Bearcats run over, through, past Tigers for 5th W

DEXTER – How good is the ground game for this season’s Dexter High School football squad?

Senior running back RJ Farmer, who is arguably as good of a back as the Bearcats have, was injured early in the third quarter and had to be taken to Southeast Health Center, and Dexter still pounded the Caruthersville defense for 467 yards rushing, as the hosts prevailed 46-28 at Charles Bland Stadium on Friday.

“Give Dexter credit,” second-year Tiger coach Dom Guglielmio said. “Those are some big strong boys.”

The Bearcats (5-1) ran roughshod over Caruthersville, behind an experienced line of Ethan Glaus, Peyton Hartline, Caden Lee, Sawyer Rascher, Braiden Barnes, and Logan Pullum, and they did so from the opening snap.

On Dexter’s initial offensive play, junior power-back Jett Grams bulled his way for a double-digit yardage gain, which set the tone for the evening.

“I thought our backs did a really good job of getting their hands on their lead blocker,” second-year Bearcat coach Chad Jamerson said. “That influenced the blocks and set up their legs.”

The Bearcats opened the night with a methodical drive where they gained chuck yardage repeatedly. Junior speedster Lee-Michael McDonald was on his way to the end zone on a scamper, when he fumbled the ball at the eight-yard line, only to have Pullum recover it for a 6-0 lead just 53 seconds into the game.

“That was a dang good football team,” Guglielmio said of Dexter, which is having its most successful season since 2011.

Bearcat junior Devin Turnbo doubled the margin to 12-0 late in the opening quarter on a 24-yard run, and then Turnbo made it a 19-0 game early in the second quarter when he fielded a short Caruthersville punt and tore off a 42-yard return for a score.

Caruthersville back Sammy Bryant finally got his team on the board with an explosive 71-yard run in the second quarter, which was one of several explosive plays made by the Tiger athletes.

“We traded blows during the game,” Guglielmio said.

However, Dexter always had a run-game answer for every productive play made by the Tigers (3-3).

McDonald scored from 45 yards out for a 26-6 Bearcat lead, but super-junior Jermonte Alexander answered right back for Caruthersville with a 62-yard touchdown run.

McDonald added another score, this one from 24 yards out before Grams bull-rushed in from short yards early in the fourth quarter for a 39-14 margin.

Caruthersville alternated quarterbacks between Jared Hudgins and Ryan Guest, and Guest hooked up in the final quarter for a 75-yard touchdown pass to Alexander for a 39-22 score.

Dexter came back with a sweet pass connection from quarterback Jackson Howard to McDonald, while Alexander closed the night by tearing off a 94-yard kick-off return for a score and the final margin.

“All kudos go to the kids for executing the plans that we had for them,” Jamerson said.

McDonald totaled 201 yards rushing, while Turnbo (90 yards), Grams (44), and Nolan Alford (52) were also productive.

Bryant paced the Tigers with 77 yards on the ground, while Alexander had four receptions for 153 yards.

Alexander also led Caruthersville defensively with nine tackles, as did Oscar Dominguez.

Landon Weathers was a beast defensively for Dexter, as he had 11 tackles, and 3 ½ for a loss.

The Tigers will host Charleston on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Dexter will visit Kennett on Friday at 7 p.m.