Bearcats looking for third straight against Tigers

Jerry Jarrell photo - Dustin Lane (No. 3) and Shawn Slavings (No. 45) bring down Charleston runningback Tony Riggins during Friday's 49-42 win by the Bearcats at Charles Bland Stadium. Dexter is slowly gaining momentum and will need to continue that trend at Caruthersville this Friday.

Dexter will be looking to make it three straight wins Friday night when the Bearcats travel to Caruthersville for a SEMO Central Conference battle with Tigers.

Both teams struggled out of the gate to open the season with Caruthersville starting 0-5 before getting its first win last week, 14-12, over lowly Portageville. Dexter opened the season 0-4, but has now won two straight with last week's 49-42 shoot-out over Charleston and a 41-7 drubbing of Malden the week before.

Caruthersville always fields a very athletic team and the Tigers will be tough at home after finally breaking through with a win. Even at 1-5, the Tiger's record is deceptive after they started the season with back-to-back 3-point losses, 10-7 to St. Vincent and 24-21 to an undefeated Kennett team. The Tiger's other three losses have been to good teams. Piggot, Ark., handled the Tigers, 27-12, while state-ranked Hayti rolled to a 40-21 win and powerhouse New Madrid County Central looked impressive in a 32-18 game.

The Bearcats have had trouble defensively stopping the opposition this season, allowing 40 or more points in four of the six games, and 38-points to Poplar Bluff. Only against Malden were the 'Cats able to hold a team to single digits.

Caruthersville will bring a spread offense to the field Friday, a style that the Bearcats have yet to figure out this season.

While the defense has struggled, the offense has been showing signs of life, improving its points scored per game to just over 28. Nick Hessling's return to the lineup after a preseason injury has helped, giving quarterback Ben Mills another option in the back field to go along with Seth McBride. Hessling and McBride were both near the 200-yard mark in rushing last week.

Hessling, Dexter's leading rusher last season, has only played in four games, but has already carried the ball 92 times for 422 yards (4.59 yards per carry) and is averaging 105.5 yards per game. McBride is close behind with 391 yards on 65 carries (6.02 average per carry).

Dexter coach Aaron Pixley attributes the team's improved offense to the O-line which is beginning to gain some stability after being plagued by injuries early in the season. Senior offensive tackles Evan Jackson (6'5" -- 285 lb) and Tim Moore (6'4" -- 275 lb.), along with senior guard Aaron Mace (5'11" -- 232 lb.) have been the only lineman healthy all season and will need to start dominating in the trenches if the 'Cats are going to be able to contend for a conference and district title with teams like New Madrid County Central, Kennett and Perryville.

The improved play by the offensive line that has helped the running game also appears to have helped Mills, who is beginning to show the form that made him the SEMO Central's All-Conference quarterback as a sophomore. Mills has completed 76-of-128 attempts for 1,114 yards and eight touchdowns. After only five interceptions all of last season, the junior has 12 this season, most of those coming in the first four games when he was forced to take to the air early in games that Dexter fell behind be 20 or more points early.

Mills' improved statistics can also be attributed to a young receiving corps that is maturing. Junior Ryan Windham is among the area's top receivers with 19 receptions for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Gary Summers has 16 catches (227 yards and 3 TD's) while McBride has 13 grabs coming out of the backfield for 216 yards and a 6-pointer.

Dexter can't look past Caruthersville, but the Bearcats need a strong effort against the Tigers to build momentum for next Friday's pivotal game at home against the NMCC Eagles.