Dexter defense drowns Green Wave

~Bearcats hold Malden to only 51 yards of total offense on the night

DEXTER -- The Dexter and Malden High Schools are less than 20 miles apart but the two football teams were light years apart on the football field Friday night.

The Bearcats held a banged up Green Wave squad to just 51 yards while dominating the offensive side of the ball in their 39-0 win.

"I felt like we played better and had better intensity tonight," said Dexter coach Aaron Pixley. "I felt like the defense was the name of the game tonight. We did a good job of keeping them on their side of the field."

Malden came into the game minus their leading rusher Dealmour Moncrief who was nursing an ankle injury. Without Moncrief, the Green Wave could never get anything going on the offensive side of the football as Dexter came away with big hit after big hit.

Dexter's Nick?Hessling (40) looks for running room in the third quarter against Malden Friday night. (David Jenkins, Staff)

Dexter's Nick?Hessling (40) looks for running room in the third quarter against Malden Friday night. (David Jenkins, Staff)

"The first quarter we could have played more physical but as that quarter went on and the game went on, I think we really got physical on them and started playing downhill," Pixley said. "That is really the first time all year long we have really popped some people."

Dexter linebacker David Hessling created havoc for Malden ball carriers as he finished the game with 13 tackles.

"We moved David around a little bit and put him in the middle of the field," Pixley said. "It just gave him a better opportunity to run sideline to sideline and make more plays because he's a big playmaker for us."

While the Dexter defense was dominating Malden, the offense was also doing their part. Sophomore quarterback Ben Mills was 12-for-18 on the night for 137 yards and four touchdowns. Mills ran for a touchdown as well.

"We had some sloppy pass plays but the one's that we hit were really nice," Pixley said. "(Mills) threw to five different receivers, that's really good. He's done a good job of that all year long and our receivers have done a good job of catching the football.

Ben Mills

Ben Mills

"We still need to work on protecting the quarterback more but all-in-all whenever we had to have plays we came up with some big ones to either move the sticks or score."

Dexter got on the board with 5:28 left in the first quarter when Mills hit Tyler Scott for a 17-yard touchdown, giving Dexter a 7-0 lead after the Taylor Jarrell kick.

Dexter's Bobby Rawson then intercepted a Malden pass and was rewarded when Mills found him in the right corner of the endzone for an 18-yard touchdown and the rout was on.

Mills added a touchdown of his own on a 5-yard run in the second quarter and found Eric Windham for a 15-yard touchdown right before the half, giving Dexter a 25-0 lead at the break.

The second half was more of the first as Mills found Rawson again for a 9-

yard touchdown as the Bearcat offensive line began taking over the game.

"I felt like as the game went on my offensive line kept getting better and better," Pixley said. "In the third quarter especially I thought our line blocked a lot better."

Dexter running back Nick Hessling added a 4-yard run late in the third quarter to cap of the scoring. Nick Hessling finished the game with 115 yards on 21 carries.

"I'm proud of this football team," Pixley said. "I told them after the game it starts here. We don't get a good win and then take a week off. We have to continue to get better."

Dexter (2-3) will travel to Charleston to take on the Bluejays Friday night. Malden (1-4) will travel to Kennett Friday night. Both games will start at 7 p.m.