ORONO– Tyler Beem had two touchdown runs and Zach White had an interception that sealed a 21-15 Dexter victory over Orono in a LTC semifinal game played Friday night.
The Tigers defense came up big when they forced and recovered a fumble at the Red Riots five yard line. Beem ran into the end zone on the next play with 1:43 remaining in the first quarter. That was the only scoring in the first half. The Tigers defense held Orono to 63 total yards and three first downs in the first 24 minutes of play.
White said, “we forced turnovers on their side of the field that turned the game into our favor.”
Dexter won the special teams battle as they had productive returns from Chandler Perkins and White. The biggest play came when the Tigers blocked a Red Riots punt. On the next play, Brayden Miller connected with Brandon Allen on a 30 yard touchdown to make the score 13-0 with 7:12 remaining in the third quarter.
“I was looking at the safety, he was sliding over left playing backside,”Miller said. ” I knew they messed up.”
Orono cut into the lead quickly when Josiah Grace capped a six play drive with a 10 yard touchdown to make the score 13-6 with 4:34 remaining in the third quarter.
The Red Riots gave the Tigers a heavy dose of Keenan Collett and Matt Fowler in the second half. The duo combined for 68 yards on 18 rushes in the half. Dexter made the stop or forced a turnover each time it was needed most.
“We were clicking on offense, defense, and special teams,”White said. “Our game plan today was bend but don’t break, I think we did a good job of that.”
Tigers Co-Head coach Brian Salisbury added, “Our defense is really tough. It went away for a little bit, but luckily at the end, they came up big when we needed them.”
Fowler got the Red Riots within a point when he went into the end zone from four yards out with 11:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Tigers kept the lead (13-12) as they stopped the Orono two point try.
On the following kickoff, Perkins had a big return. On the next play from scrimmage, Orono forced a turnover. Collett and Fowler got the Red Riots close enough where Jackson Coutts could drill a 33 yard field goal that gave them their first and only lead of the game at 15-13.
Dexter responded with a Perkins long kickoff return, a four play drive that included a 14 yard run from Perkins and a 29 yard touchdown run from Beem that gave the Tigers a lead they would not give back. Miller ran in the two point play to give the Tigers a 21-15 lead with 7:40 remaining.
“Tonight nothing stopped us. We came out of the second half a little slow,”Miller said. “We put it together, we are all brothers, it all worked out at the end.”
Orono followed the Tigers touchdown with an impressive 14 play, five minute drive. The 15th play of the drive ended with the ball in the hands of the Tigers after a fumble. Orono had one more chance, but an interception by White stopped the threat.
The Tigers (8-2) will play at MCI next Friday night in the class D regional final next Friday night. It is the first appearance for Dexter football in a regional final since 1991.
“It has been something that has been drilled into me my entire life playing for Dexter. We wanted it so bad and to finally get to the regional final our senior year is so special,”White said. “We are playing for more then the players on this field. We are playing for the pride of Dexter football.”
The Tigers know they will have the support of the entire town when they travel to Pittsfield next week.
“You can see the support we had, “Miller said. “Our entire town was here. They get us going.”
Dexter lost to MCI during the regular season, They will be looking forward to another try against the two time defending champs.
“I am excited to play them (MCI) again. The first time we played them, it showed us how we can match up,”White said. “It is going to be one to remember that is for sure.”
Orono finishes the season with a record of 8-2.
