You know things aren’t going very well when with over 9 minutes to play in the SECOND quarter just inside your opponent’s 40-yard line facing a fourth and long, you go for it. Even for a team named the Chemics, it’s not exactly a winning formula.
While the game wasn’t over before the opening kickoff, it was pretty much over just after the opening kickoff as Dexter returned the kick for a touchdown and never looked back in a dominating 42-7 win Friday night over Midland in a Regional Final before another packed house at Al Ritt Stadium. It may have been chilly in the stands, but the Dreadnaughts warmed up the evening with another impressive performance.
Dexter plays Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central at Portage Northern High School at 1 p.m., on Saturday in a Division 2 semifinal game with the winner headed to Ford Field and the State Finals. Forest Hills defeated East Lansing 21-17 in a game they led 14-3 at halftime and 21-10 in the fourth quarter. The Rangers, like the Dreadnaughts, have not lost this season and take a 12-0 record with them into the semis.
It couldn’t have been a worse start for the Chemics, who finish their season at 10-2. The Dreadnaughts received the opening kickoff and senior Micah Davis caught the ball at the 10-yard line and raced 90 yards for a touchdown to send the already buzzed Dexter crowd into euphoria overdrive.
Gerzon Herter nailed the extra point, and just like that it was 7-0 Dexter. It wouldn’t stay 7-0 long.
After the Dexter defense forced a punt, quarterback Reeves Taylor threw a pass to Cole Cabana who went 88 yards for a score on the Dreadnaughts’ first offensive play of the game. Cabana, a senior, raced down the left sideline – right in front of the Dexter bench and packed stands – to bring everyone in burgundy and gold to their feet.
With 8:38 still play in the first quarter, Dexter led 14-0. It wouldn’t stay 14-0 for long.
On their next possession – three plays in this time (slackers) – Taylor again hit Cabana, this time over the middle, on a 47-yard TD pass and run to give the home team a commanding 21-0 lead with still over 5 minutes left in the first quarter. It actually would stay 21-0 for a little bit, anyway.
Davis picked off a Midland pass but Taylor threw a rare pick right back and the Chemics started to show signs of life. This is where they tried to go for it on fourth and 11, but a great defensive play by Herter to break up a pass that appeared to be a catch ended the drive.
Midland got the ball back after a Dexter punt but turned it over on a fumble recovered by Dexter sophomore Owen Wondrash at the Midland 17-yard line. Taylor threw his third TD pass of the game on a 15-yard toss to Brennan Parachek to give the Dreads a 28-0 lead with 4:50 left in the half.
Taylor cranked up another TD pass, this time hitting Joey Tessmer for 49 yards and another score to make it 35-0 with 2:15 left in the half.
The two hooked up again in the third quarter, this time for 12 yards, to make it 42-0.
Midland would score late in the fourth quarter.
