It’s been quite a successful year for the Ste. Genevieve Varsity Football team. The 2022 season could not have gone much better for the Dragons. The 7-2 squad has, for the most part, ran roughshod over their competition, and is currently riding a two-game winning streak. The only hiccups have been against two high-level teams, the Valle Catholic Warriors and the Central Park Hills Rebels. However, in order for a team to be considered the best, that team has to beat the best.
This week marks the first round of the 2022 District Playoffs, which is the first step towards a MO State Championship. Ste. Genevieve has secured the third seed in the Class 3 District 1 grouping, and their first game will be against the number six seed, Dexter. This Friday, October 28th, the Dragons will line up against the Bearcats at Ste. Genevieve to determine which team advances.
These two schools have had interesting seasons. However, Ste. Gen has had a much better one in terms of points scored. The Dragons have racked up an impressive 338 points, but have allowed 262. On the other side, the 4-5 Bearcats have amassed 216 points, but have allowed 259. Over the last 10 years, these teams have played 10 times, with Ste. Gen winning eight. In fact, the last time these schools faced off was in 2020 in the MO State Tournament, and the Dragons were victorious 46-28.
This season, there has been one common opponent between the two. Both teams faced and were defeated by Central Park Hills. The 45-3 loss for the Dragons was their first of the season. For Dexter, the 42-13 loss was their fifth and came just two weeks ago in Week 7. The Bearcats did put up two touchdowns, but those came relatively late in the game during a running clock and against the backup players.
Offensively, Ste. Gen is extremely versatile. Starting Quarterback Aiden Boyer can do it all. Last week he passed for 180 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing the ball eight times for 75 yards and two more touchdowns. On the ground, Ayden Butcher had 23 carries for 217 yards and two touchdowns.
This week will be all about execution and business as usual. The Ste. Genevieve Dragons have one thing on their mind: a District Championship. The first stop on that road is through Dexter. This season, the Dragons haven’t been afraid to let their claws out and with Head Coach Jay Pope at the helm. They may even breathe a little fire.
Good luck Dragons!
