KENNETT -- Kennett got its first of four turnovers on the opening kickoff.
Its last was a pick-6 by X'Zavier Whitfield that set the final score for a 22-0 win over Dexter on Kennett's homecoming and claimed the school's first outright conference title since 1964.
The Indians recovered the opening kickoff at the 50 and reached Dexter's 31 before the drive stalled. On fourth and 9, Patrick Maddox dropped back and found Ty Ellis on a seam route between the safeties for a 31-yard score.
Kennett (5-2, 3-0 SEMO South) then picked off a pair of passes in the second quarter. Whitfield got the first and took it 70 yards to the house, but it was called back to the Dexter 39 because of a block in the back that was well behind the play.
Kennett turned it over on downs at the 2, and after Dexter (4-3, 1-2) punted to midfield before the Indians scored their second touchdown on busted coverage.
With miscommunication in the Dexter secondary, Maddox found Zane Wallace wide open near the sideline and he ran in for a 38-yard touchdown pass. It was Wallace's only catch of the game, but was good enough for him to lead all receivers in yards.
With 30 seconds left in the first half, Wallace intercepted a desperation heave and Kennett took a knee to go into the locker room.
After a scoreless third quarter, Whitfield grabbed his second interception on Dexter's first play of the fourth and went 18 yards flag free into the end zone. Whitfield also had nine tackles to lead Kennett.
"We have to be tougher and we have to work harder, I always say in the weight room, but we have to work harder in film study and we haven't done that since Sikeston (on Sept. 15)," Dexter coach Kevin Goltra said.
Dexter finished with 11 first downs, but had just three in the first half. Kennett, although, only had two as the defensive lines for both teams dominated the offensive lines despite the fact that its pretty much the same guys going back and forth.
Dexter and Kennett went 11 straight minutes in the first half without either team getting a first down.
As they traded three and outs, Dexter steadily gained field position thanks to punter Spencer Owens, who averaged 42 yards against Maddox's 31.
Four turnovers and 14 points off them proved too costly.
"They are still teenagers playing a football game. It is our job as a staff to coach football, but also make them understand the big picture and help them grow into young men. Right know we are acting like teenage boys and we have to overcome that stuff," Goltra said.
Dexter leading rusher Caleb Hoggard had 84 yards on 28 carries, putting him just shy of 800 yards for the season, but hurt his ribs on a carry early in the fourth quarter and did not finish the game.
The injuries didn't stop with Hoggard. Jett Featherston didn't finish the game because of an Achilles and calf injury. Bo McMullin and Austin Adams were both suffering from shoulder injuries, as well. With all four playing both ways, Dexter is suddenly facing the possible loss of four running backs, three linebackers and a defensive lineman with a game against undefeated and district frontrunner Park Hills Central next week.
Corbin Strong, one the few healthy players listed as both running back and linebacker, added 42 yards on 14 carries as Dexter averaged 2.95 yards per carry. He also led Dexter with 10 tackles.
"(Kennett) lined up like we wanted them to," Goltra said. "The defensive pieces were exactly where we thought they were. We practiced against it and we had opportunities to make big plays."
Goltra highlighted Dexter's first offensive play of the game as an example.
With Kennett in an anticipated formation, Hoggard ran the ball around the right tackle and had daylight. Goltra said if the Bearcats had picked up the inside linebacker, Hoggard very likely runs 86 yards for a touchdown.
Instead, he got 13 yards and Dexter turned it over on downs four plays later.
The Bearcat passing game, meanwhile, earned 26 yards on two completions. Both were on the same play action play where quarterback Ben Sindle faked the handoff and hit a receiver in the flat.
Trevor McDonald got seven yards after his reception was hauled backwards because of a penalty, and McMullin had 19.
Dexter's best catch of the day was from Nate Gargas, who hauled in a one-handed interception 5 minutes before halftime to give Dexter the ball at Kennett's 31, its best starting field position in the game.
"As soon as I saw he threw the pass, I put my foot down and broke through the man," Gargas said.
The drive, however, gained one yard.
Kennett ran 12 fewer offensive plays than Dexter, but averaged twice as many yards per play (5.4 vs. 2.7).
Whitfield and Maddox split carries with Whitfield getting 68 yards on 12 carries and Maddox gaining 60 yards on 11 carries.
Maddox also went 5 for 10 passing for 86 yards with Ellis getting three catches for 37 yards.