Courts for Cancer was created by Eric and Kristi Boles, when in 2018, their son Ryder had to deal with a cancer diagnosis.  After they experienced a prolonged stay in the hospital, multiple rounds of chemotherapy, many follow-up exams, and a multitude of expensive medications they came to the realization that without the help and support of their Dexter community, they many not have been able to handle all of that stress, along with the financial burden.

In an effort to pay it forward, their family put together an annual Courts for Cancer event at Dexter High School.

"This is an opportunity for the members of the girls and boys tennis teams to participate in a community service event," stated Coach Kristi Boles.  "And a chance for them to have a positive impact on someone who is currently dealing with a cancer diagnosis."

On March 22, 2024 the 6th Annual Courts for Cancer event was held with the Bearcats hosting a tennis tournament with teams from Jackson, Sikeston, and Poplar Bluff.

"Our goal is to raise enough money to print shirts for each team to wear on game day and make donations to three different cancer-related entities: a Stoddard County educator/student who is dealing with a cancer diagnosis, a local cancer charity (18FORE Life), and a national organization (Friends of Kids with Cancer)," continued Boles.  "We will divide all profits from the event among all three entities.

Courts for Cancer has raised $11,425.00 in six years.

This year 18FORE Life received $1,000; Jennifer Bolin, Bloomfield Elementary Principal and a cancer survivor, received $1,000 and Friends of Kids for Cancer in St. Louis also received $1,000.

Athletes who participated in the 6th Annual Courts for Cancer are listed below.

Dexter Bearcats competed at the 76th Annual Mineral Area Relays and Girls Invitational at Herculaneum High School.  There were hundreds of athletes competing with 32 high schools being represented.

Bayless High School, Chrystal City High School, DeSoto High School, Dexter High School, Farmington High School, Festus High School, Hancock High School, Herculaneum High School, Hillsboro High School, Kelly High School, Lutheran North High School, Maplewood-Richmond Heights High School, Metro High School, Parkway Central High School, St. Paul Lutheran at Farmington High School, St. Pius X (Festus) High School, St. Vincent High School, Valle Catholic High School, Valley High School, Vashon High School, West County High School and Windsor (Imperial) High School were are invited to compete.

2024 Mineral Area Relays and Girls Invitation Results:

Varsity Boys 100 Meter Dash Finals

4 Lee-michael McDonald junior 11.56 

14 Langston Werneck freshman 11.97

Varsity Boys 200 Meter Dash Finals

3 Lee-Michael McDonald junior 23.27 

19 Rhett Wamble sophomore 24.94 

 Varsity Boys 400 Meter Dash Finals

24 Connor Hill sophomore 58.11

Varsity Boys 800 Meter Run Finals

3 Anistin Kyle senior 1:58.91 

Varsity Boys 1600 Meter Run Finals

7 Ben Dowdy junior 4:51.01 

10 Chase Farmer senior 4:58.49 

Varsity Boys 3200 Meter Run Finals

11 Jaxon King sophomore 11:13.79 

Varsity Boys 110 Meter Hurdles Finals

15 Rhett Wamble sophomore 19.62 

17 Austin Lasater sophomore 20.33 

Varsity Boys 300 Meter Hurdles Finals

17 Austin Lasater sophomore 51.10 

Varsity Boys 4x200 Meter Relay Finals

8th Place Dexter High School 1:36.07

Varsity Boys 4x400 Meter Relay Finals

3rd Place Dexter High School 3:31.50 

Varsity Boys 4x800 Meter Relay Finals

3rd Place Dexter High School 8:40.91

Varsity Boys High Jump Finals

6 Christiaan Wirz junior  5-04.25

Varsity Boys Long Jump Finals

12 Langston Werneck freshman 17-05.00 

13 Christiaan Wirz junior 17-04.75 

Varsity Boys Discus Finals

9 Joseph Noll senior 109-05.00 

Varsity Boys Javelin Finals

34 Connor Hill sophomore 69-02.25 

Varsity Boys Shot Put Finals

11 Thomas Lee junior 36-09.75

28 Heith Cochran freshman 29-07.00

Varsity Girls 100 Meter Dash Finals

16 Nia Stromas sophomore 14.32

30 Shelby Francis freshman 16.03  

Varsity Girls 200 Meter Dash Finals

13 Meredith Nea sophomore 29.53 

21 Kenady Krapf junior 30.52

Varsity Girls 400 Meter Dash Finals

12 Meredith Nea sophomore 1:06.50 

20 Marie Fees senior 1:13.74 

Varsity Girls 800 Meter Run Finals

15 Emma Dorton senior 3:00.49 

16 Brooklyn Goodman freshman 3:01.20 

Varsity Girls 1600 Meter Run Finals

14 Evelyn Dvorak freshman 7:06.93

Varsity Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Finals

10 Allison Turnbo senior 18.88

Varsity Girls 300 Meter Hurdles Finals

8 Quincey McLaughlin freshman 57.46 

Varsity Girls 4x100 Meter Relay Finals

6 Dexter High School 53.99

Varsity Girls 4x200 Meter Relay Finals

12 Dexter High School 2:04.74

Varsity Girls 4x400 Meter Relay Finals

6 Dexter High School 4:38.07

Varsity Girls 4x800 Meter Relay Finals

5 Dexter High School 12:04.54 

Varsity Girls High Jump Finals

2 Klaire Essner sophomore 4-08.25 

9 Marie Fees senior 4-06.00 

Varsity Girls Long Jump Finals

5 Karis Kennedy sophomore 14-04.00 

9 Emma Pennington junior 14-00.00 

Varsity Girls Triple Jump Finals

6 Karis Kennedy sophomore 29-03.50 

13 Marie Fees senior  27-00.00 

JV Girls Pole Vault Finals

3 Shelby Francis freshman 6-06.00 

Varsity Girls Pole Vault Finals

4 Abbie Lloyd senior 8-11.75 

Varsity Girls Discus Finals

25 Emma Pennington junior 69-02.25 

34 Kenli Musgrave sophomore 58-09.00

Varsity Girls Javelin Finals

11 Abbie Lloyd senior 80-06.50

21 Mali McBride freshman 70-03.25

Varsity Girls Shot Put Finals

24 Lillyn Crockett senior 25-01.50 

30 Cali Comfort sophomore 23-05.00 

The Dexter High School Track and Field team participated in the 2024 Bob Sink Invitational at Jackson High School.

Medals were awarded for 1st through 3rd places for all relay and individual events. Plaques were awarded to the top two teams in both the Mens' and Womens' Varsity divisions.

Cameron Bell, junior, medals in the varsity boys 800 meter run.  He placed 1st with a time of 2:04.84.  Anistin Kyle also medals with a second place finish with a time of 2:05.15. 

Ben Dowdy, junior, earned a medal. He placed 3rd in the varsity boys 3200 meter run.  

The varsity boys 4x800 Meter Relay won first place as well as the varsity boys 4x800 also won first place.

Also placing first the varsity boys 4x400 Meter Relays and the varsity boys 4x 800 Meter Relays

Abbie Lloyd earned a first place finish in the girls Pole Vault.

Results of the 2024 Jackson Bob Sink Invitational

Varsity Boys 100 Meter Dash Finals

5 Lee-michael McDonald junior 11.61 

8 Langston Werneck freshman 11.94 

Varsity Boys 200 Meter Dash Finals

6 Lee-michael McDonald junior 23.53 

10 Langston Werneck freshman 24.27 

Varsity Boys 400 Meter Dash Finals

6 Jaxon King sophomore 52.75 

17 Nathan Harris senior 59.08 

Varsity Boys 800 Meter Run Finals

1 Cameron Bell junior 2:04.84 

2 Anistin Kyle senior  2:05.15 

Varsity Boys 1600 Meter Run Finals

9 Chase Farmer senior 5:05.06 

12 Blake Lee sophomore 5:07.92 

Varsity Boys 3200 Meter Run Finals

3 Ben Dowdy junior 10:30.25 

18 Peyton Ballance freshman 12:49.09 

Varsity Boys 110 Meter Hurdles Finals

10 Rhett Wamble sophomore 19.70 

14 Austin Lasater sophomore 20.63 

Varsity Boys 300 Meter Hurdles Finals

19 Austin Lasater sophomore 51.04 

Varsity Boys 4x100 Meter Relay Finals

4th Place Dexter High School 44.51 

Varsity Boys 4x200 Meter Relay Finals

6th Place Dexter High School1:39.17

Varsity Boys 4x400 Meter Relay Finals

1st Dexter High School 3:32.61

Varsity Boys 4x800 Meter Relay Finals

1st Dexter High School 8:12.34

Varsity Boys Long Jump Finals

9 Langston Werneck Freshman 19-07.75 

15 Joseph Passley junior 17-04.25 

Varsity Boys Triple Jump Finals

14 Connor Hill sophomore 35-04.50 

Varsity Boys Pole Vault Finals

9 Eli Scott sophomore 10-06.00 

Varsity Boys Discus Finals

11 Kaydan Hart freshman 102-04.25

21 Ethan Glaus junior 86-11.75 

Varsity Boys Javelin Finals

23 Connor Hill sophomore 69-11.25 

Varsity Boys Shot Put Finals

6 Thomas Lee junior  40-11.75 

13 Sawyer Rascher junior 37-04.50 

Varsity Girls 100 Meter Dash Finals

10 Nia Stromas sophomore 14.34

13 Allison Turnbo senior 14.51 

Varsity Girls 200 Meter Dash Finals

11 Meredith Nea sophomore  29.76 

15 Quincey McLaughlin freshman 31.30 

Varsity Girls 400 Meter Dash Finals

3 Meredith Nea sophomore 1:06.49 

11 Kenady Krapf junior 1:11.08 

Varsity Girls 800 Meter Run Finals

18 Brooklyn Goodman freshman 3:07.19 

Varsity Girls 300 Meter Hurdles Finals

9 Nia Stromas sophomore 56.42 

12 Quincey McLaughlin junior 58.50

Varsity Girls 4x100 Meter Relay Finals

7th Place Dexter High School 53.62

Varsity Girls 4x400 Meter Relay Finals

6th Dexter High School 4:33.98

Varsity Girls 4x800 Meter Relay Finals

8th Place Dexter High School 11:58.20

Varsity Girls High Jump Finals

5 Marie Fees senior 4-08.00 

7 Klaire Essner sophomore  4-08.00 

Varsity Girls Long Jump Finals

8 Karis Kennedy sophomore 15-07.00 

11 Emma Pennington junior 14-04.50 

Varsity Girls Triple Jump Finals

8 Karis Kennedy sophomore 30-04.25 

14 Marie Fees senior 27-08.25 

Varsity Girls Pole Vault Finals

1 Abbie Lloyd senior 10-00.00 

8 Shelby Francis freshman 6-06.00 

Varsity Girls Discus Finals

19 Emma Pennington junior  69-04.75 

Varsity Girls Javelin Finals

9 Abbie Lloyd senior 90-05.50

22 Mali McBride freshman 64-00.50 

Varsity Girls Shot Put Finals

15 Cali Comfort sophomore 26-05.25 

18 Lillyn Crockett senior  25-06.00 

The Dexter High School hosted a Track & Field Open at Charles Bland Stadium on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.  It was also senior night for the Dexter Track and Field athletes.

High Schools that participated were Bell City, Cape Central, NMCC, Chaffee, Charleston, Clearwater, Delta, Dexter, Doniphan, Eagle Ridge Christian School, East Prairie, Greenville, Kelly, Malden, Oran, Piggott, Potosi, Richland, Saxony Lutheran, Scott County Central, Sikeston, and Zalma.

Boys 100 Meter Dash Finals

3 Langston Werneck freshman 11.32 

15 Rhett Wamble sophomore 11.84 

22 Devin Turnbo sophomore 11.99 

27 Rylee Cochran junior 12.08 

31 Austin Lasater sophomore 12.18 

37 Christian Chappell junior 12.35 

55 Landon Annesser sophomore 13.04 

61 Danyl Conn freshman 13.24 

75 Ryan Lowman freshman 14.06 

Boys 200 Meter Dash Finals

3 Langston Werneck freshman 23.98 

9 Joseph Passley junior 24.70 

11 Devin Turnbo sophomore 24.86 

15 Christiaan Wirz junior 25.09 

24 CHRISTIAN CHAPPELL junior 25.65 

25 RYLEE COCHRAN junior 25.69 

40 Danyl Conn freshman 27.33 

41 Landon Annesser sophomore 27.40 

57 Ryan Lowman freshman 29.82 

Boys 400 Meter Dash Finals

2 Cameron Bell junior 52.69

4 Chase Farmer senior 53.83

6 RJ Farmer senior 55.01

13 Austin Lasater sophomore 59.46

19 Rhett Wamble sophomore 1:02.37 

Boys 800 Meter Run Finals

1st Place Anistin Kyle senior 2:04.91 

3 Ben Dowdy junior 2:10.48 

5 Blake Lee sophomore 2:19.62 

Boys 1600 Meter Run Finals

3 Jaxon King sophomore 4:41.19 

9 Blake Lee sophomore 5:17.31 

27 Peyton Ballance freshman 6:06.44 

Boys 3200 Meter Run Finals

No one

Boys 110 Meter Hurdles Finals

No One

Boys 300 Meter Hurdles Finals

9 Keagan Polley junior 48.07 

Boys 4x100 Meter Relay Finals

No One

Boys 4x200 Meter Relay Finals

4th Place Dexter High School 1:40.18

Boys 4x400 Meter Relay Finals

No One

Boys High Jump Finals

3 Christiaan Wirz junior 5-10.00 

8 John Sepulvado sophomore 5-04.00 

Boys Long Jump Finals

16 Joseph Passley junior 18-00.00

25 Keagan Polley junior 16-08.50

30 Christian Chappell junior 15-09.75 

40 Carson Hurt freshman 14-06.50 

Boys Triple Jump Finals

16 Connor Hill sophomore 35-01.00 

19 Carson Hurt freshman  34-05.50 

Boys Pole Vault Finals

2 Eli Scott sophomore 11-00.00 

Boys Discus Finals

12 Joseph Noll senior 96-09.00 

22 Ethan Glaus junior  85-04.00 

27 Baron Greer freshman 80-10.00 

28 Carson Hurt freshman 80-00.00 

40 Landon Annesser sophomore 73-06.00 

41 Gavin Passley freshman  73-03.00 

Boys Javelin Finals

1 Jaydan Willems senior 146-06.00 

29 Connor Hill sophomore  83-03.00 

34 Elijah Whiteman junior 72-05.00

Boys Shot Put Finals

31 Heith Cochran freshman 29-07.00 

48 Matthew Robinson freshman 24-09.00 

Girls 100 Meter Dash Finals

13 Emma Pennington junior 15.00 

23 Katie Propst sophomore 15.74 

35 Emma Johnson sophomore 16.98 

38 Kaydence Ballard freshman 17.61 

Girls 200 Meter Dash Finals

27 Katie Propst sophomore 34.44 

30 Emma Johnson sophomore 36.08 

32 Kaydence Ballard freshman 37.94 

Girls 400 Meter Dash Finals

4 Allison Turnbo senior 1:07.60 

11 Brooklyn Goodman freshman 1:12.17 

13 Shelby Francis freshman 1:15.12 

Girls 800 Meter Run Finals

28 Katarrah Churchill senior  3:29.64 

Girls 1600 Meter Run Finals

2 Kali Hale junior  6:04.38 

22 Evelyn Dvorak freshman  7:17.65 

28 Kayleigh Hilfiker freshman 7:55.23 

29 Briley Engler junior  8:04.24

Girls 300 Meter Hurdles Finals

5 Nia Stromas sophomore 55.95 

11 Quincey McLaughlin freshman  1:01.63 

Girls 4x100 Meter Relay Finals

2nd Place Dexter High School 55.54

Girls 4x400 Meter Relay Finals

2 Dexter High School 4:41.78

Girls 4x800 Meter Relay Finals

2 Dexter High School 13:17.20

 Girls High Jump Finals

2 Marie Fees senior 4-08.00 

Girls Long Jump Finals

2 Emma Pennington junior 15-00.00

Girls Triple Jump Finals

7 Marie Fees junior  27-03.00 

Girls Pole Vault Finals

1 Abbie Lloyd senior 9-06.00 

5 Shelby Francis freshman 6-06.00 

Girls Discus Finals

24 Kenli Musgrave sophomore 61-07.00 

25 Emma Pennington junior 61-06.00 

46 Chloe Cash junior  47-11.00 

Girls Javelin Finals

3 Abbie Lloyd senior 95-01.00 

8 Mali McBride freshman 81-00.00 

25 Cali Comfort sophomore 60-10.00 

Girls Shot Put Finals

17 Cali Comfort sophomore 26-09.00 

20 Lillyn Crockett senior  25-11.00

22 Mali McBride freshman 25-07.00 

26 Madison Payne freshman 25-00.00

41 Chloe Cash junior  19-03.00