By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports

Every sport has a big play that can completely change the momentum of a game. Football has the interception and the big hit. Baseball has the home run. Basketball has the three-pointer and the charge.


A young man on Bernie’s basketball team has become quite adept at both of these. Jordan McGowan, 18, is the son of Brian & Valerie McGowan and Charles & Tara Stewart. During his four-year career as a Mule, he has made over 150 three-pointers and drawn over 77 charges, breaking the previous MSHSAA record of 74.

McGowan began playing basketball competitively during elementary school.

“Since 5th grade I have played on a lot of different traveling teams,” McGowan said. “In fifth and sixth grade I played on the local Eagles AAU team, the Dexter Show-Me State Games team, and the Kansas City Tar Heels AAU team, where I played with current Texas A&M signee Jamal Branch.”

McGowan was also selected to play at some invitation-only camps during middle school.

“During seventh and eighth grade, I was selected to travel to the Adidas Phenom Top 150 camps in San Diego, California,” McGowan continued, “which gave me the opportunity to work with coaches and trainers that had worked with players at all levels of the sport, including the NBA. I also attended Five-Star Basketball Camp in Orlando, Florida, which was very influential in helping me decide to really pursue basketball.”

As a four-year starter for the Mules, McGowan has become an excellent outside shooter. Notable performances during his senior year include games against Dexter, Advance, and Dexter again in the County Tournament, where McGowan hit five three-pointers in each game. He also made 10 against Malden, and eight against Puxico. Bernie’s head basketball coach Brad Botsch, as well as McGowan, attributed his ability to his incredible work ethic.



“He’s [McGowan] is one of the hardest-working kids we’ve ever had come through this program,” Botsch said. “He’s never been tremendously blessed with athletic ability, but he’s worked hard and excelled at almost every aspect of the game. He definitly has brought a lot to our team and our program over the last four years.”

“Hard work probably has more to do with it than natural ability,” McGowan commented. “Over this summer and this school year, I’ve shot between 300-500 shots a day. A lot of early mornings and late evenings in the gym, but it’s paid off. I’ve just filled the role my coaches asked me to fill. This year, it was to score for my team, so I have tried to do that.”

“He’s almost perfected the shooting form,” Botsch continued. “I’m a big believer in proper shooting form and mechanics really will deliver consistency from the outside. It’s like a baseball player: you have to have a good swing to be a great hitter. He’s got a great shot, and that’s the reason that he’s a great charger.”

To cap off an already excellent career at Bernie (the Mules’ record during McGowan’s tenure is 100-19, as of Feb. 26, and Bernie is currently working towards its third consecutive District Championship), McGowan also broke the MSHSAA record for charges drawn during Bernie’s contest against Notre Dame on Feb. 4, where he drew numbers 74 (the previous record of 73 was held by Kyle Roehrs of Sullivan High School) and 75. McGowan again noted his work ethic in making this accomplishment possible.

“ As a young player I watched a lot of video of myself playing with my dad,” McGowan said. “We would discuss defensive positioning and reading where the offensive player was headed and where I should to be when he got there to be able to draw the charge. After learning where to be, it was just being willing to get hit and not move. Now it’s just second nature.”

McGowan has received attention at the collegiate level, and is verbally committed to Three Rivers College.

“Crowley’s Ridge College, Williams Baptist College, and Harding University all recruited me,” McGowan said. “I plan on signing with Three Rivers College sometime in early April, but I’ve already verbally committed to them [TRC].”


McGowan expressed excitement at the opportunity to play for coach Gene Bess. Bess, now in his 41st season at Three Rivers, has led the Raiders to two national championships in 1979 and 1992, and is the most winningest coach at the Junior College level, entering this season with a record of 1114-290.

“I love the idea of playing for such a defensive-minded coach, “McGowan commented. “Not only is he a great coach that has achieved many accomplishments, but he’s a great guy too.”

Despite all his accomplishments, McGowan remains humble, hard-working individual that credits his coaches and family with helping him bring his talents into fruition.

“Working hard comes more naturally to me than anything,” McGowan said. “I don’t consider myself much of a basketball fan - I rarely watch games unless its film on my next opponent. But, by far, the people that have helped me the most with my successes are my parents and grandparents, as well as my coaches here at Bernie, Coach [Brad] Bostch and Coach [Jason] Long.”

By User Submitted

Spring Break always brings thoughts of fun in the sun, but a local group from Dexter got together recently for a Wild Road Trip to the Mountains of Colorado. This was a fast trip organized by Greg McGhee at First Baptist Church for both youth group members as well as others from the community that simply love to ski.

With the scheduled departure time at 4 p.m. on Thursday Feb. 17, a group of 30-plus adults and young people loaded their bags and warm clothes for the long trek to Keystone Mountain. It was an all night drive with fuel stops and bathroom breaks. With good weather and clear roads, the group arrived on the mountain around 10 a.m. the next morning and immediately grabbed their rental equipment and hit the slopes.

The group enjoyed three full days of skiing the slopes of Keystone, some even going back in the evening for night skiing. The group found themselves well served by a team of cooks led by Sabrina Allison. There is nothing greater than a warm breakfast in the morning and a hot bowl of chili to warm you up after a great day of skiing.

Fresh Snow!

The greatest hope of those that ski is “Fresh Snow”! The group was very fortunate to have great weather and fresh snow two of three days they were on the mountain. The groups ranged from expert skiers to first timers. Everyone formed groups that matched their own level and ability to handle the slopes. Some groups immediately went to the bunny slopes to learn the techniques of skiing and some went straight to the Blue & Black slopes.

During the evening, the group would come together for a time of reflection and Bible study. Brad Wilson, the youth pastor of Minor Baptist Church in Sikeston, was the host leader for the Bible Study time. Brad shared with the group two inspiring messages about being an encourager among others and the strength of those that bind together for a common good causes.

Completely worn to a frazzle, the group loaded on the bus after a full day of skiing on Sunday for the long trip back to Missouri. The trip home became a little more exciting as the bus found some mechanical difficulty around Lawrence, Kans.

The group was able to work together through the adversities of a flat tire and oil loss to almost get back to Dexter. “Almost’ means that the bus finally gave up at the foot of the Dexter hill just below the Lighthouse Church at Hwy 25 and Hwy 60. The group was transferred back to the church via vans and parents to end the 29 hour endurance trip home.

Overall, no one wants to have troubles on a trip that is designed for fun. But the end result for this trip was a memory that will not soon be forgotten. A few injuries, a few mechanical problems and even the long,long trip didn’t squash the enthusiasm for the skiing.

Advserity Into A Blessing

“The story of the ski trip is the adversity that turned into a blessing,” said Greg McGhee. “Most already know how the engine blew in Lawrence, KS, causing us to have to frantically search the countryside fro 42 gallons of oil to limp home on. We had to stop every 40 miles to put oil in the bus, which was using it at a clip of 1 gallon per 13 miles traveled. That on top of the 5 MPGs we were getting on fuel.” McGhee said he had that it cost the group $1.53 per mile to get back to Dexter!

In addition, Denny Putnam broke his ankle skiing, and so was only able to drive the bus only two hours of the 30-hour trip back to Missouri.

And even more important, during the many unscheduled mechanical stops the group was able to find some pretty special moments to share and talk with people along the way. Some people were down on their luck and others just needed a little encouragement. Other people were simply kind and wanting to provide a blessing to the Ski Trip travelers.

One special person brought impact to Pastor Steve Easterwood and the entire group when the bus found a flat just South of St. Louis. As they pulled into the parking lot, there was only one car around but that car belonged to Billy "The Tire Man". Pastor Steve will share this story in his Sunday sermon this week and added "That after meeting Billy, now I know why we had all this trouble (on the trip home)."

A special thanks should be given to those that organized and volunteered to make this trip possible for those in our community. Nothing just happens, but it occurs by the hard work and dedication of the few so the many can enjoy great times such as these.

By Annabeth Miller, ShowMe Times Editor

Determination. Discipline. Dedication. Disciple.

Those four words go a long way to paint a portrait of Glen Johnson. The young man with roots planted in Dexter, goes through life with a smile on his face and a faith that defines his life – on and off the football field.

After a standout career on the football field as a Dexter Bearcat, Johnson traded his ‘red and black’ for the ‘purple and white’ of the Bearcats at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar. Now in the spring of his junior year at SBU, Johnson is looking forward to running back on the field next fall as a leader on and off the field.

He is dedicated to his sport – even completing a strenuous physical workout regimen during Christmas break when many college students rest, sleep late, and enjoy some time away from college tasks. But Johnson spent hours each day working out – all with a goal to become strong, faster, more physically ready for another year on the football field for SBU and being a better athlete.

“Success comes before work only in the dictionary,” he grins as he repeats one of his favorite sayings.

Dexter Red & Black

But a lot of who Glen Johnson is can be found back in his hometown of Dexter – the place where he first played football – the place where he says his best football memories originate.

“My best memories of playing football were of playing next to my friends – who were brothers to me – on Friday nights,” he said with enthusiasm. “I would say that is the biggest difference between college and high school. You play in college with a bunch of studs from all over the country who you don’t know. In high school you are playing with the guys you grew up with.”

But Johnson is also a leader off the field, heading three different student groups on the SBU campus. And that’s where his discipleship comes into clear view.

Discipleship In Focus

Active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes when he was a Dexter Bearcat, Johnson was surprised to arrive in Bolivar and not find a FCA group on campus. Things have now changed.

“I am now the president, and it was non-existent on our campus when I got the torch passed to me,” he said. Now the group has 30-50 students every Monday night. In addition to FCA, Johnson started a group for guys at SBU, called “Guys Only,” that meets right after FCA.

“It’s just for the fellas and we just talk about God’s calling in our life to be spiritual leaders and what it takes to do that,” he said. “We tackle the hard stuff in our life - stuff that is real in our lives – and we help each other conquer that.”

The third group was started last year is called One16. The group’s name is based on Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

“This is a campus-wide Bible study that has just exploded,” he said with excitement. The co-ed group boasts 40 or more students each week.

“We talk about real issues, too, but we have the ladies around so our focus isn’t solely on guy talk, but relationships and just growing in our relationship with Christ,” he explained. “Faith is slavery – it’s a relationship that has its ups and downs. His timing is perfect, and in the mean time I live by Colossians 3:23 – ‘Work hard and cheerfully, as if you were working for Christ and not for people.’”

Mentors Who Inspire

Johnson’s road seems to always lead back to Dexter. The lessons learned as a young kid on the field at Bland Stadium, the weight room and classrooms at DHS, and in the community were all made possible because of a crew of mentors.

“It all really started with mentors in my life,” he said. He credits four men for playing those key roles: Coach Aaron Pixley, Alan Hedrick, Scott Northcutt and Brett Dorton. And it is their influence that inspires Johnson to give back to the community – to help with football clinics, to serve as a mentor himself during Disciple Now, to encourage and teach another generation.

“They had an interest in my life. ‘Coach Pix’ encouraged me to be a good person, Hedrick gave me the confidence to chase my dreams, Northcutt taught about being a servant, and Dorton the importance of being a spiritual leader,” he said. “How could I not want to give back?”

That giving is obvious when you watch Johnson with young kids who just seem to naturally gravitate to him. And when he was back in town for Disciple Now earlier this winter, he threw himself into activities 150 percent – down on the floor encouraging young boys to do their best, playing basketball, running races and being a role model for younger boys – always working hard and giving much.

“I want to give back to the programs and the community that gave so much to me when I was growing up,” he said.

Johnson is getting to that point in a college student’s life when important life decisions are made – career, family, goals. And there his dedication, determination, disciple and discipleship and come together.

“I have felt called into Education for a long time - coaching football and I really want to teach weightlifting, life fitness and health because I am very passionate about fitness,” he said. “I have been blessed with opportunities to reach guys of all ages through athletics. I feel like Education is about developing the student morally and helping them appreciate education and make it a “get to” and not a “have to.”

Determination. Discipline. Dedication. Disciple. But there is a fifth ‘D’ for Glen Johnson: Dexter.

“I love Dexter – it will always be home. I will always bleed red and black!”

Photos above
Top Photo: Glen Johnson is always a Bearcat at heart! After wearing Bearcat Red & Black at DHS in high school, Johnson now puts on Bearcat Purple & White at Southeast Baptist University.
Middle Photo: Johnson and his teammates prepare for a game at SBU in Bolivar.
Bottom Photo: Johnson and one of his biggest fans, young Carter Dorton, son of Brett and Christy Dorton of Dexter.

Singing From The Heart

Jessica Lesley of Dexter was recently selected as the "top vocalist" at the Music Festival sponsored by the Encore Federated Music Club. The festival includes students from throughout Southeast Missouri, including Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Dexter. The festival was held in February on the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. She now has the opportunity to compete on a state level with the Missouri Federated Music Clubs at the group's annual convention in Branson in May. Jessica is a senior at Dexter High School, a member of the DHS Chamber Choir and Dexter Show Choir, and is a private voice student of MaryRuth Boone. She plans to attend Southeast Missouri State after graduating and pursue a degree in music. She is the daughter of Jeff Lesley and Dawn Dowdy of Dexter. (ShowMe Times photo by Annabeth Miller)

By Annabeth Miller, ShowMe Times Editor

For nearly 30 years there has been friendship, fun times, achievements, and dedication within the Dexter High School Choirs. And now, as she prepares to step down and retire after a highly successful career, MaryRuth Boone’s students have something they would like to say to the DHS choral music director: Thank you.

To mark her years of service to the school district and community, a special tribute is being planned to honor Boone and the choral music program she shaped and led for 30 years in Dexter.

A special DHS Choir Alumni Reunion Weekend is planned for Memorial Day Weekend, May 28-29. The weekend will be a time for former and current Dexter High School choir students to gather back together to pay tribute to their former choir director and to do that thing that she taught them – sing!

A DHS Choir alumnus Eric Mathis is spearheading this effort along with a committee of individuals in the community. According to Mathis, the weekend’s focus will be the formation of an alumni choir – a large multi-generational chorus of Boone’s students.

“Given the decline of music and arts education programs in public schools systems across the country, Dexter is fortunate to have a music educator like Mrs. Boone who has maintained a choral program in the junior and senior high schools for 30 years,” Mathis said. “We need to celebrate this tradition. This is an event that no one will want to miss!”

Mathis and the planning committee announced plans for the weekend prior to the Christmas holiday on Facebook, the Internet social networking site. To date more than 110 people have sent word through Facebook that they plan to attend. But the committee is wanted spread the word to even more DHS Choirs alums.

To assist in the effort and to help alumni register for the event, Mathis has established a website, http://www.dexterchoir.com. The site contains information on the weekend as well as online registration and a place for alumni to post favorite stories and memories of their time in Boone’s choirs.

The alumni weekend will include a day full of rehearsals and old friends seeing one another on Saturday, and a second day that will feature the hallmark of the weekend – a special concert with the combine voices of the Alumni Choir.

“We will save plenty of time for everyone to reminisce, pay tribute to Mrs. Boone, and wish her well in future endeavors. This will also be a great opportunity for everyone to connect with former music friends,” Mathis said.

The schedule for the weekend calls for the alumni to gather on Saturday morning at the First United Methodist Church for a day of rehearsals. Time will be allotted for full choir rehearsals as well as sectional rehearsals. There will also be time for small groups to rehearse if they desire. At noon on Saturday the choir will share a lunch of Boone, her husband Bill, and children Andrew and Afton (who will be members of the Alumni Choir).

On Sunday morning choir members will have the opportunity attend worship services at Boone’s church home, First United Methodist Church, and present the special music for the morning’s worship service.

That afternoon, the choir will gather at Dexter’s First Baptist Church for a dress rehearsal and then a public concert in the church’s Worship Center. A reception honoring Boone will follow the 3 p.m. concert, and the public is invited to attend the concert and reception.

Planning Committee member Mark Snider said the weekend is, of course, no longer a complete surprise for Boone.

“MaryRuth has asked that she be able to ‘relax and enjoy’ the weekend, so the musical leadership for this event is falling in the hands of the next generation,” Snider said. “Eric Mathis will be directing the mass choir during the concert, and Delisa Stites has agreed to accompany the choir on the piano. This is going to truly be a time for everyone to sit back and enjoy the musical tradition MaryRuth has established in our community.”

Through her 30-year tenure at Dexter High School Boone’s choirs and choral students have consistently received top state ratings at Missouri State Music Contest, have sung at the Missouri Governor’s Inaugural in 2005, and an ensemble from the Chamber Choir sang during opening ceremonies last month for Opening Day Ceremonies for the Missouri State Senate in Jefferson City.

Choirs have performed in the historic Church of St. Mary Aldermanbury at Westminster College, in the St. Louis Cathedral, and presented each the Christmas season tradition of the DHS Choirs Madrigal Feast as well as each spring's annual Pop Concert.

In 2005 she led a group of choral students on a concert tour of England, and the Dexter Show Choir has been invited to perform at Disneyworld and performed in Branson, Chicago, New Orleans and this June will perform in New York City.

Boone was recently honored by the Dexter Chamber of Commerce as the Educator of the Year and was recognized in January for her service to music education in the state by the Missouri Music Educators Association.

Photo above
MaryRuth Boone (center) received the Educator of the Year honors from the Dexter Chamber of Commerce. On hand from the presentation were (from left) State Rep. Billy Pat Wright, Boone, State Senator Rob Mayer, and Chamber Board Member Dana Adams.
Photo Gallery
A selection of photos from the DHS Choirs in recently years.



The address for the DHS Choir Alumni Weekend is http://www.dexterchoir.com.

The Facebook event page is "DHS Choir Alumni Weekend Reunion."