STEELVILLE – There is no love lost between the Steelville High School and Dixon High School boy’s basketball teams. The Cardinals upset the 22-4 Bulldogs in the semifinals of last year’s District 3 Class 8 semifinals, months after Dixon beat Steelville in last year’s season opener. The high tensions continued on Nov. 25 when Steelville hosted Dixon in the finale of a triple header between the Cardinals and the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs eventually prevailed 68-56 over the Cardinals, but not before multiple on and off-court confrontations that nearly came to blows.

The game was physical throughout, where it seemed like fouls could be called on almost every play. Steelville guards Malakai Bruno and Jackson Woods were hit and harassed throughout the game and grew increasingly frustrated as it went on. The frustrations reached a boiling point in the fourth quarter when Woods was fouled from behind by Dixon senior Rafen Baker on a play that resembled a shove normally thrown in hockey and football. Woods got up and put up his dukes before being separated. 

Unfortunately for Woods and Steelville, he missed both free throws after the play was deemed a flagrant foul, and the momentum swung to Dixon. Dixon’s fans and student section brought the same fire, and were involved in multiple verbal altercations with Steelville students and parents throughout the game. 

In the end, Dixon had the ball and a 10 point lead in the waning seconds that would normally warrant a team dribbling out the clock. Instead of dribbling it out, Dixon guard John Creamer emphatically dunked the ball, sending Dixon’s crowd into a frenzy and left Steelville players and fans with their blood boiling. Nothing escalated further, but another chapter of the tenacious rivalry was written. 

The two schools could potentially see each other in districts again in what would be expected to be another physical matchup. 

The Cardinals battled throughout the game and trailed 18-17 after the first quarter. Dixon gained control in the second quarter after an 8-0 run in the beginning gave the Bulldogs a 26-17 lead. Dixon’s lead ballooned to 13 in the second quarter until Hunter Starbeck hit a three-pointer in the waning seconds of the first half to trim the deficit to 10. 

Steelville tightened the game in the third quarter as the Cardinals outscored Dixon 19-12, led by Woods, who scored eight of his team-high 17 points in the frame. Steelville entered the fourth quarter down by 3, but that was the closest that the Cardinals would get.

The Cardinals received an admirable effort from senior Hunter Starbeck, who scored 13 points, grabbed numerous rebounds and added a block in his high school debut after not playing organized basketball since the eighth grade due to an injury. 

Bruno scored eight, with just two in the second half, as Dixon seemed to focus on shutting him down. 

Landon Rutledge and Trentin Garrison each chipped in six points, Blaze Alexander hit a three-pointer, Will Bailey scored two and freshman Chace Grayson scored one point in his varsity debut after dropping six points in the JV game earlier in the evening. Dixon was led by Drew Young, who scored 10 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth quarter. 

Steelville’s boys JV team fell to Dixon 60-30 to start the evening and received a seven point scoring effort from freshman Trey Gambill.  

The Cardinals then competed in the FCNB Bank-It Championship in Sullivan beginning on Dec. 2 against Warrenton which will be detailed in next week’s edition. Steelville will play Wednesday and Friday in the tournament, with times and opponents TBD by the results of the first round.  

Steelville will return to Sullivan on Nov. 9 to take on the Eagles as the Cardinals enter a stretch of two tournaments and six away games before their next home game on Jan. 14 against St. Clair.