Mules vs. Central preview

First, here is the bracket for the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 softball tournament at Poplar Bluff's Bacon Park next week. Seends in ( ):

Wed., Oct. 8

(3) Poplar Bluff vs. (6) Farmington, 4 p.m.

(5) Sikeston (4) Jackson, 6 p.m.

Thurs., Oct. 9

(1) Hillsboro vs. Sikeston-Jackson winner, 4 p.m.

(2) Cape Central vs. Bluff-Farmington winner, 6 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 11

Championship game, 11 a.m.

Now for the preview …

There's something unlucky about the fourth quarter a week before the Poplar Bluff football team faces Cape Central.

Like last season, Mules quarterback Todd Bullington will not start Friday night against the Tigers. The senior suffered what coach Shane Kearbey called a mild sprain of the MCL, a knee ligament, in the fourth quarter of Poplar Bluff's 28-7 win last week.

"Knowing him, he'd probably want to play this week," Kearbey said. "But it's just precautionary, let him have a little more time to heal. (We'll) hold him out and kind of see how he goes next week and make a decision then."

Kearbey named junior Zach McAnulty starting quarterback for the Mules (3-2), who open SEMO North Conference play against Central (0-5, 0-2 SEMO).

An ankle injury kept Bullington from starting last year against the Tigers, but he ended up playing in the second and third quarters of a 35-0 win by the Mules.

This fall, Bullington has once again led Poplar Bluff's offense, which is averaging 25.4 points per game, 5.1 yards per snap and has converted 10-of-11 trips inside the 20-yard line. Last week against North County he ran for a season-high 64 yards, including a touchdown, and completed his only pass for 18 more.

"He's a smart kid out on the field," Kearbey said. "He definitely manages the team real well as far as a quarterback standpoint."

While this will be McAnulty's first varsity start, the junior has impressed the coaching staff in his junior varsity games this season, Kearbey said. McAnulty has run for 49 yards and a touchdown while throwing for 158 yards in three games as the JV Mules started 2-1.

"He's a really good leader in the huddle and the kids really respond to him," Kearbey added. "He's kind of fearless almost to where pressure really doesn't bother him."

Greg Coble, who has taken varsity snaps and has thrown for 26 yards, will remain in his role as a wide receiver who lines up under center, Kearbey said, while sophomore Josh Freeman is the third QB option.

The Mules face a young Central team that has allowed 46.0 points per game and does not have an interception on defense. Turnovers have been key for the Tigers, who have a minus-11 turnover ratio, said first-year coach Rich Payne.

Poplar Bluff's last trip to Houck Stadium featured seven turnovers by the Mules in a 23-20 loss. Last week against North County, the Mules didn't have a turnover for the first time in eight games when they beat Central.

"All things being equal in high school sports, unless you're totally outmatched athletically, it's going to boil down to turnovers, penalties and mistakes," Payne said. "We've just got to be smart and that's tough with us being a young ballclub."

The Tigers start three sophomores on the offensive line counting tight end Zach Boerboom and another at quarterback in Andrew Williams. Senior back Cantrell Andrews leads Central with 716 yards rushing and with six catches for 81 yards, as well as scoring 48 of the Tigers' 77 points.

"He'd definitely their weapon," Kearbey said. "We noticed on film that he's got great speed and they've got another back over there (Brandon Pickens), he's got good speed as well."

Pickens, a junior, leads Central with 83 yards receiving on two catches and has 119 yards on 17 attempts.

Central's defense is anchored by seven seniors with Jon Siemers leading them in tackles and Dante Sales with the Tigers' only sack.

At the preseason jamboree, Poplar Bluff scored twice against the Tigers with Bullington completing all four passes for 54 yards and the defense gave up just 19 yards.

This time it matters for the Mules, who host Jackson next week before opening district play on Oct. 17.

"They all count now. Every game, every week is a big game," Kearbey said. "Cape Central is always a tough opponent for us no matter what the records are, they always seem like they give us a problem.

"We definitely want to go over there with our minds focused on what we have to do and understand a conference championship is on the line."

QUICK HITS

JV MULES Kerey Smith scored four times and ran for 215 yards on 10 carries as the Mules beat Dexter 46-6 Monday night. Poplar Bluff (3-1) also got touchdowns from Tony Hinton, Dalton Bilderback and Kendric McCain, who ran back an interception 100 yards. QB Josh Freeman completed his only pass for 21 yards and ran for 8 more. Bilderback rushed for 56 yards, Hinton added 26 while the defense had four interceptions, one each by Lonnie Watkins, Eric Ramos, Dustin Hibler and McCain. Eljie Johnson, Brandin Smith and Watkins each recorded a sack while Smith and Kays led the team in tackles.

FRESHMAN Michael Griggs threw for 232 yards on 6-of-8 passes as the Mules beat Kennett 38-15 last Thursday, improving to 3-0. William Whitfield ran for 76 yards, Kendric McCain caught three passes for 119 yards and scored three times -- one rushing, one receiving and another on a 60-yard punt return. Tyler Hubrins ran for 41 yards while Lorenzo Daily caught three passes for 106 and led the defense in tackles. Lonnie Watkins forced two fumbles for the Mules, who host Cape Central tonight.

NOTES Cape Central lost to New Madrid 44-35 in Week 2 and is coming off a 48-17 loss at Sikeston. … In their last two games, the Mules have averaged 5.8 yards per carry. … Zach Ferguson needs 2 yards to reach 1,700 for his career tonight. He needs 71 yards to pass Leroy Moss for 14th all-time in school history. … Poplar Bluff has not won in Cape Girardeau since 2000, also the last time the Mules won a district title. … This is the first time since 2001 that the two teams were not in the same district. … Last year's win by the Mules snapped a five-game losing streak to the Tigers.

SERIES: This is the 84th meeting between the two teams and the 78th straight year they've met. Central owns the series, 46-32-5. Here's a look at the last decade:

year cape pb

2007 0 35

2006 23 20

2005 31 28

2004 27 7

2003 49 28

2002 47 7

2001 10 26

2000 7 20

1999 13 42

1998 (3ot) 27 28

1997 24 25

1996 19 28

1995 38 8

1994 26 40

1993 14 17

1992 14 0

1991 0 29

1990 21 25

1989 31 13

1988 20 6

1987 34 7

1986 40 3

1985 15 12

1984 15 16

1983 10 20

1982 27 14

1981 32 29

1980 14 9

1979 18 17

1978 16 0

1977 12 24

1976 0 21

1975 9 8

1974 13 7

1973 28 29

1972 34 6

1971 21 6

1970 26 20

1969 20 0

1968 34 0

1967 0 6

1966 0 35

1965 0 26

1964 0 14

1963 13 7

1962 16 0

1961 0 7

1960 7 7

1959 13 28

1958 0 40

1957 0 33

1956 20 13

1955 7 14

1954 25 31

1953 19 6

1952 0 20

1951 6 43

1950 14 14

1949 6 6

1948 19 19

1947 18 0

1946 18 12

1945 39 6

1944 18 18

1943 19 6

1942 26 0

1941 13 12

1940 0 6

1939 40 0

1938 19 0

1937 12 0

1936 53 6

1935 53 0

1934 32 0

1933 13 14

1932 42 0

1931 25 0

1930 25 0

1927 6 39

1924 0 2

1923 49 0

1922 0 3

1922 14 6