Dymond Slams Game Winner Home in Second OT

The Dexter Dreadnaughts fought and clawed their way to a 13-12 double overtime win over the Saline Hornets Wednesday night. Corey Dymond put the game winner past Saline’s Austin Burd 1:44 into the second overtime to finish the Dreadnaught rally.

“These kids are tenacious. We have to move the ball to be effective, so we run a ball control, quick moving offense and we look for a defense to make a mistake. All six players are weapons; they’re all aware of it and they seize it when they can,” said Dexter’s head coach, Brian Callanan.

The first quarter was opened with a quick Dexter goal by Andrew Erber. Saline took the lead with three consecutive goals, one each by Brad Harris, Brian Merk and Trevor Carey. The Dreadnaughts’ Ian Wiesenberg would pull Dexter to within one before the final whistle of the first period.

Saline started the second quarter with two early goals, beginning with Harris’ second goal of the evening and followed by Cam Frotten’s first. Dymond started the Dreadnaught attack for the period with his first of the evening, but goals by Tom Hickey and Ryan McCall gave the Hornets their largest lead of the night, 7-3.  Dymond ended the half’s scoring with his second tally, but Saline went into the half up 7-4.

The third quarter saw Dexter begin their rally. The two teams traded goals to start the period, with Dexter’s Wiesenberg opening the scoring and Harris from Saline matching him. Wiesenberg put the next ball into the net, followed closely by teammate Michael Spuller.  Hickey and Spuller traded goals as the period ended with Saline ahead 9-8. 

The fourth quarter was an intense battle of wills.  Saline’s Colin Cederna opened the fourth quarter festivities, and Jake Waldrup answered for Dexter.  Harris and James Nichols scored back-to-back for Saline to open their lead to three, but Dexter charged back. Erber and Dymond pulled the Dreadnaughts to within one.  Then, with :27 left in regulation, Waldrup tied the game with a short-range blast past Burd and sent the game into overtime.

“We made a couple of mental mistakes offensively. We started to force a couple passes and got a couple bad bounces on really good looks. We were still moving the ball really well and got good looks.  [Dexter] has a really good keeper and he played well,” said Saline head coach Matt Ceo.

The game’s first overtime had no goals and flowed back and forth for all four minutes. The second overtime ended with Dymond’s shot through Saline’s defense and into the back of the net at the 3:16 mark.

“[Dymond’s] not the biggest in stature, but he makes up for it with tenacity, vision and hard work. It was only fitting that he got the game winner for us,” said Callanan.

The Hornets junior varsity won the early game 12-2. Saline travels to Okemos High School on Thursday, while Dexter hosts Pioneer on Friday, May 6.