A quick rewind to last year shows the Dexter football team starting off the 2023 season with two losses. With both of those schools again at the top of the schedule in 2024, the Dreadnaughts headed into the year looking to avenge both and start the season 2-0.
One down – Saline to go.
Dexter went on the road before a packed house in Livonia on a beautiful Friday night and knocked off the Franklin Patriots 27-26 in overtime. And since we still have our history books open, Dexter also scored 27 points against Franklin last year – but allowed 33.
Franklin is a very good football program. The Patriots, who play in the tough KLAA, have been to the state playoffs nine consecutive years so beating them at home is an impressive accomplishment especially to start the season.
Dexter couldn’t have asked for a better start to 2024. Cole Novara took the opening kickoff back 95 yards to give the visitors the lead before the big home crowd even got settled in. The junior broke a few tackles and then raced down the right sideline – picking up a huge block from Jack Sayler along the way – for the score. Trey Kuhr nailed the extra point and just like that, it was 7-0.
The Patriots also scored the first time they touched the ball but it took a little longer. Franklin scored on a fourth-and-1 call with 4:40 left in the first quarter to make it 7-7.
Dexter took the lead back in the second quarter when junior QB Cooper Arnedt threw a 33-yard TD pass to Jaiden Juback on a third and 10 play with 9:48 left in the first half. Juback, a senior, caught the ball over the middle of the field at the 5-yard line and broke a tackle to get in the end zone.
The extra point proved to be more difficult than the touchdown. They first tried to rush to the line and execute a two-point conversion but things got messed up along the way so that was scrapped. They were then called for a penalty to push the kick back 5 yards. Kuhr made the kick but another penalty was called on Dexter. Kuhr nailed the next one to give Dexter a 14-7 lead.
But Franklin answered on the next drive, scoring on a pass play from the 1-yard line to tie the score at 14-14 with 4:05 left in the second quarter.
Dexter junior Mitchell Ward intercepted a Franklin pass and returned it to the Patriots 19-yard line with 1:43 left in the first half. On the very next play, Arnedt hit Novara over the middle on a 19-yard TD pass play. Dexter’s two-point conversion failed.
The Dreadnaughts led 20-14 at halftime.
The Dexter offense failed to put any points on the board in the second half. Franklin tied the score at 20-20 and missed a 46-yard field goal as time expired and the game went into overtime.
Like the start of the game, Dexter wasted no time scoring. On the first play, Arnedt threw a 10-yard TD pass to Gabe Rychener. Kuhr’s extra point made it 27-20. Franklin scored on a 4-yard run and decided to go for two points but Dexter’s Chance Sobbry made the tackle to send the Dreadnaughts into the win column.
Arnedt finished 6-10 passing for 89 yards and three touchdowns. Talented senior RB Ronny Johnson led Dexter with 10 carries and 46 yards as the ground game never really got rolling. Juback had three catches for 39 yards.
The defense had a strong game, especially the linebackers. Franklin is a running team and had 43 carries for 134 yards. Junior Nathan Gersh was around the ball all game and led the Dreadnaughts with 17 tackles. Yes 17 tackles!
Senior Owen Wondrash (9 tackles, 2 for loss) and junior Charlie Pomo (10 tackles, 3 for loss) were also all over the field. Sobbry had 6 tackles including the QB sack on the 2-point play to win the game in overtime.
Saline will help Dexter open the Dreads home season on Friday in a huge SEC contest that could decide the league title in week one. The Hornets, who also make the state playoffs every year, opened their season with a 41-20 drubbing of Brighton.
The Dreadnaughts didn’t play a perfect game against Franklin – but no team does in the first game of the season. They will clean up what they have to and be ready for the Hornets, who defeated the Dreadnaughts 41-25 last year.
One down – Saline to go.
