run by Cody McBrayer set up the score. Neither team got much going in the next several series, though the Warriors missed a field goal and had a couple of turnovers on downs, including once in the red zone.
The Tigers got an early TD in the second when Weaver dialed long distance for Dylan Edwards, who caught the pass in stride on the way to a 61-yd TD to make it 14-0. That score held strong til the half.
Dawson County had deferred to the second half and made it count. Despite missing a field goal, the Tigers burned nearly 10 minutes off the clock in their two drives of the third, giving little opportunity for Tripp Nix and White County to cook. It remained 14-0 going into the final period.
That strategy was alive and well to start the fourth, as the Tigers took over 4 minutes off the board before a quick kick punt by Weaver pinned the Warriors inside the 4-yard line with under 8 minutes to play.
Nix and the offense were backs to the wall. They overcame a 3rd and long with a big run by the QB, a pass to Noel Lammers, and another Nix run.
The Warriors then faced a 4th and 7 from the 14, and Nix was taken down after a short gain to turn it back over with 6:04 remaining. They milked a couple of minutes off the clock before punting it back with 3:32 remaining. Again, White County faced a 4th down at its own 48, and Elijah Odom came away with his second big sack of the evening to hand it back to Dawson.
A turnover on downs by the Tigers gave White County one last shot. The Warriors got to the red zone but came away empty, allowing Dawson to knee out the final minute-plus.
The shutout is a second straight for Dawson, who set a school record in a 71-0 win last week against Johnson. White County was last shut out in 2022 at home against Dawson.
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