Cape Girardeau, Missouri - The Lady Bearcats got off to a slow offensive start in the first period against a packed homecoming crowd at Notre Dame High School.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 10 - 4 lead at the end of the first before the Bearcats woke up scoring 23 points in the second period on their way to a 56-49 victory.

Notre Dame executed their offense early and they stretched out the lead in that first quarter, but Dexter fought back defensively and made it tough.  Adding free throws to the scoreboard really proved to be Dexter’s saving grace.

Dexter dominated at the charity stripe hitting 26 of 33 baskets.

Krysten Garrison led the Lady Cats with 17 points.  Chaylea Mosby recorded 14 points and Dakota Reynolds and Melanie McKuin each contributed 12 points.

Reynolds also hit two 3-pointers for Dexter.

Final Score Dexter 56, Notre Dame 49

Dexter              4   23  13  16  -  56

Notre Dame  10  14     8  17  -  49

Dexter (56) - Dakota Reynolds 12, Natalie Sitze 1, Melanie McKuin 12, Krysten Garrison 17, Chaylea Mosby 14.  FG 14, FT 26/33, F 8. (3-pointers: Dakota Reynolds 2, Fouled Out: None).

Notre Dame (49) - Sam Brennan 9, Faith Essner 11, Maddie Urhahn 8, Allie Ziegler 11, Hayli Chapman 6, Megan Heisserer 2, Lexi Welter 2.  FG 20, FT 6/10, F 20. (3-pointers: Faith Essner 1, Hayli Chapman 2, Fouled Out: None).

Dexter (16-4) will be back in action on Thursday when they host the Cape Central Tigers.  Game time 6:00 p.m.  Notre Dame (9-12) will host John Burroughs on Saturday.

Photo credit to Dee Loflin, ShowMe Times Manager/Editor.  Melanie McKuin about to shoot the ball in a previous match-up.

Marshfield, Missouri - The Dexter wrestling team traveled to Marshfield on Saturday, February 6, 2016 to compete in a dual with the Pleasant Hill Roosters.  Pleasant Hill defeated the Bearcats 69-12.

Below are the results of the matches on Saturday.

Pleasant Hill (PLESHILL) 69.00 Dexter (DEXTER) 12.00

106: Seth Harris (DEXTER) over Cole  Wood (PLESHILL) (Fall 1:51)

113: Dawson Jones (DEXTER) over (PLESHILL) (For.)

120: Chance Sullivan (PLESHILL) over Matthew Stone (DEXTER) (Fall 0:56)

126: Gaige Brunell (PLESHILL) over   (DEXTER) (For.)

132: Cruz Hernandez (PLESHILL) over   (DEXTER) (For.)

138: Cole Sullivan (PLESHILL) over Brandon Twomey (DEXTER) (Fall 4:33)

145: Kaler Selvin (PLESHILL) over Wyatt Chastain (DEXTER) (TF 18-2 4:11)

152: Hayden Hodge (PLESHILL) over John Tucker (DEXTER) (Fall 1:33)

160: Olen Brattin (PLESHILL) over Storm Massey (DEXTER) (MD 13-3)

170: Cole Lightfoot (PLESHILL) over Jett Featherston (DEXTER) (Fall 0:45)

182: Dalton Bach (PLESHILL) over Colten Gibson (DEXTER) (Fall 1:04)

195: Lane Jellison (PLESHILL) over Michael Hurst (DEXTER) (Fall 1:50)

220: Tommy Williams (PLESHILL) over Christian Yarber (DEXTER) (Fall 0:54)

285: Wesley Burkhart (PLESHILL) over Cory Holland (DEXTER) (Fall 0:53)

Photo credit to Dee Loflin, ShowMe Times manager/editor. 

Dexter, Missouri - Team Venom is an AAU wrestling team located out of Dexter, Missouri and they have their only home tournament on Saturday, February 6th at 5:00 p.m. at the Dexter High School gym.

Their team consists of kids ranging from 5 to 14 years of age.  There will be five different teams competing from around southeast Missouri on Saturday evening.  Team Venom's athletes have been competing in tournaments locally and in the St. Louis area.

Dexter Youth Wrestling Is a newly founded wrestling club that is proud to be supporting young athletes like Team Venom. These wrestlers compete in duels and tournaments small and large from Kennett to St. Louis.

Joey Tinsley is their coach and he spends countless hours with these kids and spends much money out of his own pocket for those children to wrestle whose parents couldn't otherwise afford it.

A silent auction will also be held during the tournament to raise money.  Please come out and support our future BEARCAT wrestlers!

Dexter, Missouri - On Wednesday, February 3, 2016, MaKayla Waldner of Dexter, Missouri signed to play soccer at Mississippi State University.  For her it was a dream come true to play the sport she loves so much at the collegiate level.

It's an extraordinary accomplishment to play a sport at the college level, but for MaKayla Waldner it's been an even greater challenge playing a sport not offered at her local high school.  For years MaKayla has played soccer.  She first began at the age of about 6 years old when she traveled from Dexter to Sikeston to play soccer with her friend, Julia Hahn and Julia's dad Brad Hahn who just happened to enjoy coaching youth soccer.

"When I was little, Julia and I used to be super close and her dad said 'let's just go out and play soccer'.  And I ended up falling in love with the game," commented Waldner. "We started playing in Sikeston when I was in the first grade. It just took off from Sikeston to Cape to St. Louis and I finally found my place."

When asked about her memories as a youngster, MaKayla said, "Whenever we were younger we used to play this game called "Egg".  You would stand on the baseline and kick the ball and there would always be one less ball.  One time it was me and Julia left and I ended up tackling her for the ball and she ended up losing and me winning."

This young athlete has it all together!  She's intelligent, beautiful, athletic beyond words, and talented in the arts as well.  She had three pieces accepted at the Southeast Missouri State University's 37th Annual High School Art Exhibition and received a scholarship for the Summer Art Academy as an outstanding junior last year.  She was named 2015 Football Homecoming Queen her junior year at Dexter High School.

MaKayla has always been a multi-sport athlete.  She excels in every sport she has played at Dexter High School.  Her sophomore year she was the first female football player for the Bearcats and did quite well as the kicker.  She has also played girls basketball, tennis, and is quite the Track and Field competitor as well.

Being a multi-sport athlete can be difficult for students who also excel in the academics.  She is a Top 10% student and a DHS Honors Society member at Dexter High School.

"It has been hard on school and missing so much school traveling, but I am really excited to start the next chapter," commented Waldner. 

When asked how did she decide on Mississippi State as her 'next chapter', she said, "My sophomore year I started looking at colleges.  And with me not having soccer at my high school I had to go on websites and write recruiting profiles.  I was in Memphis for a game and they came and watched me play.  When I visited the campus I knew it felt good."

Upon graduation in May 2016 at Dexter High School, MaKayla will pursue a degree in Biomechanic Engineering and wants to design prosthetics while she plays soccer at Mississippi State.  "I am blessed to be able to do what I do and for people who aren't like that I want to be able to help them," Waldner said of her future career.

What else does this young athlete want to accomplish? "It would be super cool to be on t.v.," she said with a huge smile. "National Scouts have talked to my coaches about me and who knows the Olympics would be a great accomplishment."

Two of her coaches were able to attend the signing on Wednesday.  Brad Hahn who was instrumental in getting MaKayla interested in soccer was able to say a few words about her and Kevin Ellis who has been her Track Coach since she was five year old also had a few comments.

"I started coaching her in first grade," Hahn said. "Her and my daughter, Julia, played together in DPR soccer and then I coached her traveling team.  MaKayla is a respectful athlete.  When I first had her she didn't know a thing about soccer.  I continued to talk to her and convince her.  She doesn't need to be confined to a gym, soccer is her sport."

"Starting at that age and she really enjoyed it.  She had fun at that age," continued Hahn.  "Later on you separate those kids from park and rec from the elite athletes. She was an elite. I think you will see her on t.v. in the future.  From 3rd grade to 8th grade i coached her in the Sikeston All-Star Soccer group.  We had to travel to Memphis and St. Louis because then there were many local teams.  Now she travels all over."

"We have to go back to 2003 when I first got to know MaKayla and her family," commented Kevin Ellis. "I was coaching a bunch of kids out of Poplar Bluff in track and field.  My daughter was one year older than MaKayla, she had long black curly hair.  I didn't know it at the time, but the two kids were talking to their parents about the curly haired kid from Dexter competing against the curly haired girl from Poplar Bluff. I didn't know it at the time they were talking about each other.  A couple years later I began coaching her and it's been a remarkable ride since about '04.  Watching her mature from a kid to a young lady has just been remarkable."

What stands out about her abilities? "Her work ethic," stated Ellis.  "I have never had to make her work hard.  She wants to be the best she can be.  Her work ethic probably sets her apart from most kids I have coached.  Some kids you have to stand over them to watch everything they do. I was able to give her the workouts.  I never had to make her work hard.  She has always been athletic and very respectful. Most of all she is coachable."

Below is just a portion of MaKayla Waldner's career at Dexter High School:

Tennis: 4 years varsity

Qualified for State her Sophomore year

MVP Sophomore and Junior years

Basketball: 1 year varsity (sophomore)

4th place state finish (freshman)

2nd place state finish (sophomore)

Football - 1 year varsity (sophomore)

SEMO All-Conference Honorable Mention Kicker

Track - 4 years varsity

Freshman - 8th place in State 300m hurdles, 3rd place State 100m hurdles

Sophomore - 2nd place in State 300m hurdles, 7th place in State 100m hurdles

Junior - State Champion 300m hurdles, 2nd place in State 100m hurdles, 2nd place in State 200m dash, 5th place in State Long Jump

AAU Track - 15 time National Medalist, 2 time National Champion, Record holder in multi-evens 10 year old division.

MaKayla holds the record in the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays at T.S. Hill Middle School.  She holds the record for the Triple Jump at T.S. Hill Middle School.  She received the 2015 Top Female Athlete Award for Track at Dexter High School.  She holds four Dexter High School records.

She also competed at the North American Cup National Soccer Championship in Seattle, Washington in 2015 with Coach Jeff Besserman of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer team.

For this young athlete the world is her oyster!  No matter where MaKayla Waldner goes she will succeed.  She is probably one of the most talented athletes to graduate from Dexter High School and we look forward to her continued success not only on the soccer field, but in the classroom. Congratulations MaKayla we hope to see you on t.v. as well!

Dexter, Missouri - They never gave up!  The Dexter varsity boys basketball team fought back in the fourth quarter late to defeat the New Madrid County Central Eagles.

The Bearcats were behind 53-45 at the end of the third quarter and then exploded in the fourth period outscoring the Eagles 26-7.  The final result was a 71-60 win for Dexter.

"We executed offensively really well tonight," commented Dexter head boys basketball coach Josh Dowdy.  "New Madrid got right off the bus shooting at a high percentage.  Javarcus had six 3's in the first half.  We weather his storm and did a good job of just hanging around."

"We were able to generate a few turnovers off of some of their miscues late that really tilted the momentum in our favor," continued Dowdy.

Jason Jarrell tallied all nine of his fourth quarter points early sparking his team's comeback.  Jarrell's final basket gave Dexter the lead 56-55 with just under six minutes in regulation left.

"We isolated Jason Jarrell a few times and he was able to get to the rim and finish," stated Dowdy.  "It was encouraging for the kids to break from a timeout and go execute.  This group has been real coachable all year long."

Dexter's Gabe Jackson, Jacob Pedigo and Ethan Flowers led a 15-0 run in the fourth to propel them to the win.

Jackson recorded a team-high 21 points.  Jarrell contributed 19 points.  Ethan Flowers hit both of Dexter's 3-pointers and finished with 14 points.

Dexter improved their record to 10-9 and now above the .500 mark for the first time in the 2015-2016 season.  The Bearcats will be back in action on Friday when they host Advance at their Winter Homecoming.  Game time is 6:00 p.m.  Homecoming Coronation will be after the JV game.

"We have not come back from a deficit like that in the two years I have been around," Dowdy said.  "It's a good sign our guys are staying strong mentally."

Final Score Dexter 71, NMCC 60

Dexter   14    16    15    26   -  71

NMCC    21   15    17      7  -  60

Dexter (71) - Jason Jarrell 19, Jacob Pedigo 9, Ethan Flowers 14, Tyler Heil 2, Ryan Mayo 6, Gabe Jackson 21.  FG 25, FT 19/27, F 8. (3-pointers: Ethan Flowers 2.  Fouled Out: None).

NMCC (60) - Palmer Campbell 12, Javarcus Word 25, Chris Farr 11, Garrison Keene 3, Ronnie King 4, Deon Jenkins 5.  FG 21, FT 7/11, F 20. (3-pointers: Javarcus Word 6, Chris Farr 1, Palmer Campbell 4. Fouled Out: Deon Jenkins.)