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The Lady Tigers led by more than 20 points during the third quarter. But the temporary absence of point guard Molly Followill to a cramp and forward Macie Brelje to foul trouble left Watertown misfiring for much of the second half.

鈥�(Followill) is our energizer bunny,鈥� Watertown coach Brenna Price said. 鈥淪he gets after it, not just offensively, but defensively. She鈥檚 only a sophomore but she鈥檚 really our leader on the floor. When she goes out, we struggle just because we lose the energy, but also to an extent a big ball handler for us.鈥�

Followill, who was injured late in the first half, returned in the fourth as DeKalb County cut the margin to 39-33. Her steal and layup put Watertown back up 43-33 with less than two minutes to play as the home team improved to 8-0.

The Lady Purple Tigers led 7-3 early. But DeKalb County used its size to take an 11-10 edge on two free throws by Brooke Fuson in the final seconds of the first quarter.

A layup by Julianna Pruitt put the Lady Purple Tigers back in front 12-11 15 seconds into the second quarter and Watertown built a 31-15 halftime lead.

Dailey Hight, who also fouled out and had to pick up some of Followill鈥檚 minutes, led the Lady Tigers with 13 points, 11 of which came in the first half. Izzie Burns had two of her 10 in the third quarter. Followill and Brelje, who also fouled out, each added eight while Pruitt scored all of her six in the second quarter and Maggie Pearson pitched in two.

鈥淚 tell them all the time there鈥檚 a difference between getting after it defensively and fouling,鈥� Price said. 鈥淏etter to figure that out now than later, but we鈥檙e having a hard time getting that figured out.鈥�

Chloe VanVranken led the DeKalb Lady Tigers with 10 points.

Watertown is playing in the Smoky Mountain Christmas Classic at Rocky Top Sports World with today鈥檚 championship game scheduled at Gatlinburg-Pittman Junior High School. The Lady Tigers beat Clay County (Ky.) 54-45 Thursday and took on either Falkner (Miss.) or Jasper (Ala.) yesterday. They will play either Tennessee鈥檚 Baylor or Nashville Christian or Kentucky鈥檚 Harlan County or Pineville.

WHS led this battle of the Tigers 17-10 in the first quarter, 29-15 at halftime and 42-22 through three.

Brelje tossed in 21 points for the winners while Burns fired in 14. Hight had nine, Pearson and Pruitt four apiece and Followill two.

The Lady Tigers will return home for the annual THW Christmas Tournament on Dec. 27, 28 and 30. They will start with a 6 p.m. game against Battle Ground Academy on the 27th. Clarkrange or Huntland await on the 28th and one of the quartet of Cookeville, Tullahoma, Westmoreland or DeKalb County on the 30th.

Assuming the wins continue to pile up, Tuesday鈥檚 attendance, against a larger school which is a down-the-road rival, which was good, could turn into packed gyms in January and February, especially a community which has turned out for soccer and volleyball when they made postseason runs and a state champion baseball program which hadn鈥檛 been considered big-time until Mark Purvis took over as Tigers coach. 鈥淚 told our girls in the beginning our town will support winners,鈥� Price said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the bottom line. Friday night (against Trousdale County), believe it or not, it was even more packed in here than it is tonight. People are excited. They鈥檙e excited about what our girls are doing. They like to watch them play and that鈥檚 huge for us.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the beauty of a small-town community school. When you鈥檙e winning, the people will come out and support you, and I love that.鈥�