Dexter OL, D show early growth this season

DEXTER – Following his team’s season-opening win over Scott City on Friday at Charles Bland Stadium, second-year Dexter High School football coach Chad Jamerson was handing out congratulations to every young person he could find wearing one of the super-cool red jerseys that the Bearcats broke out for the game, and with good reason.

The Bearcats snapped a three-game losing skid to the Rams and there were very few players who weren’t productive in the battle.

“It was a total team effort tonight,” Jamerson said. “Everybody did what they were supposed to do.”

They did. However, you’d be remiss if you didn’t notice the play of the offensive line and the Bearcat defense.

A year ago, Jamerson was piecing together an inexperienced group along the offensive front, and there were growing pains in abundance. However, with each snap last year, a productive off-season and training camp, and now 48 minutes of real football under their belts, that young offensive line has emerged into one that is becoming much more consistent in its performance.

“Our offensive line stepped up and played really, really well for us,” Jamerson said.

The Bearcats gained 322 yards of total offense, with all but 18 coming on the ground.

“That is the kind of game that we want,” Jamerson said. “We want to be able to run the ball.”

The Rams gave the offensive line some schematic looks early, which caused the unit to have to think a bit before executing. However, Jamerson said the adjustments were made and the results showed in the run game.

“It took us a little while to get going,” Jamerson said. “It took us a little while to diagnose (as) they were coming out in a tight 3-4 (look). They were walking up those inside backers and then they would stack. Those stacked linebackers basically look like quarterbacks right behind the defensive line and that gave us some problems.

“But we told them that if they just followed their offensive line rules, and carry out your assignments, everything would work out.”

It did on the defensive side of the ball, as well.

Since this series was renewed three years ago, the Rams had not just won all three games, but done so in convincing fashion in each of the last two.

Scott City’s annual margin of victory was nearly 30 points per game. However, following two quick scores early on Friday, the Bearcat defense held the visitors scoreless for more than half of the game.

“I’m really proud of how our defense stood up,” Jamerson said. “They bent at times, but they didn’t break.”

Senior defensive back Rhyder Williams was the star of that side of the ball, as he had three interceptions.

“You can’t say enough about Rhyder,” Jamerson said. “He has always been an exceptional leader for us.”

The Bearcats (1-0) will seek its second straight revenge victory on Friday at 7 p.m. when they visit Sikeston (0-1). A year ago, the Bulldogs rallied from a 25-7 halftime deficit at Dexter to earn a 45-32 stunning win.

“We’ve got some hard feelings about that one from last year,” Jamerson said. “We’re going to go down there and hopefully put our best foot forward.”