Let’s rewind all the way back to Sept. 5, 2018:
In between the Gatorade bath, the countless handshakes, the pats on the back, the hugs and the high-fives, Dexter football coach Phil Jacobs got a second – maybe two – to step back and take it all in. The Dreadnaughts – players, coaches, students, teachers, fans – were all on the field celebrating their impressive 36-22 win Friday night over visiting Ypsilanti. “This is huge,” said Jacobs looking around at the crazy celebration going on all around him. “It’s huge for the community, for the program, the coaches and especially the kids. Our community is starving for this. I’m so happy we can give this to them in our home opener.”
That victory ended Dexter’s 42-game football losing streak in Jacobs’ second year as head coach of the Dreadnaughts after a successful run as coach in Adrian.
Let’s rewind a few hours – to Friday night in Chelsea when another losing streak came to an end and again a drenched Jacobs had a chance to reflect:
“It’s an indescribable feeling,” he said. “To go 9-0, win the SEC, and beat Chelsea on their home field convincingly feels great. We are the No. 1 team in the state and we showed it tonight. We played convincing football in all facets of the game. It wasn’t hard to keep their heads in the game because they wanted to win this so bad and we did it the right way.”
Dexter’s 45-0 win Friday night over host Chelsea ended a 26-game losing streak to their neighborhood rival. And it started a new WINNING streak over rival Chelsea.
The victory also gives the Dreadnaughts a 9-0 regular-season record. The SEC Red Division champions and No. 1 ranked team in the state in Division 2 will open the state playoffs on Friday with a home game against an opponent to be decided during Selection Sunday.
When Jacobs was first named head coach at Dexter in 2017, the football booster club held a fundraiser at Lake Forest Golf Club. Jacobs greeted people at a par-3 hole and would hit a shot with every group that joined him in the tee box. Jacobs talked about getting his shot with the Dexter football program and turning it around. He wanted to change the culture, eliminate the losing mentality and rebuild the program from the ground up.
“It took a lot of rebuilding and we’re not done,” Jacobs said following the win over Chelsea. “The lower levels are getting established and we are seeing a lot of success down there and the future looks bright.”
Not only did Friday’s win end the losing streak to Chelsea, it also was the 100th game Jacobs has won as a head varsity football coach. After going winless in his first season with Dexter in 2017, he has now won 33 games with the Dreadnaughts and has taken the program to five straight MHSAA playoffs.
Jacobs said changing the culture into a winning program started and still resides in the weight room. “The weight room is where we changed it,” he said. “Our kids are strong. You can see it out on the field. When we go head to head with an opponent, we are winning that battle more times than not and that’s because we are stronger and it starts in the weight room.”
The playoffs start on Friday and expectations are high – as they should be.
“I can’t wait to see what this team can do (in the playoffs),” Jacobs said. “I feel we can go at least a few rounds and then who knows. One game at a time.”
The 2018 season was Dexter’s first ever playoff appearance and really the start of something no one – even maybe Jacobs – ever envisioned. Dexter is now one of the elite football programs in the state and they have reached this point not by magic but by hard work, dedication, organization, preparation and a desire to not just be good, but be great.
And that was on display at Wayne State University in the season opener, it was on display in last week’s thrilling win over Saline and it certainly took center stage in Chelsea on Friday night.
“We realized it would be a long process because Dexter hadn’t experienced success in so long,” Jacobs said. “You just had to stick to the plan. And it helps to have good players.”
The plan and good players has Dexter No. 1 in the state and the team to beat in the Division 2 playoffs.
Football: Dreads end 26-game losing streak to Chelsea with 45 exclamation points! (See WLD photos)
