Dexter has a winning record through four weeks for the first time in six years but is still getting the Rodney Dangerfield treatment -- no respect. On Friday it will look to gain a lot with a win over Sikeston.
"Their wins have come against quality opponents and we still have something to prove because our wins are against teams who are down," Dexter coach Kevin Goltra said.
Dexter (3-1) last beat Sikeston (3-1) in 2014 on a last second hook-and-ladder the team had to draw up in the dirt on the sidelines because it wasn't in the playbook.
In 2015 Sikeston won by 58 points, and last year it shut out Dexter 43-0.
"I think we are exactly where we need to be. We're not overconfident and we're not under-confident," Goltra said.
While Dexter beat Sikeston in 7-on-7 drills this summer and saw the Bulldogs in preseason jamborees, Goltra is not using much from those experiences to prepare for Friday.
"You really can't get a lot from 7-on-7," Goltra said. "We are so much more comfortable and confident as a football team as a whole from the summer stuff."
Sikeston quarterback Nate Self through for four first-half touchdowns against Cape Central last week and 206 total yards as the Bulldogs won 28-19. Both were career highs for Self.
"I know they are 3-1, I know they beat Cape," Goltra said. "So I know they are flying and have a lot of momentum right now. We are going to run the ball hard and play like we do and see what we can do on defense."
Self spread those completions around to six receivers with Price Bays and Ricky Scott being the primary targets.
Bays had four receptions for 38 yards and Scott had three receptions for 37 yards. Don Larry added had one catch for 79 yards and Matthew Perry had one catch for 37 yards.
Goltra said in watching tape that Sikeston likes to run fly sweeps, zone stretches, and will throw the ball to a handful of different receiver routes.
Sikeston's 4-2-5 defense held Central to 61 rushing yards on 36 carries. Central running back Aaron Harris went into the game averaging 124.3 rushing yards per game and earned 45 yards on 13 carries.
Dexter, which is currently third in the district standings behind Park Hills Central and Kennett, is mostly healthy for the second week in a row. Ryder Foster, the team's first substitution at both offensive line and linebacker and the starting right tackle for the first two weeks, is out for the season with an ACL injury suffered during week 2.
"Losing Ryder hurts us a lot on special teams as well, he is just an all-around team player," Goltra said.
Dexter already had little depth at those spots and Foster's injury makes the Bearcats even more vulnerable.
Bo McMullin and Austin Adams have been limited in practice this week with shoulder injuries but are expected to play Friday. Dexter's backup center, Shawn Chambers, is also back in the lineup and provides the team extra options at offensive line.
"We're not as worried about that situation," Goltra said.
Starting center Colton Gibson could theoretically be moved around if need be and starting tight and gave Jackson slide down to right tackle as well, Goltra said.