Dexter pulls away late from Lady Lions

DEXTER, Mo. -- Senior Abbie Warren scored 14 points and a pair of youngsters stepped up in their first game in front of the home fans as the Dexter Lady Bearcats snapped a 3-game losing streak to open the season with a 53-37, win over the Senath-Hornersville Lady Lions Monday night.

Freshman Brittany Harris led all players with 17 points and classmate Katelyn Frazier added 12 as Dexter held off a last charge by the Lady Lions to claim the win.

Dexter led by just one at the half (25-24) and couldn't pull way from Senath until late in the fourth quarter. The Lady 'Cats managed to ease ahead 35-29 at the end of three and maintained their six-point advantage as the Lady Lions tried to rattle the young Lady Bearcats with a full court press in the fourth.

It was still a 6-point game (41-35) with just over four minutes to play before Dexter finished on a 12-2 run to claim its first win over the season against three losses.

"I felt like we started relaxing there in the second quarter," Dexter coach Chad Allen said after the game. "We started standing up trying to make passes instead of bending our knees and faking, but the girls didn't lose their composer in the fourth quarter and wound up pulling it out."

Dexter built a 13-point lead early in the second (21-8) but committed nine turnovers from that point to help Senath finish the half on a 16-4 run to make it a 1-point game.

With only 12 player to fill out a varsity and junior varsity squads this season, the Dexter coaching staff is having to juggle players just to be able to play a jayvee game. Dexter also won that contest, the first of the season, 48-35.

The youthful play is a dramatic change from last season's senior-laden team that reached the final four in Class 4.

"It's going to take some time," Allen commented. "We made a lot of mistakes, especially in the Farmington tournament, but I feel like we've improved since then. I saw a big improvement tonight (Monday). We've just got to keep on teaching and keep on showing them the things to do and I think we'll be fine."

Up next for the Lady Lions is their home opener against Gosnell, Ark. on Thursday evening.