The Dexter offense is known for having one of the best running backs in the state and a group of outstanding receivers, but if there was ever a question about the quarterback, he answered it in a big way with one pass on Friday night in a Division 2 District final against visiting South Lyon.
Not that there should be any questions about the quarterback – Reeves Taylor has been pretty awesome during Dexter’s undefeated run through the 2022 season – but he put an exclamation point on awesome with a perfect pass when the Dreadnaughts needed it most.
Tied at 7-7 with a South Lyon team that wouldn’t go away, Dexter was faced with third and nine at the Lions’ 18-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Taylor dropped back to pass and floated a perfect spiral that landed in the open arms of Brennan Parachek along the left side of the back of the end zone. The pass was right on stride, right on the money and at exactly the right time to help give Dexter a lead they would never surrender.
The Dreadnaughts scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to break a 7-7 tie and win the school’s first District title in football with a 24-7 victory over the Lions before a packed and rowdy crowd at Al Ritt Stadium.
Dexter will play Midland in a Regional Final next Friday at Dexter. Midland advanced with a 41-34 victory Friday night over Waterford Mott in a game that was tied 27-27 at halftime. The Chemics went 8-1 in the regular season with their only loss in week two to Mt. Pleasant. They defeated Swartz Creek 42-15 in their first playoff game on Oct. 28.
Midland has a high-powered offense and will be a good test for the stingy Dexter defense that hasn’t allowed more than 15 points since the season-opener. And think of this … the Dexter defense held Saline to 14 points. The Hornets put up 44 points on defending state-champion and undefeated Belleville on Friday (yes, they did allow 62 points in the loss). Midland has scored 25 or more points eight times this season.
South Lyon’s season ends with a 7-4 record.
Taylor finished his night completing 16 of 20 passes for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Senior Cole Cabana turned 22 rushing attempts into 178 yards and two scores. Connor Robeson had three carries for 14 yards.
Parachek had a huge game on both sides of the ball. The senior had seven catches for 112 yards and that huge TD in the fourth quarter. Cabana had four catches for 34 yards, Micah Davis had three catches for 28 yards and Joey Tessmer had one catch for 15 yards.
The only thing better than the weather on Friday night was the Dexter defense. South Lyon didn’t exactly have the most diverse offense – they must have called the quarterback keeper about 50 times – but the Lions did move the ball. The Dreadnaughts’ defense was tough when it mattered most and allowed just the seven points and gave the offense plenty of time to find its stride.
It started off like a typical Dexter football game – with a first-quarter score on their first possession of the evening. Cabana scored on a 15-yard run right up the middle to make it 7-0 (with the Gerzon Herter extra point). The TD capped off an eight-play drive that went 67 yards.
Herter, a senior defensive back, intercepted his first of two South Lyon passes to get the ball right back to the offense at midfield. But Dexter had to punt, which South Lyon partially blocked to get the ball back at its own 35-yard line.
On the final play of the first quarter, South Lyon’s QB had a 27-yard run to the Dexter 4-yard line. On third and goal, the Lions scored on a 2-yard run to tie the game at 7-7 with 10:16 left in the first half.
South Lyon tried an onside kick but Dexter’s Gio Talarico made a nice play to recover the ball and again set up the offense near midfield. But the Dreadnaughts went three and out.
The Lions started to roar down the field but the drive ended when Herter intercepted his second of the game at the Dexter 35-yard line with 5:41 left in the half.
A 22-yard pass from Taylor to Parachek gave the Dreadnaughts a first and goal at the 7-yard line. But on third down, Taylor was intercepted on a ball that appeared to be tipped.
South Lyon missed a 42-yard field goal with 9 seconds left in the half. The game was a 7-7 tie at halftime.
The Lions had some chances in that third quarter. They had a big play that was brought back 15 yards for a personal foul at the end of the play. They also had a wide receiver fall down on a crucial fourth and 7 at midfield forcing an incomplete pass and turning the ball back over to the Dreadnaughts.
Dexter covered 50 yards on eight plays with the Taylor to Parachek pass for the touchdown to make it 14-7 with 10:27 left in the game.
With 7 minutes to play in the game, Cabana scored on a 31-yard TD run to make it 21-7. Nick Doletzky kicked a 52-yard field goal for Dexter with 3 minutes left to finish the scoring and finish off South Lyon.
