Caruthersville defensive front wreaking havoc on foes

Caruthersville High School defenders Ridge McGraw (77) and Kenyon Bogan (60) battle against Fredericktown during a scrimmage at Dexter High School last season. The two are part of a defensive front this season, holding opponents under 20 points per game.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

The trajectory of the Caruthersville High School defense has continued in the proper direction in Tiger Coach Dom Guglielmo’s third season.

After allowing nearly 37 points per game in his first year (2022), that number fell to under 24 points per game last year, and through two games this fall, the Tigers are allowing just 19 points on average.

That prowess was on display Friday, as Caruthersville (2-0) dominated Malden 53-18, and the win got started by a stiff test of the Tiger defense.

Malden drove inside the Caruthersville one-yard line early in the game, but the Tiger defensive front stopped the Green Wave from advancing into the end zone.

“Defensively,” Guglielmo said of his defensive front, “they are out-physical the guys in front of them. Especially the four down (front). They do a good job of playing on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage.”

Senior Kenyon Bogan, juniors Jared Hudgens, Jermaine Caruthers, Rylan Harris, and Ridge McGraw have formed a sometimes-advancing wall up front, which has wreaked havoc on opposing offenses.

“They close down run lanes,” Guglielmo said of the defensive line’s penetration, “and forces the running backs to make decisions that they don’t want to make.”

The Tigers (2-0) then turned their defensive staunchness into the hands of their explosive offense, which got two scores from senior Jermonte Alexander (one reception and one 35-yard run), two scoring receptions (one a 47-yard touchdown) from sophomore pass-catcher Josiah Lockridge, an eight-yard scoring jaunt from junior Sammy Bryant, and four touchdown passes from senior quarterback Ryan Guest, who Guglielmo said showed real progress from his first game of the season a week earlier.

“We stayed in Ryan’s wheelhouse a little bit more,” Guglielmo said. “The (run-pass options) are great for him. He threw a couple of screens.

“He settled in.”

Alexander added a 77-yard touchdown on a punt return while Guest completed 8 of his 10 passes.

Green Wave junior quarterback Dyentez Dobbins threw for a pair of scores, one to junior Tristin Moncrief and the other to senior Tylyne Mathies.

“We’re riding a two-game win streak,” Guglielmo said. “The boys are fired up. They are excited.

“They wanted to do more against Malden. I think they realize that they left a little bit on the field. When you win a game by (35 points), and the kids are still hungry, that’s a good thing.”

The Tigers will host Carlyle (Ill.) (1-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. at Hopke Field.

Caruthersville High School will honor its first induction class for its Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday prior to the Tigers’ game.

The honorees will include Joe Cagle (Class of 1973), Wiley Patterson (Class of 1961), Paula Rodgers Mcadory (Class of 1992), Matt Palmer (Class of 1997), Jimmy Jackson (Class of 2004), Tracie Driver (Class of 1990), former Tiger coach Lloyd Block, the 1992 Tiger boy’s track and field squad (MSHSAA Class 3A state champions), 1980 football team (MSHSAA Class 3A state runner-up), and Cleat Stanfill for his “distinguished service.”

Malden (0-2) will visit Charleston (1-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.