Dawson County is back on the map! If last year’s record-setting Tigers team didn’t convince you, they’re on to bigger and better things in 2016.
Not too long ago, a 5-5 season at Dawson County would have been considered a successful year for the program. Making state was something unheard of, and only accomplished in 1999, 2000 and 2004. Then came 2012, a year in which Dawson fielded its best team in over a decade.
The Tigers had a dual threat star quarterback (Tyler Dominy), a playmaker at running back (Zack Martin), wide receiver (Bruce Clark) and a guy who could make plays anywhere and everywhere (Will Anglin). That group, however, was riddled with injuries in their senior year, leading to a 6-5 season that resulted in a state playoff berth. Overall, the group would be the first to admit they were hoping for more.
What followed was a 5-5 season with no playoffs in 2013 and a 2-8 campaign in 2014 that ultimately led to the end of the Jeff Lee era (2003-14). Then came a new head coach in Sid Maxwell.
Maxwell led a powerhouse program at Lambert High School, and ushered in a new era for Dawson County football, bringing in his senior star receiver and son, Tucker Maxwell. With the Tigers getting a brand new state-of-the-art turf field, it was clear this was the turning of the page for Dawson football.
2015 proved to be the peak of the program to date, as the Tigers captured their first-ever region championship, scored a record 63 points in a home playoff game, and advanced to the Elite 8 for the first time in school history. The nine-win season also marked a record for the program.
The Tigers played their first-ever home playoff game, and beat Ringgold with the 63 point outburst to get another home playoff game, which they again won. The season ended with a loss on the road, but marked the new direction for Dawson County.
This year’s Tigers are without a Tucker Maxwell (837 yds, 15 TD) and Hunter Mitchell (1,226 yds, 12 TD), but returned junior quarterback Coey Watson and senior linebacker Luke Martin among playmakers such as Austin Young, Payton Myers, Nick Murphy and Kolton Brumbelow.
“[I] have more options this year to pick, more places to throw the ball,” says Watson. “It’s easier this year.”
Watson isn’t kidding. Through six games, he’s thrown for over 1,100 yards and rushed for 440, accounting for 12 touchdowns passing and 12 more rushing. Young has over 650 receiving yards, while Murphy, Myers and Brumbelow have their fair share of success, making it hard to stop any one guy on and offense that averages 42.2 points per game.
On the flip side, the Tigers’ defense has been phenomenal, allowing only 17.3 points per contest. Martin is a big key to that success, averaging a state best 20 tackles per game. He has 15 tackles for loss and two interceptions on the year.
“I have to give credit to my defensive line,” states Martin humbly. “They make plays that way I can make my plays. I worked hard this offseason to get where I’m at. I try to be the leader I’m supposed to be, and God’s going to bless me with the numbers he blesses me with, and that’s ok – as long as we win that’s ok with me.”
The difference four years make is astounding, as Martin explains.
“It’s a huge difference from my freshman year [2013], going 5-5. Everyone thought, oh, that’s Dawson County football. Sophomore year [2014] we go 2-8 and no one really believed in us. My junior year [2015], …they were like ‘ok, Dawson County football is something now,’ and this year everybody believes in us. You can tell by the turnout at our games that the whole community is excited about Dawson County football, and the players are. We know how to win; we’re not scared of anybody.”
The lone hiccup this season has been a double-overtime loss at West Hall in which Watson’s dislocated elbow forced him to abandon the passing game and put the team on his back. Since the devastating loss, the young men have gotten stronger and have ripped off four straight wins since.
“We definitely didn’t drop our heads after that loss,” says coach Sid Maxwell It’s all about having a system and having the guys believe in that system. We have to keep moving forward, and each week is a new challenge.”
Watson’s injury proved to be a concern to the Tigers, but he hasn’t missed a start. More scary than the injury should be when opposing defenses realize that Watson is playing this well and still not fully healthy.
“He’s getting his way back to 100-percent,” states Maxwell. “He’s still unable to do some things, lift weights and we limit his throwing. He was able to gradually get back and each week he’s getting [healthier].”
Keep in mind that Watson, injured elbow and all, tossed five TD passes last Friday at Fannin in just one half of play, throwing for nearly 300 yards. Imagine when he’s fully healthy.
Dawson is set for a de-facto region title game in the final week of the regular season when it plays host to #1-ranked GAC with Stanford commit Davis Mills at quarterback. If the Tigers win their two games prior to that week, they will have already clinched a state playoff berth and home playoff game, and would put icing on the cake if they can take down the top-ranked Spartans.
