State-ranked Rebels too much for Dexter

Dexter senior Austin Aldridge pushes past a Park Hills Central defender after catching a short pass Friday night at Dexter High School. (Brent Shipman photo)

sports@standard-democrat.com

DEXTER -- Facing their first of two-straight undefeated teams to end the regular season, the Dexter Bearcats got off to a rocky start against Park Hills Central Friday night and never recovered.

Special teams breakdowns led to a short field on several Rebel first half scoring drives with the Bearcats spotting Park Hills 21 points before ultimately falling 46-21.

"When you give a team the ball inside the 10 twice that's killer," Dexter head coach Justin Peden said. "That's a 14-point swing right out of the gate, so we're shooting ourselves in the foot a little bit with some mistakes.

"Penalties were big (as well). Yardage wise we did a great job moving the ball, but they were able to capitalize on their opportunities, which is what a good team does."

After forcing the Bearcats into a three-and-out on their first possession, Park Hills struck on their first offensive play. Quarterback Jake Bridges found Drew Harlow for a 54-yard pass up the middle that was capped with an extra-point by Bridges with 10:03 left in the first quarter.

A blocked punt on Dexter's next drive gave the Rebels the ball on the Bearcats' 10-yard line and two plays later Brandon Mayberry ran in a score from five yards out.

Though they were forced to punt on each of their next two drives, a Bearcat fumble early in the second quarter once again gave Park Hills good field position.

Starting at Dexter's 34-yard line, the Rebels needed only six plays to find the end zone with a three-yard Brandon Manion run giving his team a 21-0 lead with 9:32 before the half.

"In the first half we didn't have to go far," Rebels' head coach Kory Schweiss said of his offense. "We had the blocked punt, a long kickoff return and a couple turnovers. We had a short field so you have to give a little bit of that credit to scoring those points to our defense and special teams."

Dexter found some life on their next possession and quarterback Peyton Pollock hooked up with junior Ethan Stevens for a 71-yard pass. On the next play Pollock finished off the 80-yard drive with a six-yard run to put his team on the board.

A 78-yard return from Manion on the ensuing kickoff once again left Park Hills with a short field. They started at the Bearcats' 9-yard line finished with a one-yard run by Manion to put his team even further ahead, 27-7.

With just 2:39 left in the first half, the Rebels had the ball and 13-point lead. Eight plays and 66 yards later, Logan Comfort found the end zone from five yards out to push Park Hills' lead out to 33-14 entering the break.

"That was a tough one," Peden said of the score. "If we go in there down two scores it makes it seem to the kids maybe a little more reachable. Even three scores I was trying to preach to them that it wasn't insurmountable. That last score though was a bit of a backbreaker though coming in at the half. Teams like that can score quick and often."

Park Hills scored on the opening series of the second half and never looked back, outscoring the Bearcats 13-7 in the final two quarters.

While the final score was lop-sided, the Rebels out-gained Dexter by four yards, 301-297, and 18-16 in first downs. Dexter was hurt by six penalties for 57 yards, however, compared to Park Hill's five flags for 45 yards.

Mayberry led the Rebels ground attack, which totaled 113 yards, with 50 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Comfort finished with 38 yards and a score on eight carries.

Jakes Bridges was 8 of 12 through the air for 184 yards, three touchdowns.

"Our main focus tonight was to run the ball better out of the spread," Schweiss said. "We never really worked on our passing game. It was all basically just working on our spread running game. We probably ran against some boxes we shouldn't have, but we were really working those offensive lineman and trying to get our backs to get certain reads."

For the Bearcats, Dylan Bazarian rushed for 61 yards on four carries while Pollock ran 18 times for 40 yards and two touchdowns.

Pollock went 13 of 31 through the air with 162 yards and another score.

Stevens had one catch for 71 yards and Austin Aldridge caught five passes for 40 yards.

"Park Hills is the No. 3 team in the state," Peden said. "They've been really doing work on people all year long. They've been holding opponents to nine points a game and we were able to score 21. There was a lot of positives. The guys kept trying and fighting.

"When it looked like it might get out of hand they very easily could have laid down, but they didn't. That's a testament to them and how hard they work."

Dexter's work doesn't get any easier next week when they hit the road to face 8-0 Malden, who have put up over 50 points for six straight weeks.

"They're one of the best teams around and they really put up a lot of points," Peden said about Malden. "It's going to be a challenge, but I think our guys are up for it. It would be a great way to finish the regular season for us. One of the things we've talked about how do we want to write this story for us this season? It would be a great ending to the story to go down there and knock off Malden in Malden."

First Quarter

P -- Drew Harlow 53 pass from Jake Bridges (Jake Bridges kick), 10:03

P -- Brandon Mayberry 5 run (Jake Bridges kick), 8:19

Second Quarter

P -- Brayden Manion 3 run (Jake Bridges kick), 9:32

D -- Peyton Pollock 6 run (Jason Jarrell kick), 8:06

P -- Brandon Mayberry 1 run (pass failed), 7:17

D -- Noah Kronk 9 pass from Peyton Pollock (Jason Jarrell kick), 4:40

P -- Logan Comfort 5 run (pass failed), 0:36

Third Quarter

P -- Brayden Manion 25 pass from Jake Bridges (Jake Bridges kick), 9:12

P -- Logan Comfort 29 pass from Jake Bridges (kick failed), 3:08

D -- Peyton Pollock 14 run (Jason Jarrell kick), 2:51

TEAM STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing -- (Park Hills Central) Brandon Mayberry 17-50, Logan Comfort 8-38, Drew Harlow 2-10, Braden Manion 2-7, Jake Bridges 2-4, Nick Haney 2-4, Jared Mahurin 1-0. (Dexter) Peyton Pollock 18-40, Tim Spence 9-32, Dylan Bazarian 4-61, Noah Kronk1-0.

Passing -- (Park Hills Central) Jake Bridges 8-12-0 184. (Dexter) Peyton Pollock 13-31-0 162, Ethan Stevens 1-1-0 6.

Receiving -- (Park Hills Central) Brayden Manion 4-48, Hunter Strange 2-54, Logan Comfort 1-29, Drew Harlow 1-53; (Dexter) Austin Aldridge 5-40, Noah Kronk 2-14, Gavin White 2-8, Ethan Stevens 1-71, Dylan Bazarian 1-15, Payton Tinnin 1-12, Jason Jarrell 1-7, Austin Chessor 1-1.