Week 10 football: All Treats, No Tricks

BY MICHAEL BOYD JR.

HERALD SPORTS EDITOR

Senior rusher Jack Farlow had a career night, while fellow seniors Aiden Boyer, Wyatt Springkamper and Ayden Butcher were up to their usual tricks Friday night as third-seeded Ste. Genevieve opened up MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 football action against sixth-seeded Dexter in Week 10 at Dragons Stadium.

The Dragons treated themselves by sending the “mouthy” black cats home for the season with a 56-17 thumping just three nights before Halloween. They led 42-10 at halftime. It was their third straight victory and fourth in the the last five games.

Farlow had a career-high 122 yards rushing and the Dragons’ final two touchdowns.

Springkamper added 185 all-purpose yards and three TDs to power the host’s offense. He had 118 yards receiving plus the three scores.

Butcher sliced his way to 82 yards rushing and two TDs as well.

Boyer’s night was like tossing candy in a pumpkin-bucket. He he either made it or he didn’t, but when he did, his total jackpot was 187 yards and three TDs on 4-of-12 passing with an interception. He also scrambled for 66 more yards.

The Bearcats (4-6) led 3-0 and 10-6 in the first half, but the Dragons (8-2) got into killer mode and responded with 49 unanswered points before the end of the third quarter. They posted 36 points in the second quarter.

Touchdowns 3-through-6 came off Dexter turnovers, whether forced or turnover-on-downs.

Trailing 3-0 on a junior Levi Dement’s 33-yard field goal, Springkamper hauled in a 44 yards reception for a 6-3 lead with 4:21 left in the opening frame.

The Bearcats retook the lead, 10-6, lead just seconds into the second period on a short run by junior R.J. Farmer as Dement added the PAT.

Boyer then scored on a 41-yard keeper to take the lead for good. Junior kicker Bryant Schwent added the PAT.

Springkamper caught another Boyer pass for a 25-yard score for a 20-13 lead, followed by back-to-back scores by Butcher (4 and 60 yards) for a 35-10 lead.

Boyer and a wideopen Springkamper connected again just 40 seconds left before intermission on a 47-yard TD for a 42-10 advantage.

Farlow then broke free in the third for TD runs of 43 and 37.

Dexter managed one more score early in the final stage on senior Logan Josupait’s short run for the game’s final tally.

Aiden Meyer added a 69-yard catch for the Dragons before suffering a leg injury that ended his night late in the game.

Schwent finished 6 for 7 on point-after touchdown kicks. He also had 361 yards on nine kickoffs.

Defensively, Jacob Johns had 10.5 tackles and recovered a fumble.

Mason Nix returned from injury and had 6.5 tackles. Gabe Willet had 4.5 tackles, Isaiah Basler had 3.5 and  Will Vaughn had three.

Devin Flye also had three tackles and recorded an interception.

WEEK 11

The Dragons advance to the district semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday as they visit the Central Rebels at CHS in Park Hills.

The Rebels (9-1) won their fourth straight game as they eliminated the Fredericktown Blackcats 69-15 in the other first-round contest. They also defeated the Dragons 45-3 in Week 5.

The semifinal winner moves on to the district championship in Week 12 (Friday, Nov. 11) against the either top-seeded Valle Catholic Warriors or fourth-seeded Kennett Indians.

The Warriors received a first-round bye, while the Indians eliminated fifth-seeded Potosi Trojans 26-19 in the other Week 10 first-round contest.