By Staff Writer, ShowMe Times Sports Contributor

The seventh and eight grade boys basketball teams delivered an action packed evening on Thursday night against the Bloomfield Wildcats. Both the Bearcats and Wildcats have been dominating against their opponents throughout the 2011 season. Both teams have won by large margins over 20 and 30 points each outing.

 However,  these two games were sure to be a collision course of two great Stoddard County middle school teams. Both games would prove to be highly competitive for both teams.

The seventh grade had a slow start as both teams were only able to find a total of 8 points. Alex Gibbs had the hot hand for the Wildcats and got his team out in front at the end of the quarter by a score of 5 to 3.

But Jason Jarrell continued his powerful scoring in the second quarter for the ‘Cats tossing in 10 points of his own. The Bearcats outscored Bloomfield by four in second quarter giving them a lead at halftime of 17 to 15.

But the battle was not finished as the Wildcats Hector and Gibbs continued their strong offensive attack and evened the score by the end of the 3rd quarter at 28 point each. But Jason Jarrell pumped in 6 fourth quarter points along with Bryce Simmons and Zach Potts each with two, leaving the Wildcats one point shy at the end of the game.  Potts' shot was a last second buzzer beater to win the game for the Bearcats. Dexter won the contest by a score of 38 to 37.

In the eight grade contest, the Bearcat’s Jacob Pedigo was absolutely on fire for the entire contest. He helped the Bearcats jump out to a 9 to 5 lead in the first quarter by contributing 8 points. But the second quarter flipped the coin with Bloomfield scoring 9 points to the Bearcats 5 points. Noah Langley and Chandler Young helped keep the Bearcats in the game with a bucket each in that quarter. That left the game tied with a 14 to 14 score at the halftime.

But Jacob Pedigo turned it on again in the 2nd half scoring an additional 14 points of his game high of 21points overall. The game was like a great boxing match with one basket by one team answered with a basket by the other. However,  the Wildcats managed to squeak an extra point out of each second half quarter and with only seconds remaining in the game, the Wildcats' Battles sank a shot to secure the victory. .

BOLIVAR - The Bearcats will be hosting the Emporia State University Hornets this weekend for the first time in four years. SBU will be looking for a solid win after dropping the last decision 35 to 28.

The SBU offense is lead by junior quarterback Dan Connors who has thrown for 1603 with 10 touchdowns over the first nine games of the season. Connors has a completion percentage of 64.7% and is averaging 200.4 yards passing per game this season. Thad Everson leads all Bearcat rushers with 504 rushing yards and five touchdowns, while averaging 56.0 yards per game, and Charles Johnson leads the Bearcat receivers with 556 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 61.8 yards per game.

The Bearcat defense is lead by Zach Moore who has recorded team highs in tackles (78) and tackles for loss (5.5) this season. As a team, the Bearcats have wrapped up 15 sacks, picked off 11 passes, recovered 10 fumbles, and blocked 7 kicks on the season.


Dexter native Glen Johnson continues to see extensive playing time as a member of the Bearcats’ defensive line rotation.

The Bearcats are off to one of the best starts in school history, and look to move to 7-3 on the season with a wn over Emporia State this Saturday. The game is set to kick off at 1:30 p.m. from Bolivar, Missouri.

The Coaches

Keith Allen has already engineered a significant turnaround at SBU, moving the ‘Cats from 0-11 his first year as interim coach, to 5-6 in 2008, to the winning record of 6-5 in 2009, and followed up with a 7-4 record in 2010. Allen served as defensive and recruiting coordinator before being named SBU head coach in 2007. His past coaching experience has included stops at San Jose State, Quincy, TCU and Oklahoma.

Garin Higgins is in his 5th season as the head coach at Emporia State University. In Higgins’s five years at Emporia, he has lead his team to an overall record of 18-34.

Scouting the Hornets

The Hornets enter into this weekend with a 4-5 record, coming off of a 52-18 win against Truman State University. ESU is lead in passing by Tyler Eckenrode who averages 243.1 passing yards per game, lead in rushing by Dasor Horton who averages 53.9 rushing yards per game, and lead in receiving by Shjuan Richardson who averages 66.2 receiving yards per game.

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Southwest Baptist University is a four-year evangelical Christian university that was established in 1878. The main campus is located about 30 minutes north of Springfield, Missouri, in Bolivar, a town of approximately 10,000 people.

DHS alum Glen Johnson is a defensive lineman for the Bearcats.

For more information on SBU Bearcat Athletics, visit sbubearcats.com.

By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

The atmosphere was electric Wednesday night at Charles Bland Stadium, as the Dexter Bearcats faced off against the Park Hills Central Rebels in Regional Playoff action. The Bearcats already held a 37-27 victory over the Rebels in the second week of the season, but Park Hills was able to squeak out a 29-28 overtime win to advance in the playoffs and end the Bearcats’ record-setting season.

Head coach Aaron Pixley was disappointed with the season-ending loss, but was proud of his team’s ‘never say die’ performance in the contest.

“[It’s a] very tough loss; there’s a lot of disappointed kids over there,” Pixley said after the game. “They played their hearts out, and I’m proud of their effort.”

The Bearcats came out a little flat, but slowly picked up the intensity as the game went on. The defense bent a little too much early in the game, and the Rebels capitalized, racking up 319 rushing yards on the Bearcats.

“We had Park Hills in 4th and short situations all night long, and just couldn’t get off the field,” Pixley said. “Offensively, we were out of sync early. Both the offense and defense played better as we got going, but Park Hills did a great job of doing what they do and pulling out the win.”


Offensively, Dexter was led on the ground by QB Cody Stevens, with 113 yards on 23 attempts and a touchdown. Josh Overall had 38 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries; Alex Cliff pounded out 43 yards and one touchdown on 7 carries.

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Through the air, Stevens was 8-15 for 168 yards and one touchdown. Tyler Miller led the Bearcat receivers with 98 yards on 3 catches and a touchdown; Overall caught two out of the backfield for 23 yards. Cody Neldon had one catch for 23 yards.

Cliff led the Bearcat ‘D’ with a season-high 18 tackles, while Nick Summers had 13 and Jake Lee had 12. Neldon and D.J. Dowdy each had drive-killing interceptions in the contest, with Neldon’s providing a much-needed ‘shot in the arm’ to wake up the Bearcats in the first half.

The Bearcats didn’t punt during the contest - electing to ‘go for it’ on fourth down - but couldn’t convert on any of their 4 attempts.

“We were just trying to extend it; we picked up a couple big first downs, got them to jump once on 4th and inches. It just seemed like when we went for it on fourth down, we just didn’t get it,” Pixley added. “It wasn’t for a lack of effort tonight - all of my guys played hard, we just came up short.”

The ‘Cats never had a lead during regulation, but always kept it a one-possession game and tied it up with a Stevens TD run with 2:40 left in the contest - set up by a huge 38 yard pass to Miller.


In overtime, Cliff - pushing a pile of 6 Rebels - punched in a touchdown from 2 yards out to give the ‘Cats a 28-21 lead.


The Rebels’ one-two punch of Derek Mitchell (32 att., 150 yds., 3 TD’s) and Cody Harrison (12 att., 114 yds., 1 TD) cut up the Bearcats throughout regulation, and they went back to their workhorses in overtime. Mitchell punched in a touchdown from 5 yards out to bring Park Hills within a point.


The Rebels lined up in their familiar Power-I set; Hunter Courtois faked a handoff up the middle to Mitchell and rolled right to get the two-point conversion and the win.

“We just got caught on the play fake there,” Pixley said of the play. “It was a good play call - we were just a little late getting there.”

With the loss, the Bearcats end the 2011 campaign with a 9-2 record - the first nine-win season during Coach Pixley’s tenure at DHS. The ‘Cats will lose 18 seniors - 16 of them either started or saw extensive playing time - this season, and Pixley had nothing but great things to say about the big group.

“I’ve got so many [seniors],” he said. “All of my seniors have benefited this program one way or the other. Every one of them have busted their butts in the weight room and played extremely hard.”

“Most of them have been a big piece of the puzzle here on our team, and have played extremely well. It’s taken a lot of hard work, and I’m very proud of my seniors,” he continued. “Hopefully they’ll look back on this season someday and see all the good things and not focus on the ending.”


For a full breakdown of the game’s stats, click here.

By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

Charles Bland Stadium will host the Bearcats first matchup of the 2011 MSHSAA Playoffs on Wednesday night, when the ‘Cats face off against Park Hills Central.


This will be the second time the two squads have met this season - the District 1 Champion Bearcats and District 2 runner-up Rebels faced off in the second week of the season, with the ‘Cats coming out on top with a 37-27 final score.


Coach Pixley noted the advantages of already having faced the Rebels, but again pointed out their poignant power running game as a key concern for his defense.


“Anytime you play someone twice, you get a pretty good idea of what they’re going to do - it doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to stop it,” Pixley said. “We have the same concerns going in to this game that we had going into the game earlier in the year. They’re a very good football team.”

“They have a very good power running game, and they have a very good play action game on offense,” he continued. “On defense, they play hard and get off the ball, they swarm to the ball very well. They haven’t changed any since week two.”

“You’ve gotta get prepared, you’ve gotta see it, you’ve gotta get out here and make sure your mind is right and you know what’s going on, and hopefully we’ll be that way tomorrow night.”

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Quarterback Cody Stevens led the Bearcat offense against the Rebels in week two, with 64 and a TD on the ground, and 132 yards and 4 TD’s through the air. Josh Overall nearly broke the 100 yard mark in the contest, racking up 96 yards on 13 carries. The duo will both have to have another big game for the Bearcats to be able to knock off the Rebels for the second time in 2011.


Defensively, Alex Cliff led the Bearcat ‘D’ with 13 tackles in the week two matchup. The Bearcats also won the turnover battle, 3-1, in the contest.

“Nothing has changed - we thought they were very good the first time around,” Pixley said. The only difference is it’s not 100 degrees outside like it was the first time around. I think both teams are in better shape, but we’re going to have to play hard and physical football to beat these guys.”

There will be a change of scenery for the Bearcats during the game: according to a MSHSAA rule, if the field doesn’t have separate ‘visitor’ stands, the opposing team gets the choice of which sideline they will be on, and the Rebels have elected to be on the Bearcats’ usual press box sideline.


Pixley addressed this is his post-practice speech with the team, but he said he didn’t think it would be a factor for his team.

“If playing on the other sideline has an effect on us, then we have some major issues,” Pixley said, laughing. “None of the little changes should make a difference.”

“It’s a state rule that if [your field doesn’t] have visiting bleachers, the opposing team can pick the side they want to go on, and they said they wanted our side,” he continued. “We go to the other side - that’s just part of it. We’re going to deal with it and not make an issue out of it.”

The Bearcats, luckily, haven’t been hit hard by the injury bug this season. Players have missed a game here and there, but there hasn’t been anything that kept any Bearcat out more than a game, save Dalton Putnam in the last three games of the season. The senior defensive back/wideout went down with an ankle injury - later reported as a high ankle sprain - during the Caruthersville game, and hasn’t seen any action sense.

“Dalton’s day to day - he hasn’t practiced, but he’s been out running and rehabbing that ankle, so we’ll see how he’s doing tomorrow before we make a definite decision,” Pixley said of Putnam. “If not tomorrow, hopefully if we win the game tomorrow, we’ll have him back for the next one.”


Other than Putnam, the ‘Cats are nearly at 100% for the State Playoff matchup against Park Hills. Zach Lacy is nursing a lower back injury, while RB/MLB Nick Summers is ‘a little banged up’, according to Coach Pixley. Despite their bumps, both seniors are expected to be in the starting lineup and playing at full capacity.

The contest is scheduled to get underway with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff. The cost of admission is $5.00 for anyone ages 6 and up.  No passes are accepted (MSTA, student activity, Gold Card, etc.) once teams enter into the state playoff rounds, per MSHSAA regulations.

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Editor’s Note: Make sure to head down to the DHS Tennis Courts at 5:00 for another great Bearcat Football Tailgate Party!
Pork Loin sandwiches, hot dogs, and any other ‘tailgate fare’ that you care to bring will be served!

As always, if you can’t make it to the game, I’ll be Tweeting the scores and big plays of the contest from the sidelines - just keep checking back with our Facebook or Twitter page for updates!

By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

For ten weeks, Brett Dorton tirelessly researched each and every game - he wasn’t out to win a TV, he just wanted bragging rights over his buddies that were also in the 2011 Pigskin Pick’Em Challenge.

The hard work paid off in more ways than one; it was a close contest that came right down to the wire, but Brett was able to come out on top and claim the Grand Prize of the 2011 Pigskin Pick’Em Challenge!


Dorton, finishing the season with 172 points, averaged 17.3 correct picks per week, and was the only user in the game to get 21 games right three separate times.

Dorton’s prize is a 50” LG Plasma TV - Congratulations Brett!

"We all thank the ShowMe Times, their staff, and all the sponsors for making the Pick'Em so much fun to participate in," Dorton said. "It was great to be able to use the internet to not only make the picks, but to be able to follow the standings week by week."

"This was a lot of fun for people in the community," he continued, "and hopefully even more people will participate next year!"

In a very close second place is Marty Young. Young finished the contest with 171 points, and averaged 17.1 correct picks per week.


Michael Qualls and Matt Miller tied for third place with 167 points. Kurt Lovelady rounds out the Top 5 with 166 points.

The second through fifth place winners will all receive a print of Terry Hester’s The Perfect Swing - Terry’s rendition of St. Louis Cardinal Albert Pujols’ swing.


Everyone at the ShowMe Times would like to congratulate all of our winners, and thank everyone that played. We would also like to thank our many excellent sponsors - without them, this great contest wouldn’t have been possible.

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Make sure to keep checking with the ShowMe Times for updates to the Basketball Edition of the Pigskin Pick’Em Challenge!

This great contest is coming soon, and will only be available on the ShowMe Times!