Dexter takes advantage of opportunity, knocks off Scott City

DEXTER – There were a multitude of missed opportunities on the part of the Dexter High School football squad in its 2023 regular season opening game against Scott City at Charles Bland Stadium on Friday.

The Bearcats had two first-quarter passes into the end zone just missed from being completed.

Dexter drove to the Ram six-yard line to close the first half but came away with no points.

The hosts failed to convert a pair of extra points and a makeable field goal attempt, and early in the final quarter, Dexter scored twice on runs, only to have those scores called back due to penalties.

“You think about what might have been,” second-year Bearcat coach Chad Jamerson said. “We dropped two in the end zone. We stalled in the red zone in the first half. We stalled in the second half once or twice.

“We left points on the board tonight. That is not being arrogant, that is just being honest.”

However, when the game was finished, the Bearcats had done enough, AND taken advantage of a massive opportunity that Scott City presented Dexter and came away with a 26-14 victory.

The win snapped a three-game skid in the series for Dexter (1-0).

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

A year ago, it was the Bearcats who jumped out to an early lead on the Rams (0-1), only to have Scott City rebound for a dominant win. This year, it was the opposite.

Scott City got first-half scores to take a 14-0 lead, only to be stymied by a much-improved Bearcat defense this year.

All-Everything Ram senior Mark Panagos connected with classmate Tyson Underwood for a 70-yard touchdown pass less than three minutes into the game, and the Bearcat fans had to have been thinking ‘Here we go again.’”

Underwood added another scoring run, this time from one yard out, to close the opening quarter. He finished with 134 yards of offense, 84 on the ground.

“Tyson is really good,” veteran Scott City coach Jim May said following the game. “But it hurts when Mark isn’t there.”

And THAT was the opportunity that Dexter seized upon to claim this game.

Panagos had a very nice run into the red zone early in the game and reinjured his left hamstring, which has bothered him through the summer.

Panagos, who is one of the top athletes in the Southeast Missouri region, valiantly tried to play through the first half, but had no strength to throw off one leg and couldn’t extend plays with his mobility.

“It affects both sides of the ball and on special teams,” May said of the injury.

Panagos not only is the starting quarterback, but he is also an impact player defensively, punts, and kicks for the Rams.

He came out of the locker room at halftime not dressed to play, and the Bearcat players and coaches took notice.

“When I saw him come out from halftime in street clothes,” Jamerson said, “I thought ‘hot dog.’”

The Rams had to turn to sophomore quarterback Jackson Gloth to run the offense, and he was just one of several Ram players to be thrust into bigger roles due to injury.

“You never know when your name is going to be called,” May said. “You better be ready.”

May had to throw inexperienced players into the game, and the stout Bearcat defense and an explosive offense took advantage.

Dexter senior runner RJ Farmer got his team on the board with a 20-yard scoring run just minutes into the second half, while junior Lee-Michael McDonald added a 55-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.

Farmer finished with 75 yards rushing, while McDonald added 137.

Though he didn’t score, junior runner Jett Grams provided the power bursts on drives to put Dexter into scoring position. He finished with 69 yards rushing.

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

The Bearcats totaled 322 yards of offense, all but 18 of those were on the ground.

Late in the third quarter, Bearcatjunior quarterback Jackson Howard hooked up with junior tight end for a couple of long gains, one for 32 yards, and moments later, another for a 28-yard touchdown.

Farmer then closed the offensive night for Dexter with an eight-yard touchdown with 67 seconds remaining.

While the Bearcat offense was being productive, Bearcat senior defensive back, Rhyder Williams had three interceptions.

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

The Bearcat defense was led by senior defensive lineman Landon Weathers, who had 10 tackles and a sack.

Farmer added seven tackles from his defensive back spot while Devin Turnbo and Levi Dement added five stops each.

Blake Wilburn paced the Ram defense with 10 tackles while Ian Weber (eight) and Lawson Graff (seven) were also productive.

Scott City will host St. Vincent (0-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Dexter will visit Sikeston (0-1) at the same time.