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By MIKE JOSEPH
Traveler Correspondent

DEXTER -- Continuing their late season surge, the surprising Dexter Fighting Cardinals captured the Class 1A regional championship with a narrow 42-40 win over the St. Paul Indians on Saturday night.

With the score knotted at 40-40 and 49 seconds left in regulation, Dexter had possession and looked to take the last shot. With 17 seconds remaining and Dexter in their spread offense, freshman Bradley Berkley took the ball at the top of the key. Being overplayed by the Indian defender, Berkley noticed the lane unattended, made a cross-over dribble and drove in for a nearly uncontested layup.

St. Paul took a timeout to set up their last shot after advancing the ball to the front court with 9.3 seconds left. Dexter set up in a 2-1-2 zone, clogging the middle and forcing St Paul to shoot from the perimeter. Kendall Winter found an opening along the left baseline, but his three-point attempt with the clock winding down hit the back iron. Garret Pudden corralled the rebound, but the ball was knocked out of bounds by St. Paul.

After a timeout by the Cardinals with a half-second left, all Dexter had to do was get the ball inbounds. Pudden found Eric Pappan along the sideline on the inbound and Pappan wrapped up the ball as the buzzer sounded setting off a celebration by the home town fans.

In a game of numerous ties and lead changes, neither team led by more than three points throughout the hotly contested matchup. St. Paul took an 11-8 lead into the second quarter.

With Dexter trailing 14-12 midway through the second period, Pudden scored back-to-back buckets inside giving the Cardinals their first lead of the game, 16-14. Dexter held a narrow 20-19 lead at the break.

Berkley picked up his third foul early in the third quarter and headed to the bench. St. Paul rallied, taking a 22-20 lead with 5:38 left on an inside score by Gerald Diskin. Asa Muntz answered with a three-point play. Muntz rebounded his own missed shot and scored while being fouled by Logan Giefer. Muntz converted the free-throw, giving Dexter a 23-22 lead.

Diskin, at only five-foot seven, scored back-to-back field goals inside as the Indians regained a 26-23 lead with 3:47 left. Berkley returned to the lineup for Dexter and hit two baskets from beyond the arc down the stretch, including one with 15-seconds left tying the score at 29. Eric Pappan gave the Cardinals a one point lead, converting one-of-two free throws with 3.7 seconds on the clock, giving Dexter a 30-29 lead heading into the final stanza.

St. Paul drew even at 32 when Berkley picked up his fourth foul at the 6:31 mark. Diskin hit one-of-two free throws tying the game. Eric Pappan and Pudden went six-of-six from the line in the fourth quarter, as Dexter led 38-36 with 3:10 left.

St Paul regained the lead on a three point play by Diskin who scored and was fouled by Pudden. Muntz gave the Cardinals the lead, 40-39 on a jump shot in the lane with 2:32 left.

Disken, who scored a game high 25 points for the Indians, including 16 in the second half, tied the game after being fouled by Tyler Marker. Disken missed the first free-throw but converted the second at the 1:46 mark. The teams traded turnovers before Dexter took possession leading to Berkley's clutch layup.

Dexter used a balanced inside-outside offense with Berkley leading the charge scoring 17 points, including three-of-five from three-point range. Pudden put up a double-double, dominating inside with 13 points and 10 boards.

"We have seen so much improvement from the team all year long," said Dexter coach Dennis Bryant. "We are so proud of them and what they have accomplished this year. No one believed in us, but us. They have done everything we have asked them all season. We really appreciate the support of this community. They have been behind us all year."

Dexter (8-15) will face off against South Haven (17-6) Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in a Class 1-A sub-state semi-final matchup of SCBL teams at Butler County Community College in El Dorado. St Paul (6-17) also advances to the sub-state round in Emporia and will meet Goessel Thursday night at 6.

DEXTER 8 12 10 12--42
ST PAUL 11 8 10 11--40

Dexter -- Berkley 17, Pudden 13, E. Pappan 7, Muntz 5.
St Paul -- Diskin 25, Corn 4, Leistikow 4, J. Vitt 3, D. Vitt 2, Geifer 2.stikow 4, J. Vitt 3, D. Vitt 2, Geifer 23, D. Vitt 2, Geifer 2