Dexter runs over New Madrid, remains perfect

Dexter High School senior running back Nolan Alford runs through the tackles of New Madrid County Central senior defensive back Jan Closheim (23) and junior linebacker Wyatt Fitzwater (7) on Friday at Charles Bland Stadium in Dexter.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

DEXTER – New Madrid County Central High School football coach Tyler Fullhart has spent his entire life watching, playing, and coaching football throughout Southeast Missouri, and he has seen a lot of teams from Dexter High School compete.

“This is the best Dexter team that I have seen in maybe 15, 20 years,” Fullhart said after watching the Bearcats roll over the Eagles 40-0 at Charles Bland Stadium. “I played 20 years ago, and this team might be as good as some of those teams.

“This is a phenomenal Dexter team.”

The Bearcats were on Friday – again.

Dexter, which is unbeaten three weeks into this season and ranked No. 6 in Class 3, dominated the Eagles (0-3) in all facets of play from the opening quarter.

Less than three minutes into the game, Bearcat senior running back Nolan Alford capped a quick, methodical drive with a 10-yard jaunt into the end zone for a 6-0 advantage. That would be all of the offense the Bearcats would need because – once again – the Dexter defense was mind-blowing with its superiority.

“We were flying around the football,” third-year Bearcat coach Chad Jamerson said of his defense.

Jamerson’s team is now 144 minutes into the 2024 season and its defensive starters have yet to allow a single point to be scored against it.

“There are times in practice where we have to pull back on the reins a little bit,” Jamerson said of his team’s physicality. “It can get pretty doggone physical.”

The Eagles, who have a lot of young, inexperienced athletes on the field at this stage of their careers, had trouble moving the ball against the Bearcat defense, and when Dexter took over on offense, it just exploded.

At the 4:01 mark of the opening quarter, Dexter senior quarterback Jackson Howard threw a bullet to junior pass-catcher Houston Neely, who was running a free safety slant route into the end zone for a touchdown, and the Bearcats were off and running.

“Jackson reached way back with that (pass),” Jamerson said, “and brought all of it. That was one of those (passes) that you hear. I heard it when it hit Houston’s hands.”

From that point, Dexter was able to score with ease because of its all-around play.

On an Eagle fourth down, New Madrid County Central sophomore quarterback/punter lined up to kick the ball away and got sacked by Alford at the New Madrid 19-yard line, which was his seventh of the season already.

Senior power-back Jett Grams barreled in for a score on the first play of the series from 19 yards out for a 21-0 margin.

“Tonight,” Fullhart said of the Bearcats, “there weren’t any weaknesses. They were clicking on all cylinders.”

The Bearcat defense forced another Eagle punt with 1:49 remaining in the opening quarter and junior Devin Turnbo sprinted it back 55 yards for a score and a 27-0 advantage.

Early in the second quarter, the Dexter special teams got in on the fun, as Neely raced down on punt coverage and recovered a bobbled kick at the Eagle 12-yard line.

On fourth down from the 15-yard line, Howard found senior tight end Logan Pullum near the end zone and he wrestled his way in for a score and a 33-0 margin.

“Jackson had as good of decision-making as he has all season long,” Jamerson said. “We really worked together to gameplan and figure out what shots we could take.”

Turnbo, who scored on an interception return last week, and added the earlier special teams score, reached the end zone offensively to finish the Bearcat scoring.

With 7:47 remaining before halftime, Turnbo took a handoff on the first play of an offensive series and raced up the Dexter sideline for 54 yards and a touchdown.

The victory over New Madrid County Central was the first in six seasons by Dexter.

“It was impressive,” Jamerson said. “I’m really proud of the way (the players) played tonight.

“(The players) just continue to get better.”

Dexter will visit Jamerson’s alma mater, East Prairie (2-1) on Friday at 7 p.m.

Jamerson coached the Eagles from 2012 to 2020 before leaving to serve as an assistant coach at Cape Central for a season. He has been at Dexter since the 2022 season.

New Madrid County Central, which has had five consecutive winning seasons, will travel to Hermann on Saturday at 2 p.m.