A lot of Adairsville's Tigers are still adapting to new roles this season, and it showed Friday night as several chances slipped away in their 19-11 loss to Dade County.

Among those opportunities: a fumble into the end zone, two drives that stalled inside their visitor's 20-yard-line, and a Tiger punt that somehow eluded possession until it was in the end zone, giving the Wolverines possession on their own 20 rather than finding some friendly Tiger arms deep in the red zone.

"We have to reach down in ourselves and get better," head coach Jim Kremer said. "We'd made some strides last week in our blocking, but it wasn't there tonight.

"It's my fault. I have to do a better job of coaching and we're going to have to work to simplify (the game) for our players."

While mistakes marred the performance, Adairsville stood toe-to-toe again with its third sizable opponent in as many weeks of its young season.

Adairsville's defense met the Dade challenge early, allowing the Wolverines just one first down in its opening drive. But the Tigers were unable to match that offensive output as a fumble -- which they recovered -- helped hold their opening drive to zero gain.

The Tigers were more productive on their second drive, however, after taking over at Dade's 47 and making one first down, enough to advance their field position. Adairsville then punted to a Dade player standing at about his own 3 who couldn't find the handle on the ball and it slipped into the end zone, quashing a big scoring opportunity for the Tigers.

Both defenses held the upper hand until Desmond Chester intercepted a Dade County pass at the 40 and carried it 31 yards -- to the 9-yard line.

The Tigers lost five yards over the next three plays but Corey Fulecki made that academic when he hit a field goal from the 14, giving Adairsville its only lead of the night with 1:39 remaining in the first half.

It took Dade County just one drive in the second half to surge into the lead.

Taking over the ball at their own 36 after an Adairsville punt, the Wolverines used five plays -- helped by a penalty flag -- and Rhett Lusk hit Blayton Bethune for a 20-yard touchdown.

Dade's kicker then hit the left upright with the PAT and after a favorable carom off the post, the Wolverines had a 7-3 lead with 8:07 remaining in the third quarter.

Adairsville took the kickoff to its 35 and attempted a pass on its first play, but a Wolverine intercepted it off a deflection and Dade advanced it to the Tiger 18.

Four plays later Dade's David Page ran in from the 5-yard line.

The PAT was no good and Adairsville was on the short end of a 13-3 score with 6:09 left in the frame.

The Tigers tried to respond on their next possession but the Wolverine defense stiffened and forced them into a fourth-and-two. A hard count by Cody Kremer drew the Wolverines offside for a Tiger first down, but Adairsville was unable to capitalize when one of their runners fumbled into the end zone from about the 3-yard line with 1:42 left in the frame.

Adairsville had yet another opportunity when Adairsville's Trent Gulledge recovered a Wolverine fumble, setting his team up at the 28.

The Tigers drove the ball almost to the 18 in four plays, having to surrender possession about five inches shy of the first down.

Dade County got back on the scoreboard with almost four minutes of the final period remaining with Page's 52-yard touchdown run. The PAT was no good and the visitors held a 19-3 lead.

Adairsville responded the next play when Mike Upshaw fielded the kickoff at the 15 and didn't stop until he'd covered 85 yards.

Bradford Austin made the two-point conversion and the Tigers pulled to within 19-11.

An onside kick by the Tigers worked and Adairsville had the ball at the 29 of Dade. But the drive stalled, again near the visitors' 18, and Dade took the ball over on downs, then ran almost four and a half minutes of clock out to preserve their victory.

Coach Kremer said the Tiger defense stood tough in the first half but -- like the offense -- needs to continue to improve fundamentally.

"We have just got to get better," he said.

He said ball possession remains a concern, with too many fumbles.

The coach said the ball did take some bounces against the Adairsville cause but added the Tigers must respond by getting better.

"You have to make your own luck in football," he said.

Adairsville returns to the gridiron Friday when it plays Sonoraville.

1 2 3 4 F

DAD 0 0 13 6 19

ADA 0 3 0 8 11

SCORING SUMMARY

Second quarter

ADA -- Corey Fulecki 31-yd FG

Third quarter

DAD -- Blayton Bethune 20-yd pass from Rhett Lusk (kick good)

DAD -- David Page 4-yd run (kick failed)

Fourth quarter

DAD -- Page 52-yd run (kick failed)

ADA -- Mike Upshaw 85-yd kickoff (Bradford Austin run)

TEAM STATS

DAD ADA

1st downs 10 9

Rushes-yds 38-174 31-100

Passing yds 43 64

Comp-Att-Int 4-8-1 7-21-1

Total yds 217 164

Penalties 9-50 11-76

Fumbles-lost 3-2 4-1

Punts-yds 6-177 5-206

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing -- Adairsville: Bradford Austin 12-62, Cody Kremer 13-45, Mike Upshaw 3-8, Kaylon Carter 1-4, Austin Moore 1-(-4), Team 1-(-15).

Passing -- Adairsville: Kremer 7-21-64-0-1.

Receiving -- Adairsville: Christian Howell 4-46, Austin 2-11, Desmond Chester 1-7.