Bearcat runners (officially) begin pursuit of 'BIG trophy' today

Dexter High School senior cross country runners Ben Dowdy, left, and Cameron Bell, right, share a light moment during a summer training session recently at the Bearcat Event Center.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

The Dexter High School boys cross country program has done A LOT of running this summer, but Bearcat senior Ben Dowdy said the squad still hasn’t caught up with what it is chasing with all of its heart.

“We want that team plaque,” Dowdy said, which is going to be tough this year.”

Dexter will join every other program in Missouri today, as the squad conducts its first official practice of the 2024 season.

What a “team plaque” constitutes is finishing among the top four teams at the MSHSAA Class 3 State Finals in November. The Bearcats finished fifth two seasons ago, and seventh last fall.

“It has been our goal for three years,” Dowdy said. “We’ve failed.”

Woah, woah, woah, hold on there a moment, partner.

Using the term “failing,” when only a handful of teams outperformed Dexter throughout the entire state, hardly should be viewed in a negative context.

“Right,” Dowdy responded when corrected on the term, though it is unclear how convinced he was in his mind.

“But this year,” Dowdy continued, “it’s our goal. We want to do it, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. But we’re going to give it everything we’ve got to get there, for sure.”

The Bearcats have been training as a group since mid-June, and compiling 50 miles each week, regardless of the heat and humidity.

“This summer,” Dowdy said, “we have hit it hard.”

Dowdy and fellow senior Cameron Bell lead a group that returns all but the graduated Chase Farmer and Nathan Harris.

At the 2023 State Finals, Bell finished eighth overall while Dowdy (27th), now-sophomore Hunter Massey (63rd), now-junior Jaxon King (74th), and now-junior Blake Lee (148th) also competed.

“We kind of owe it to the guys who have come before us,” Bell said, “to be able to hold up a plaque and to leave our mark on Dexter High School.

“We want to be the first (Dexter) cross-country team to get a BIG trophy.”

The Bearcats will open their regular season on Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. at the Memphis Twilight Classic.