Community rallying around Bearcat FB with C3D1 title on the line

Dexter High School football coach Chad Jamerson speaks to his team earlier this season after a win over Southern Boone at Charles Bland Stadium in Dexter.

Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

In one way, tonight’s MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 Playoff championship game has an all too familiar feel surrounding it for third-year Dexter High School football coach Chad Jamerson.

“Ste. Genevieve knocked us out the last two seasons,” Jamerson told Semoball.com following last week’s semifinal win over Fredericktown. “We’re fortunate to play for district championship at home — they’re going to be ready; we’re going to be ready, and I think it’ll be a great battle.”

The Bearcats (10-0) have put together one of the most historic seasons (the most?) in program history and will host the Dragons (7-4) today at 7 p.m. at Charles Bland Stadium in Dexter.

As much as the focus will be on Jamerson and his talented roster, he said that the success this season has been emotionally spurred by the community of Dexter.

“We want to make sure that everything goes well for everybody that is vested (in this program),” Jamerson said following a recent victory. “We’ve got so many people in this community, who are vested in this.”

Two years ago, the Bearcats got walloped 56-17 at Ste. Genevieve was in the postseason but fought back last year before falling to the Dragons in Dexter 29-28. Jamerson said recently that there is an inherent advantage to playing at Charles Bland Stadium, particularly in the postseason.

“It has been two years in a row with home playoff games,” Jamerson said. “That is a big deal. Home field is huge for us.”

The crowd tonight is expected to be a large one, and Jamerson said that is because so many hands throughout the community touch the Bearcat program.

“It is just so fun to see the community be involved,” Jamerson said. “It is so fun to see people get excited about something in the community and rally behind these guys.

“It’s really been awesome.”

A win tonight would move the Bearcats into a state quarterfinal matchup with the winner of John Burroughs (9-2) and Lift For Life Academy Charter (6-5) on Nov. 23.