MCI tops Tigers in clash of unbeatens
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
DEXTER — Heading into Saturday’s Class D North contest Dexter Regional High School and Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield were two of three teams (also Orono High School) tied atop the Class D North standings with 5-0 records. For most of opening half the Tigers and Huskies were even but several big plays on special teams led to MCI touchdowns as the team earned a 36-2 victory.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TIGERS ON THE PROWL — Dexter junior Kyle Watson gets ready to tackle MCI senior Josh Buker during Saturday afternoon’s contest — MCI left town with a 36-2 victory in the clash of 5-0 teams. Around the play is Tiger junior Tyler Beem (32), senior Jacob Hesseltine (66) and junior Jonathan Allen (78).
After a scoreless opening quarter, Dexter (5-1) scored the game’s first points in quarter No. 2. A pair of false starts pushed MCI back 10 yards to the Husky 9-yard line, and in three plays the team’s offense could only get seven yards back.
The team lined up to punt on fourth-and-13, but the snap was too high for Husky senior punter Josh Buker to handle. As Buker ran back to grab the loose football, Dexter junior Tyler Beem fought through the block and chased down Buker. Beem and junior Matt Simpson finished the tackle in the endzone for the safety, and the 2-0 advantage.
The Tigers were awarded the ball with the safety, but a three-and-out by MCI forced Dexter to punt. With two Huskies back deep, junior Pedro Matos caught the punt beyond the 20-yard line as he ran toward Buker. The handoff was made as Buker then ran down the left sideline 82 yards for the touchdown, which with the two-point conversion made the game 8-2.
The score remained at 8-2 early in the second half after MCI made an interception and Dexter then recovered a Husky fumble at the team’s own 2. The Tigers could only gain five yards in three plays as the team was then forced to punt from the Dexter endzone.
Matos let the punt bounce twice off the ground before he opted to scoop up the football at the Dexter-42. Matos ran behind a wall of blockers and he dove at the pylon to cross the goalline for the touchdown. MCI again went for two and senior Eli Bussell dove through the left side of the line to put his team ahead 16-2.
The Huskies tried a surprise on-sides kick and the team came up with the football at the Tiger-35. Two plays later the MCI offense was at the 15-yard line. Buker scrambled to his right and then leapt by the pylon to break the plane for the touchdown. A PAT by junior Devon Varney made the score 23-2, and the Huskies would add two more touchdowns before play concluded.
Dexter will be in action next on Saturday when the team travels to Thorndike for a game at Mount View High School (4-2). The visiting and host team will enter ranked third and fourth respectively in the Class D North Crabtree Point Standings – the top four teams qualify for the postseason.
MCI is scheduled to play at Orono on Friday, Oct. 14 in a battle of 6-0 teams. The following Friday evening (Oct. 21) Orono will host Dexter.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
THROWN TO WHERE ONLY HE CAN GET IT — Senior Jason Campbell leaps high into the air to make the reception over MCI senior Clark Morrison on Saturday. Campbell finished with a game-high three catches for 41 yards.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
DEXTER BALL — Sophomore David Kirshkaln has no doubt which team has the football after an MCI fumble in the first quarter (to the right is senior Chandler Perkins). The Tigers would take over at the Husky 49-yard line.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
STOP THE CLOCK — Senior quarterback Brayden Miller runs away from the defense to get to the sideline and stop the clock in the final minute of the first half on Saturday.
FOOTBALL
MCI 36, Dexter 2
MCI 0 8 22 6 | 36 DEX 0 2 0 0 | 2
Second: D — Safety;
M — Buker 82-yd
punt return
(E. Bussell rush).
Third: M — Matos
42-yd punt return
(E. Bussell rush);
M — Buker 15 yds
(Varney kick);
M — Bertrand 7 yds
(Varney kick);
Fourth: M — Frost
18 yds
(kick blocked).
Passing: M — Buker
2-of-6 30 yds;
Wilson 0-of-0.
D — Miller 7-of-18
85 yds 2 Int.; Campbell
0-of-2.
Receiving: M — Young 1,
20 yds; E. Bussell 1,
10 yds.
D — Campbell 3, 41 yds;
B. Allen 2, 30 yds;
Perkins 2, 14 yds.
Rushing: M — Buker 12,
102 yds TD; E. Bussell
12, 65 yds; Boutwell 5,
31 yds; Matos 5, 22 yds;
Sharples 5, 21 yds;
Frost 1, 18 yds TD;
Bertrand 6, 10 yds TD.
D — B. Allen 7, 13 yds;
Miller 4, 9 yds; Stone 1,
7 yds; Perkins 4, 5 yds;
Campbell 2, 2 yds;
D. Allen 2, -1 yd;
Beem 12, -2 yds;
White 1, -7 yds.
Records: M — 6-0;
D — 5-1.