WATERLOO – DeKalb’s breakout run through the Northeast 8 in coach Ryan Robertson’s first season culminated Friday in the program’s biggest win perhaps since a 2007 victory over Wayne that propelled the Barons to their most recent sectional title game appearance.

Receiver Noah Spears hauled in nine passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns, quarterback Eli McCormick threw three TD passes and sophomore Ryker Ball booted a 27-yard field goal with nine seconds left to send the Barons to a 31-28 victory over Class 4A No. 6 Leo at Cecil E. Young Field.

The triumph sent DeKalb (7-2, 6-1 NE8) to a second-place finish in the conference and just its fourth seven-win season since 2002. It also marked the first time the Barons had beaten the Lions (7-2, 5-2) in 13 tries since the NE8 was formed in 201

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