Dexter Southfield secures season-opening victory over Suffield, Conn.

BROOKLINE After a slow start on both sides of the ball Dexter Southfield got it going in its season opener at home Friday night The defense allowed just yards after the first two Suffield Academy Conn drives and sophomore sensation Rory Funke ran in three touchdowns for a convincing - nonleague win I think our defense stepped up at that time of the year where the offense was still trying to fire on all cylinders head coach Casey Day stated A couple penalties a insufficient setbacks that got us behind the chains a little bit and our defense bailed us out at times Suffield Academy - struck first with left in the first quarter as sophomore Zach McKenzie hit Luke Pappas for a -yard touchdown grab after a botched snap on a punt by Dexter Southfield - On the two-point conversion senior captain Michael Thomas of Dexter Southfield forced a fumble on the PAT and returned it to make it a - deficit Dexter Southfield two drives later after it forced its second turnover on downs relied on the arm and legs of Boston Col commit Rory Funke as he rushed it in from one yard out two plays after hitting Braxton Day for a -yard pass Daniel Hanafin added an interception in the final seconds to keep it an - lead at the half To start the third Dexter Southfield forced a three-and-out on defense and got to the punter to give Funke a short field at the Suffield Academy -yard line Three plays later Funke scrambled for a -yard tally to make it - early in the third Our special teams coordinator got our guys together at halftime and based off a couple punts we felt like we could make a play there Day announced about the rugby-style punts that Suffield Academy indicated in the first half That was again another sneaky play that ended up to be a huge huge play that might not end up in the box outcome Suffield s Luke Pappas pulls in a long pass for a TD in front of Dexter Southfield s Charles Carpenter-Simms during a football clash Friday Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill Boston Herald Funke made it a hat trick on the next Lions drive as he rolled to his right for a five-yard tally to cap a six-play -yard drive Since day one we ve been preaching that we re going to live and die by our O-line Funke stated after the contest I love my guys I try and treat them right They won us this event Funke finished with total yards including on the ground with all of that coming over the final three quarters Dexter Southfield s Michael Thomas right knocks the ball away from Suffield's Luke Pappas on Friday Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill Boston Herald Dexter Southfield will stay home to face the Hotchkiss School next Saturday at p m