Dexter Football Makes History with First District Title

“It is hard to win, but you are now 11-0, SEC Red and District champions. Now you get to play for a Regional title next week,” Coach Phil Jacobs told his team after a history-making win Friday night.

It may be hard to win, but the Dreadnaughts keep finding ways to do it as they took down South Lyon 24-7 Friday night for the first district title in school history.

The Dreadnaughts will host Midland Friday night at 7:00 PM at Al Ritt Stadium for the Regional title and a place in the D2 Final Four.

The South Lyon game was one of those games that felt like Dexter controlled the play and should have been winning, but it was 7-7 after three quarters and still up for grabs. Dexter would outscore the Lions 17-0 in the fourth to pull away for the historical win.

Dexter got rolling early with a 70-yard drive that was capped off by a 15-yard touchdown run by Cole Cabana for a 7-0 lead.

Gerzon Herter picked off a pass near midfield for Dexter, but a hold stalled the drive and the Lions got a piece of the punt and took over at their own 35. South Lyon would drive down the field and scored from two yards out early in the second to tie it at 7-7.

Dexter was again forced to punt, but Herter picked off his second pass of the night on the next series and the Dreads would drive deep into Lions territory.

The drive ended when a pass was tipped and intercepted at the goal line to give South Lyon the ball at the ten. A long run moved the ball to midfield, but the Lions would miss a 42-yard field goal attempt to keep it 7-7 at the half.

Dexter would punt to open the second half and the Lions broke a long run to midfield, but an unsportsmanlike penalty moved them back and the Dexter defense held on fourth down to take over at the Dreads own 40.

The Dreadnaughts moved down the field and early in the fourth Reeves Taylor hit Brennan Parachek with an 18-yard scoring pass to give Dexter a 14-7 lead.

The Dexter defense would force a punt and a couple of plays later, Cabana broke through the line and scored from 31 yards out with 7:26 left for a 21-7 lead.

The defense would hold again and Nick Doletzky would boom a 49-yard field goal with 3:20 left to seal the win and give the Dreadnaughts the district title.

Cole Cabana sprints in from 31-yards out to make it 21-7. Photo by Mike Williamson

Cabana finished with 178 yards rushing on 22 carries and two scores and caught four passes for 34 yards.

Taylor was 16-20 passing for 190 yards and a score.

Parachek caught seven passes for 112 yards and a TD, while Micah Davis caught three for 28 yards and Joey Tessmer one for 15.

The Dreadnaughts and coach Phil Jacobs celebrate the district title. Photo by Mike Williamson

Midland will come to Al Ritt with a 10-1 overall record, including a 41-34 win over Waterford Mott in the district final Friday night.

Photos by Mike Williamson