Rivals Chelsea and Dexter opened the 2024 boys’ water polo season with the Dreadnaughts holding off a late Bulldog rally to come out on top 9-8 Thursday night. 

Chelsea struck first with a goal by Josh Levine, but the Dreads answered with goals by Chance McArtor and Dane Lee for a 2-1 lead after one period.  

Lee scored twice more to open the second and McArtor scored his second of the game for a 5-1 Dexter lead. 

The Bulldogs scored just before halftime when Levine scored his second of the game to make it 5-2 at the break. 

Ethan Vance opened the third with a pair of goals to push the lead to 7-2 for the Dreadnaughts, but Chelsea answered with a Lucas Brekke goal to make it 7-3. 

Lee scored his fourth of the game to give Dexter a 8-3 lead, but the Bulldogs would rally. 

 Zach Christie and Matthew Hurden found the net for the Bulldogs and Levine scored his third of the night to cut the lead to 8-6 before McArtor scored his third for Dexter to make it 9-6 after three periods. 

Chelsea cut the lead to 9-7 with Christie’s second of the night and pulled within one 9-8 with Levine’s fourth tally of the contest. 

Dexter called timeout with 22 seconds left and was able to run out the clock to hold on for the win.