Dexter football fortunes buoyed by power in numbers

DEXTER — They have two postseason appearances to their credit in the last three seasons, but the Dexter Tigers may be better poised to make even more of such an opportunity if they earn the chance to experience playoff football again this fall.

And that’s the fundamental challenge Dexter faces from week to week, putting itself in position to qualify for one of the just four LTC Class D North postseason berths available come late October.

That’s down from six playoff spots in recent years, the result of a vote of league officials after after league membership dropped from 12 schools to 10 with Camden Hills of Rockport electing for club status and Medomak Valley of Waldoboro shifting to Class D South.

Just nine of the remaining teams are eligible for postseason play, with Ellsworth/Sumner still playing as a developmental team in the 2016 season.

But Dexter, coming off a season-opening 38-6 win over Houlton on Saturday, may be as well equipped as it has been in recent years to challenge for an upper-echelon finish in the LTC.

“As far as the season’s going to go, there’s a lot of tough teams in the league but I’m confident we’re tough, too,” said senior quarterback and defensive back Brayden Miller. “We’re going to hold our own, I think.”

That confidence is based in large part on power in numbers.

Dexter boasts one of its largest rosters of recent vintage, and while 16 of the 37 players weren’t on the team ago, there’s a healthy class of 11 seniors to lead the way.

“We have great senior leadership,” said Andrew Shorey, who shares the Tigers’ head coaching duties with Brian Salsbury. “This is the first year we decided to go with five captains and we could have gone with more. We have a bunch of kids that even if they’re not captains step up on the offensive side of the ball and defensively. The leadership all around is phenomenal.”

Miller, Jason Campbell, Zach White, Brandon Allen and Chandler Perkins are not only senior captains for the Tigers, but each displayed considerable playmaking ability during the victory over Houlton — a team that defeated Dexter last year.

Miller threw two touchdown passes and returned an interception 77 yards for a score and Allen and Perkins were key cogs in a rushing attack that ground out nearly 200 yards. White and Campbell each caught a touchdown pass, with White setting up Campbell’s score by returning the second-half kickoff past midfield.

The Tigers’ senior class, which also features linemen Jacob Hesseltine, Sean Lockhart, Tanner Hall and Ryan Wyman and split end-defensive backs Colby Burton and John Jencks, are complemented by younger veterans that include junior halfback-linebacker Tyler Beem and sophomore offensive lineman and middle linebacker David Kirshkirn.

“The leadership this year’s been great with all of the seniors we have,” said Kirshkirn. “Me, personally, I’ve been playing with them since middle school so it’s the same exact team and we’re looking to do good.”

Much of the team chemistry the Dexter roster has brought into the season was formulated during the offseason, Miller said.

“That was actually a big part of our summer work,” said Miller,” a third-year starter. “We’d come in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and lift. Not all of us were there all the time, but we did a little practicing even without the coaches there and got everyone involved.

“Everyone wants to be here and wants to win. That’s our No. 1 goal.”

Dexter’s sought-after return to the playoffs likely won’t come without eight more weeks of hard work given the depth within the conference.

Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield is the two-time defending league champion while Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln was a finalist a year ago, and both return strong clubs. Mount View of Thorndike and Orono also have high hopes of returning to the playoffs after finishing third and fourth in last year’s regular-season standings, and while Houlton struggled in its opener the Shiretowners are coming off a playoff berth in just their second varsity season.

“I definitely believe we have a playoff contender,” said Salsbury, whose team plays at 1-0 Mattanawcook on Friday night. “Our goal is making sure they believe it and that’s where we’re at right now, making sure they believe that we’re a playoff team.

“Those seniors have been in two playoff games so far,” added Shorey, “and they are hoping to get to a third.”