Dexter football team uses balance, motivation in win
By Ernie Clark
Staff Writer
DEXTER — The Dexter Tigers accomplished several goals during their season-opening 38-6 LTC Class D football victory over Houlton on Saturday afternoon.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TIGER PREY — Dexter senior Tanner Hall brings down Houlton senior quarterback Jared Fox deep in Shiretowner territory late in the first half, as Tiger senior Jacob Hasseltine (66) and junior Matt Simpson (63) close in, during a mutual 2016 Class D North opener on Saturday, Sept. 3 in Dexter. The Tigers won 38-6.
They took a first step toward what they hope is a return to postseason play with a decisive win over a rival program that also qualified for the playoffs in 2015.
The Tigers did so with a balanced effort that controlled both the pace of play and the scoreboard throughout the contest.
And Dexter erased a sour taste that had lingered since a loss to the Shiretowners in Aroostook County last fall.
“We had the best week of practices we’ve had,” said senior quarterback and defensive back Brayden Miller, who threw two touchdown passes and returned an interception 77 yards for a touchdown as the Tigers’ built a 38-0 lead through three quarters.
“In the back of our minds all week we were thinking about last year when we went up there and they beat us. In the first quarter our best linebacker and best defensive player, a senior, got injured. That made us mad and we were fired up all week. We’ve been waiting for this day.”
In this rematch it was Houlton that became shorthanded early as senior tailback Austin Brown went down with a left leg injury after three first-quarter carries.
But even when Brown was on the field to support senior quarterback Jared Fox, the Shiretowners struggled to move the football until the game was out of reach.
Dexter’s defense limited Houlton to 86 total yards — minus-11 in the first half — and recorded five quarterback sacks while shutting out the Shiretowners until Seth Holston (14 carries, 90 yards) scored from 4 yards out with 30.8 seconds left in the game.
Houlton managed just 53 rushing yards on 32 attempts against the Dexter defensive front of Kyle Watson, Tanner Hall, Tylor Handy and Jacob Hesseltine.
“A lot of it for us is our defense setting the tone for the rest of the game,” said Dexter co-head coach Brian Salsbury. “When the defense comes out and hits and hits hard, it sets the tone for us.”
In addition to Miller’s touchdown-producing interception return, the Dexter defense also recorded a safety early in the second quarter when an errant pitch forced Houlton’s Daniel McNally to down the ball in the Shiretowners’ end zone.
“Our main concern was their speed,” said Dexter sophomore middle linebacker David Kirshkain, “but mainly our defense picked up with the D-line doing its job and the linebackers coming up flying and making plays. That’s how it should be every game.”
Dexter amassed 242 yards of offense, 191 on the ground.
Brandon Allen gained 83 yards and scored two touchdowns a 7-yard run that opened the scoring with 5:11 left in the first quarter and a 63-yard sprint up the middle in the final minute of the third period for the Tigers’ final score of the day. Junior Tyler Beem added 80 rushing yards for Dexter while senior Chandler Perkins contributed 38 yards on seven carries.
That group all benefited from the lead blocking of linemen Sean Lockhart, Matt Simpson, Watson, Kirshkain and Jonathan Allen.
Miller completed just two passes but both went for touchdowns — a 1-yard slant pass to Zach White that gave the Tigers a 24-0 halftime lead and a 50-yard delivery over the Houlton defense to split end Jason Campbell to make it 31-0 on the second play after White returned the second-half kickoff 26 yards to midfield.
“Just from start to finish I’d give some credit to the offensive and defensive lines,” said Dexter co-head coach Andrew Shorey. “We had a great week of practice and it led right into the game.”
The win also may be important for Dexter in a longer-range sense. Dexter and Houlton earned the final two LTC playoff berths in 2015, berths that won’t be available this fall with the division’s playoff field decreased from six teams to four during the offseason.
“There’s a lot of tough teams in the league,” Miller said. “But I’m confident that we’re tough, too. We’re going to hold our own, I think.”
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
PICK SIX — Tiger senior Brayden Miller jumps a pass intended for Houlton junior Daniel McNally for the interception, which he returned nearly 80 yards to the endzone.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
SLIPPERY FOOTBALL — A pass attempt by the Dexter offense ended up falling to the turf incomplete as junior Tyler Beem (32) cannot make the catch after Houlton junior Seth Holston knocked the ball loose from Dexter senior Zachary White.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
OUT OF THE POCKET — Dexter senior Brayden Miller scrambles for yardage as he is tackled by Houlton senior Jacob Fox and junior Dylan Swimm during the mutual 2016 opener on Sept. 3.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
BIG PLAY THROUGH THE AIR — Senior Jason Campbell makes the catch to take the football 50 yards for a touchdown during the opening minute of the second half on Saturday. The touchdown pass from senior Brayden Miller to Campbell and the ensuing Miller PAT gave Dexter a 31-0 advantage.