The Dexter football program didn’t win a game in 2017 – it was the last losing season the Dreadnaughts have had to suffer through. It also was the last time Dexter opened the season with two losses – until this year.
The Dreadnaughts, who fell 33-27 last week to Livonia Franklin in the season opener, lost 41-25 to host Saline on Friday night in an SEC opener for both schools. Dexter hosts Bedford on Friday night in another SEC contest. The Kicking Mules (1-1) defeated Skyline 24-14 Friday night.
Saline took a 7-0 lead with 6:32 left in the first quarter on an 8-yard TD pass during the Hornets’ first drive of the night.
With no time left on the clock in the first quarter, Dexter sophomore QB Cooper Arnedt turned a 9-yard run into six points. After a Saline penalty, Dexter decided to go for two points but a pass fell incomplete and the first quarter ended with Saline leading 7-6.
Saline’s James Rush rushed in from 17 yards to push the home team’s lead to 14-6 with 9:43 left in the half. The Hornets started moving the ball again but the drive ended with an interception by Dexter’s Grant Goodrich after the ball was tipped by a Dexter lineman.
Saline led 14-6 at halftime.
The Hornets scored on their first drive of the third quarter on a 52-yard pass play to push their lead to 21-6.
But Dexter showed great poise and answered with a touchdown of its own. Arnedt ran 18 yards to bring the Dreadnaughts to within 21-13 in the third quarter.
But Saline answered Dexter’s answer. Following a 62-yard pass play, CJ Carr scored on a 4-yard TD run to give the home team a 28-13 advantage.
The Dreadnaughts scored on a 3-yard TD by junior RB Ronny Johnson but the two-point conversion failed as Saline led 28-19.
Carr scored his second rushing TD of the game on an 8-yard run to give Saline a 35-19 lead. Rush gave Saline a 41-19 lead with a 24-yard TD run.
Arnedt threw a TD pass for Dexter in the final seconds to make it 41-25.
Arnedt was 22 of 37 passing for 164 yards with one TD and two interceptions. Johnson had a huge game for the Dreadnaughts, rushing for 209 yards on 25 carries with one score.
Sophomore Cole Novara had a team-high seven catches for 54 yards and Gabe Rychener had six grabs for 40 yards. Also on the receiving end for Dexter were Jaiden Juback (3 catches, 28 yards), Johnson (three catches, 26 yards), Nathan Gersh (two catches, 14 yards) and Connor Robeson (1 catch, 2 yards).
Goodrich, a junior, had two interceptions in the game – both in the first half.
Carr, who is headed to Notre Dame next year, scored four touchdowns – two passing and two rushing and finished 16 of 23 for 303 yards for the Hornets.
The Hornets won despite committing 13 penalties for 94 yards. Dexter was penalized four times for 35 yards.
