Poplar Bluff rallies past New Madrid County

An aside first: I have heard of places famous for their mosquitoes, but I have never in my life seen more mosquitoes in one place than Friday night at New Madrid County Central. It may be on the video interviews, particularly with Poplar Bluff coach Shane Kearbey, because there must have been a dozen in just the few yards of space between the camera and his face. I think I transported a half-dozen back to Cape Girardeau after the game.

On to the game:

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The battle between Poplar Bluff and New Madrid County Central, two of the top teams in Southeast Missouri, lived up to the billing.

Poplar Bluff fell behind 16-0 by halftime, but scored two touchdowns on short fields and then wore down the Eagles for two more TDs in a 26-16 victory.

Poplar Bluff (1-0) won last year's meeting between the two teams by 20 points and went on to a 5-5 season, while New Madrid (0-1) was unbeaten in its other nine regular-season games and finished 9-2 after a Class 3 state quarterfinal appearance.

Poplar Bluff scored two quick touchdowns in the third period to pull within 16-12 but still trailed with less than 8 minutes to go and the ball on its own 24-yard line. The Mules put together their best drive with Zach Ferguson busting off a 28-yard run into NMCC territory and sophomore Pete Bryant covering the final 49 yards.

New Madrid's ensuing drive ended with a punt with a little more than 4 minutes to go, and Poplar Bluff added one more touchdown drive to seal the deal. Bryant scored from 14 yards out to conclude scoring.

It was an amazing turn of events for the Mules, who couldn't get anything going in the first half, even with the benefit of field position. The Mules didn't complete a pass in the first half and had fewer than 20 total yards.

Even after New Madrid's first punt of the night went for -3 yards to set up Bluff at the NMCC 13, Bluff went backward 7 yards -- including a penalty -- and misfired on three passes.

NMCC answered with an 80-yard scoring drive for the game's first score. On that drive, the Eagles converted a third-and-10 at their own 20 with a 16-yard run by G'Darius Stevenson. Quarterback Dontre Jenkins later ran 10 yards on a third-and-8. Jenkins passed 4 yards to Bryan Waters for the touchdown, and Stevenson ran for two points.

New Madrid, which made a habit of trying fourth down conversions, converted a fourth-and-1 at its own 44 with 3:34 to play in the half, but then fumbled on the next play. Poplar Bluff fumbled it right back, and Jenkins hit Kony Ealy with a 44-yard touchdown pass with 2:28 to play before halftime. Jenkins ran for the conversion.

New Madrid could have inserted the dagger in the third period with a drive to Poplar Bluff's 26, but Jenkins was intercepted by Ben Knuckles inside the Mules 5.

NMCC's next drive ended with a failed fourth-and-4 attempt at their own 43.

This one proved costly, as Todd Bullington connected on back to back passes, including a 37-yard jump ball to Kerey Smith at NMCC's 6. Zach Ferguson scored from there with 5:15 to play in the third. The conversion run failed.

Minutes later, Jenkins fumbled while going back to pass near his own goal line, and Kelton Thompson recovered and took it to the 3. Ferguson ran in from there. The kick was wide, but the Mules pulled within 16-12.

New Madrid again neared the Bluff goal line, driving to the 16 with a long run Jamareia Jones and a pass to Ealy. But on fourth-and-10, NMCC stalled. Bluff went three-and-out and New Madrid took the ball inside the Bluff 50, but couldn't get anything going and had to punt.

From there, Bluff took over.

The Mules will get another challenge from a state-ranked team next week with a trip to Union. New Madrid travels to play Cape Central.

Look for video highlights from the game at Semoball.com

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From the first night:

-- Tough start for Jackson coach Van Hitt, whose team lost 32-31 at Riverview.

-- Ste. Genevieve must be for real, pounding Dexter by 30.