Charleston, Missouri - The Lady Bearcats tennis team improved their record to 2-0 on Tuesday afternoon defeating Charleston 9-0 on the road.

Dexter’s Alexis May defeated Nyla Murray 8-0 in the #1 varsity singles match.

Macy Urhahn beat Charleston’s Coreyanna Frazier 8-0 in the #2 singles match. 

Nicole Sells beat Cameron Wince 8-0 in the #3 varsity singles match.

Rachel Singh defeated Shantaria Bigham 8-0 in the #4 varsity singles match.

Kalee Howard beat Ashonta Keyerra Whitney 8-1 in the #5 varsity singles match.

Reagan Miller defeated Savannah Wilkerson 8-0 in the #6 singles match.

In doubles matches, Lexi May/Macy Urhahn beat Wince/Bigham 8-0 in the #1 varsity match. 

Nicole Sells/Rachel Singh beat Whitney/Wilkerson 8-0 in the #2 varsity doubles match.

Kalee Howard/Reagan Miller beat Frazier/Zakyrah Curtis 8-0 in the #3 varsity doubles match.

The Lady Cats played the Bluejays to a 3-3 tie in the junior varsity action.

Morgan Aldridge of Dexter won her JV singles match 6-0.  She also won her varsity doubles match 6-0 with partner Abby Dorton.

Kirsten Teffertiller and Hannah Bien won their junior varsity doubles match 7-6.

Dexter will be back in action on Thursday, August 27^th at 4:00 p.m. when they travel to Cape Central.

Shown in the photo is Alexis May of Dexter.  Photo provided by Kevin Pritchett, KPKronicle.

Dexter, Missouri - The Lady Cats volleyball team has high expectations this year.  They return several starters from the 2014 season.  They had a tremendous year winning the SCAA Tournament, the 48-Dig for Life Classic for the first time in school history and won the Class 3, District 1 volleyball tournament for the first time in 14 years. 

“We graduated two strong players for us who provided a lot of leadership,” stated head volleyball coach Carmen Morgan.  "But I think our team this year is maybe a more well-rounded team as far as the whole makeup of the team. I think at anytime we could have four or five sophomores out on the floor. That's young and with that comes what I call 'emotional immaturity' more than playing immaturity for them. 

"We also have three seniors - Brittany Brown, Kendall Adams and Julia Hahn. They have a role on this team and are filling it very well. They've stepped in and are doing what they need to do. I have a strong bench this year, which is something I have not had in years past at this school. I've got players who can come in off the bench, step right into the spot and do the job for us."

The 2015 Bearcat roster consists of Kendall Adams, Brittany Brown and Julia Hahn (seniors), Ashlynn Wyman, Janie Lindsey, Madison McConnell, and Emily Page (juniors), Bailee Williams Lexie Barnes, Krysten Garrison, Hannah Thurmon, Megan Trout and Addie Kruse (sophomores). 

"We've got to have leadership, and it's nice to have senior leadership, and we will get some senior leadership, I'm sure," Morgan stated. "But other people can step up too. You either lead by example or you lead vocally or verbally. Some of our players are kind of quite and are going to lead more by example."

"I think the big thing for us this year is we have to be able to play without worrying about making mistakes," continued Morgan. "The thing I saw this summer with these kids is they want to do everything perfect. We wouldn't even have competitive sports if that's the way it was. You cannot play without making some mistakes. So basically my big goal is to get them playing at their optimal level when the going is tough. If we can do that by the end of the season that's going to make our emotional maturity just a little bit better."

Volleyball has become a game for tall girls and Dexter has five that Coach Morgan considers to be tall.  She also explained that she has girls that can jump and don’t have to be tall.  With that combination the Lady Cats may be unstoppable on the floor!

The Bearcats will play in their first tournament on September 4^th and 5^th at the Notre Dame Volleyball Fest.  Dexter will also defend their championship and compete in the Dig for Life Classic held on September 11^th and 12^th.   Dexter will also host the 2015 SCAA Tournament slated for the second week in October.

“The Notre Dame Tournament is packed,” Morgan said.  “Helias and Lafayette are in it and it’s going to be a tough, tough tournament.”

Dexter is slated to compete in Class 3, District 1, with Doniphan, Fredericktown, Kennett, Notre Dame and Perryville at the end of the season at Notre Dame Regional High School.

"The district is always going to be brutal," Morgan said. "Not only the district, but the next round of state is brutal. Perryville is like us. I think they lost five starters, but they've got some young kids coming up and Dave will always have them playing strong by the end of the season. Notre Dame only lost one player last year so they are loaded. Those are always the strongest contenders that we see." 

Starla Pulley will be the Lady Cats’ new assistant coach this year.  She served as the head volleyball coach at Bloomfield before taking the head coaching position for the Dexter Softball Team.

"She brings in 11 years of experience and is doing a great job," Morgan said of Pulley. "I'm excited to get to work with her and that our team is going to get to work with her as an assistant coach."

Dexter, Missouri - The Dexter Lady Cats tennis team rules the Sikeston Dogs on the court Monday afternoon.  They opened their season with a 9-0 shutout!

Senior Bearcat MaKayla Waldner won the #1 singles match against Ali Price 8-4.

Lexi May won the #2 singles match against Allenna Landers 8-1.

Macy Urhahn won the #3 singles match against Hope Mannon 8-0.

Nicole Sells won the #4 singles match over Emily Braden 8-1.

Rachel Singh won the #5 singles match over Mackenzie Alsup 8-0.

Senior Kalee Howard won the #6 singles match against Claire Hamlin 8-0.

MaKayla Waldner/Lexi May defeated Price/Mannon 8-4 in #1 doubles match.

Macy Urhahn/Kalee Howard defeated Landers/Braden 8-3 in the #2 doubles match.

Nicole Sells/Rachel Singh defeated Alsup/Hamlin 8-1 in the #3 doubles match.

Dexter’s Regan Miller beat Sikeston’s Emma Renfroe 6-0 in the only Junior Varsity match completed.

Dexter will be back on the court on Tuesday afternoon when they travel to Charleston.  Game time 4:00 p.m.

Shown in the photo is senior MaKayla Waldner.

Dexter, Missouri - Under the direction of Coach Cody Boyer and Coach Daniel McCoy, the Junior Varsity will open their season at home against Malden.

The game is slated for Monday, August 24th at Charles Bland Stadium.  Game time 6:00 p.m.  Please come out and support the JV Bearcats!

The JV team will host Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, and Caruthersville before traveling to their first away game at Kennett.  They return to Charles Bland Stadium for their last game of the season against New Madrid County Central.

2015 Dexter Bearcats Junior Varsity Schedule

6:00 p.m. Monday, August 24^th  Malden (H)

6:00 p.m. Monday, August 31^st Poplar Bluff (H)

6:00 p.m. Monday, September 14^th Sikeston (H)

6:00 p.m. Monday, September 21^st Caruthersville (H)

6:00 p.m. Monday, September 28^th Kennett (A)

6:00 p.m. Monday, October 5^th NMCC (H)

2015 Dexter Bearcats Junior Varsity Roster

4		Coby	Powers	Freshman	WR/DB
12		Joe	Rice	Freshman	QB/DB
14		Ben	Sindle	Sophomore	QB/DB
15		Jake	Rice	Sophomore	WR/LB
16		Nate	Gargas	Freshman	WR/DB
21		Jacob	Christian	Freshman	WR/DB
22		Kris	Rinehart	Sophomore	WR/DB
23		Wyatt	Greenfield	Freshman	RB/DB
24		Logan	Elder	Sophomore	RB/LB
26		Caleb	Hoggard	Freshman	RB/DB
30		Landon	Henson	Sophomore	WR/DB
31		Corbin	Strong	Freshman	TE/LB
40		Braxton	Foster	Freshman	TE/LB
42		Dalton	Warren	Freshman	TE/LB
43		Clayton	Riddle	Sophomore	WR/LB
44		Jett	Featherston	Freshman	WR/LB
45		Jakob	Harris	Freshman	TE/LB
46		Ernesto	Phot	Freshman	WR/DB
51		Alex	Swinger	Freshman	OL/DL
54		Garrison	Collier	Freshman	OL/DL
55		David	Stidmon	Freshman	OL/DL
56		Blayne	Goodman	Sophomore	OL/DL
58		Jeffrey	Swallows	Freshman	OL/DL
61		Colten	Gibson	Freshman	OL/DL
64		Christian	Yarber	Sophomore	OL/DL
65		Hunter	Lawrence	Freshman	OL/LB
66		Wesley	Slaton	Sophomore	OL/DL
72		Caleb	Stearns	Freshman	OL/DL
74		John	Tucker	Freshman	OL/DL
75		Brock	Simmons	Freshman	OL/DL
76		Andreus	Garrett	Freshman	OL/DL
77		Noah	Rushing	Freshman	OL/DL
78		Luke	Boyer	Freshman	OL/DL
84		Steve	Stidmon	Junior	WR/DB
85		Jaron	Ritter	Freshman	WR/DB
88		Justin	Kenley	Freshman	WR/DB

Dexter, Missouri - The Dexter girls tennis team opens their 2015 season against Sikeston at home on Monday, August 24^th.

The Bearcats return four starters including two seniors.  MaKayla Waldner, Macy Urhahn, Alexis May and Kalee Howard return to the court for some exciting match-ups this year.

 “We had a good year last year,” stated head tennis coach Kurt Lovelady.  “We lost a couple of varsity, but a lot of these girls picked it up over the summer.  They came to open courts and have been working hard.”

“I know this district will have some state qualifiers,” continued Lovelady.  “It just depends on which girls compete in doubles and singles.  Notre Dame will have some solid players.  Our girls are waiting to see how the season goes and see if our strength is in singles or doubles.”

Last year MaKayla Waldner was just shy of qualifying for the state tournament in singles play after competing in 2013 in the state doubles tournament.  She will be one to watch this year for sure!  Another athlete to watch is senior Kalee Howard.  She has quite the talent as well on the court.  It should be an exciting year.

Dexter will play eight of their twelve games on the road in the 2015 season.  They also compete in the Farmington Invitational on September 19^th.

“You normally take two singles players and two doubles teams to the tournament,” state Lovelady.  “I am not sure how I will match up my top four yet.  They should be ready for anything and ma y have two or three doubles partners throughout the season so we can see who they play best with.”

Dexter will compete in the Class 1, District 1 with Notre Dame, Charleston, Fredericktown, Kennett, and Caruthersville.  Notre Dame defeated Dexter in a district semifinal last year.  Kennett then beat Notre Dame to win their eighth straight District Title.

“It’s a tough district once again,” continued Coach Lovelady.  “Kennett is a powerhouse.  Their girls work hard and are very well coached.  Notre Dame also had a great season last year and they return a lot of players, including Hopkins.  It is going to be a tough district for us to compete in, but these girls are ready to go out and give it their best shot.”

Shown in the photo are front row from left to right:  Nicole Sells, Lexi May, Kalee Howard, MaKayla Waldner, Macy Urhahn, and Reagan Miller.  Standing from left to right are:  Morgan Aldridge, Malia Cook, Abby Dorton, Rachel Singh, Kirsten Teffertiller, and Hannah Bien.

Dexter Girls Tennis Schedule

Date		Opponent	Site
8/24		Sikeston	Home
8/25		Charleston	Away
8/27		Cape Central	Away
8/31		Poplar Bluff	Away
9/1		Kennett	Home
9/2		Poplar Bluff	Home
9/15		Notre Dame	Home
9/17		Caruthersville	Away
9/19		Farmington Inv.	Away
9/21		Kennett	Away
9/22		Notre Dame	Away
9/23		Sikeston	Away
9/24		Jackson	Away