'Cats will need stout defensive effort against Eagles

Jerry Jarrell photo Dexter will need more defensive plays like this effort by Austin Mace (No. 57) and his brother Aaron Mace (No. 34) in last week's 36-0 shutout of the Caruthersville Tigers against New Madrid County Central this Friday at Charles Bland Stadium.

In previous years, the Dexter-New Madrid game has been the last regular-season game for both schools, with the winner laying claim to both the Class 3, District 1 and SEMO Central Conference championships. This year the meeting will be the first district game for both schools, but the outcome will be no less important.

"It's the first game of districts," Dexter coach Aaron Pixley said. "Who ever wins it, is obviously in the drivers seat coming out. At least making the playoff's if not coming out a number one seed.

"Shoot, every team in our district is tough," Pixley continued. "We are going to be the underdog in every game we play in this district. We just have to make sure we are playing hard on every play and know we left everything on the field after the game. If we play with that mentality, then we should have a chance. They (New Madrid) are very well coached and they are very fast. What they do, they do very, very well, and we'll have to play good to win."

What New Madrid County Central does is run the football and play pressure defense. After a 1-2 start, the Eagles are currently riding a four-game win streak while scoring just under 40 points per outing.

"It's no secret they are going to run the ball," Pixley stated. "Basically they line up in multiple formations and they do a lot of different stuff. I lot of misdirection. They are finding creases and they are getting in them and running.

"They are going to run the football and that's what you've got to stop," he added. "They throw when they want to throw. They don't throw because they have to throw, they throw when they want. When they do that (pass), they are pretty good at that also.

"They are very talented on both sides of the ball," Pixley said of the team coached by his brother Arlen Pixley. "Basically the offense will flip to the defense. They have five or six guys on offense that can score from anywhere on the field. It's one of those games you've got to line and you've got to play hard every single play. You've got hope you are in the right gap, you've got to hope you are doing the right things and you've got to hope that you are tackling. But most importantly, we can't get frustrated by their speed. They are a very good football team, but I think our boys will come out and play hard."

Dexter's defense will need to step up if the Bearcats are going to have any chance against the Eagles. Dexter has been playing better defense as of late while the Bearcats have their own three-game winning streak going. The Bearcats got their first shutout of the season last Friday against Caruthersville, and limited Malden to just seven points two weeks ago. In between those two games was a 49-42 win over Charleston.

"The Charleston game, that was us," Pixley noted. "That wasn't so much what Charleston did, that was our alignment, and us not taking proper angles, and getting in the right spots. We just have to make sure we're aligned right, know where we are at, know who is going where and make sure we tackle. If we do that we'll have a chance. We've got to make sure their speed doesn't shock us. And make sure we don't get frustrated by it."

"From a defensive standpoint, you basically have to read your keys," Pixley noted. " They'll run some option on you and you've got to be very discipline on that. You've got to swarm to the ball, and I know I say that every week, but against teams like this, you can not swarm on one play, just one guy not swarm on a play , and they can hit the crease and go. They are by far the fastest football team we'll play. You've got to be able to tackle. They are going to get you in some open field situations and when ever we do get our arms around them, we've got to make sure we wrap up and hold on."

Pixley also knows this game can't turn into a track meet like the Charleston game.

"We've got to get some stops," he added. "We can't let them score on every possession, our it will be over early. We understand, and we're realistic, that they are probably going to score some points, we've just got to make sure we don't give up too many big plays. I'm telling you, and I say it all the time about our conference schools about how capable they are of scoring from anywhere on the field, but this football we are playing Friday night, they are literally capable of scoring from anywhere on any play. Like I said we've got to line up and play hard, try to be physical and we've got to try and wrap up and hold on."

The Eagles are quarterbacks by returning starter Donte Jenkins, who was 6-of-13 against the Bearcats in last season's 36-14 win by NMCC. Jenkins is a threat on the ground and in the air, but the Eagles have a stable of talented offensive threats. Among them are G'Darius Stevenson, Rodney Anderson and Bryan Waters. Waters rushed for 122 yards on 14 attempts and scored two touchdowns against the 'Cats last year.

While Dexter's defense has shown improvement of late, the offense has also been heading in the right direction.

"We're more balanced now," Pixley said of his offense. "We run the ball a little bit more than we throw. We have been playing better the past few weeks, but New Madrid's defense is designed for pressure. They are going to put pressure no matter what. That's what they do and we've got to withstand that pressure and make plays under a lot of duress. We just need to stay the course and play hard. If we have a play break down, we've just got to get right back up and get on to the next play. It's going to be very difficult from a defensive and offensive stand point."

The Eagles' defense is led by Kony Ealy (seven sacks), but Anderson, G'Darius, along with Patrick Goforth, are among the team leaders in tackles.

Dexter has fought back from an 0-4 start and a staggering amount of injuries to key personnel to carve out a 3-4 record, a feat that has not been overlooked by Pixley.

"I told them after practice today (Wednesday) that this football team has gone more through more adversity than any football team I've had," the Dexter coach commented. "And those guys are still there. They are still coming to practice. We are practicing better. I told them from what you guys have come through, I basically told them I was proud of them for being here and getting through it. We stood up like men and took it head on. Still we've got to line up against New Madrid Friday night and play a very difficult football game."

NOTES: Dexter and New Madrid have four common opponents so far this season. Dexter lost to Sikeston, 49-27, while NMCC rallied in the second half to defeat the Bulldogs, 40-29. Both teams lost to Poplar Bluff, Dexter 38-13, NMCC, 26-16. Both teams beat both Charleston and Caruthersville, Dexter winning 49-42 and 36-0, while NMCC won 39-0 and 32-18. New Madrid's only two losses this season have been to Poplar Bluff and Potosi.