On Dexter’s third offensive play of its second-round playoff game on Friday night at chilly Gibraltar Carlson, Ronny Johnson raced 72 yards for a touchdown and it looked as if the Dreadnaughts were off to the races.
But this is the playoffs, and usually nothing comes easy – especially on the road. And the young Dreadnaughts, who played hard and showed plenty of resilience, fell to the Marauders 27-23 in a game that was one wild rollercoaster ride of emotions and big plays – much like Dexter’s season.
The Dreadnaughts (7-4 overall) started out 0-2, won their next six, lost to rival Chelsea and then crushed Allen Park 27-23 in the playoff opener on Oct. 27 before the loss at Carlson. And what a fun, wild ride the Dreadnaughts gave us! Right down to the very end.
Carlson will face Waterford Mott in the next round.
Johnson’s long run gave Dexter a 6-0 lead but the night of big plays was just getting started. In fact, Carlson’s defense scored the next touchdown off an interception deep in Dexter’s territory to take a 7-6 lead.
Sophomore Sam Cormier kicked Dexter into the lead again with a 35-yard field goal to make it 9-7.
Carlson scored a touchdown to again swing the lead back to the Marauders sideline.
But Johnson scored his second TD of the game and 22nd of the season on a 3-yard TD run to give the Dreadnaughts the lead at 16-14. The big play in that drive came from a pair of sophomores when QB Cooper Arnedt connected on a long pass to WR Cole Novara, who finished the night with eight catches for 121 yards.
Carlson kicked a 38-yard field goal for a 17-16 lead – the score at halftime.
The Marauders opened the second half with a 54-yard TD drive to take a 24-16 lead.
The Dreadnaughts answered with an impressive drive of their own that resulted in a TD on a 16-yard pass from Arnedt to Novara to cut the lead to 24-23.
A 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter gave Carlson a 27-23 lead.
The Dreadnaughts put together another impressive drive but it stalled at the Carlson 7-yard line when Dexter failed to convert on fourth down with 7 minutes left in the game.
The Marauders were able to run out the clock, converting several huge third-down plays.
Arnedt finished 14 for 26 passing for 204 yards and one touchdown.
