'Attitude and effort' to be the focus for Dexter FB in jamboree

Third-year Dexter High School football coach Chad Jamerson speaks to his team following a recent training camp practice at Charles Bland Stadium in Dexter.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

DEXTER – With a team that is coming off its most successful season since 2011, as well as having 29 upperclassmen on the 2024 roster, third-year Dexter High School football coach Chad Jamerson has his culture put in place with the program, now it is about execution and details.

The Bearcats will see opposing players for the first time this season today at 6 p.m. when they travel to Portageville for a jamboree with the host Bulldogs, Kelly, and East Prairie.

“The biggest thing that I am looking at will be, overall, execution,” Jamerson said of the jamboree. “I want to make sure that we come out, do all of the little things right. We’ve got proper alignments, we’re getting off the football, (and) we’re making our reads.

“We’re doing everything that we are coached to do fundamentally, as best as we can.”

That has been the focus since Jamerson took over the program nearly three years ago.

During his tenure, the Bearcats have improved offensively to scoring nearly 36 points per game, and defensively, Dexter allowed 10 fewer points per game by the opposition last fall than in 2022.

“We’re really examining attitude and effort (tonight),” Jamerson continued. “How good is your attitude? What kind of effort are you giving?

“The standards are a little bit higher for certain guys.”

Dexter FB offensive success, like last year, will start up front

Tom Davis

DEXTER -- Following its most successful football season since 2011, the Dexter High School varsity squad will certainly not lack for athletic highlights this fall. However, something to keep in mind is the fact that none of those incredible runs passes, or catches from the offensive Bearcats will be possible if a lot of dirty work doesn't get done...

Dexter has no shortage of talent and experience returning this autumn.

Senior running back Jett Grams, senior tight end Logan Pullum, senior (do everything) Lee-Michael McDonald, senior offensive lineman Caden Lee, senior linebacker Nolan Alford, and senior quarterback/punter Jackson Howard are all coming off seasons in which they were named to the All-SEMO Conference Central Division First Team.

Senior offensive lineman Sawyer Rascher is battling a shoulder injury and won’t be available for a couple of weeks, but he too, was honored by the SEMO Conference, as a Second Team selection, as was senior defensive lineman Caleb Gott.

“For the young guys,” Jamerson said, “we are looking at whether they can handle the enormity of the situation. They are trying their best to execute what they have been coached to do.”

The Bearcats, who won six of nine games last fall, will open the regular season on August 30 at 7 p.m. at Malden.