Dexter wrestlers earn split at home

Dexter's wrestling team earned a split at home Thursday night as the Bearcats hosted Poplar Bluff and Notre Dame Regional High School.

Poplar Bluff was the big winner, going 2-0 after edging past a young Dexter squad, 42-33 in the finale. Both Dexter and Poplar Bluff scored wins over Notre Dame, the 'Cats taking down the Bulldogs, 63-18, while the Mules notched a 58-22 victory.

"I thought we competed hard tonight," Dexter coach James Sneed said after the match. "It went down to the wire there (against Poplar Bluff). The kids battled.

"A few matches there I thought we should have won but we didn't," Sneed continued. "The kids really did a good job of fighting off their back and staying off their back."

Dexter's young squad was looking for a breakout win over an established program like Poplar Bluff, but came up just short after leading the Mules in the early going.

"Like I told the kids, the program is up and coming but until we beat someone like a Sikeston or Bluff to take it to the next level, we just have to keep plodding along," Sneed said.

"(We have) A lot of talent," he added. "Tonight Damian Glasener was sick and wasn't at school so basically we wrestled with one senior, two juniors and the rest sophomores and freshmen. So if they keep working hard the future is bright for us."

Dexter will next be in action Dec. 14-15 (Friday and Saturday) at the Tiger Classic in Cape Girardeau. Matches will start at 5 p.m. on Friday and continue starting early Saturday morning.

The junior varsity 'Cats will be in action this Saturday (Dec. 8) in a tournament in Sikeston.

For complete results from Thursday's match, see page 9 of today's edition of the Daily Statesman under the Scoreboard.