Brian Rosener is the keeper of the Semoball Cup which is presented to the school with the most successful season. It is based on a formula that takes into account the combined winning percentage of all sports teams plus bonus points for advancement in postseason play for both teams and individuals. The bonus points are divided by the number of teams a school fields. Rosener has been the sports editor for the Daily American Republic in Poplar Bluff, Mo. since December 2001. He was born and raised in St. Louis, where he attended Lindbergh High School and Webster University. He is married to Jennifer, a Poplar Bluff native, has a son Jack and a dog named Satchel who stands in for his @semoballBrian photo.

Bluff at Sikeston

Posted Friday, October 24, 2008, at 11:07 AM

This is a playoff game for both teams. Win and you have a chance next week to make the playoffs, lose and you're pretty much done. Two wins can probably get a team in the playoffs but if three teams finish with one loss in district play the tiebreaker for the title is based on points while the tiebreaker for a tie between two teams is head-to-head competition.

If Farmington and Poplar Bluff win Friday, then the Knights clinch the district title while the Mules will play West Plains in a winner-take-all game for the second playoff spot next week. If West Plains and Sikeston win Friday, then the Zizzers clinch the title and the Sikeston-Farmington game is winner-take-all. If West Plains and Bluff win, then the Mules could have a shot at the district title if they win by 13 along with West Plains. But, if there's still a three-way tie because the point-tiebreaker doesn't work, then it gets tricky, so let's not go there until after tonight.

Let's just say there's plenty at stake tonight.

The game will be webcast here if you can't make the trip.

Here are three keys to the game:

Bluff needs to score early They're 2-0 when scoring in the first quarter and 3-0 when leading at halftime, however, they've been shutout in the first quarter six times and are 4-4. The Mules can't afford another slow start on offense.

Who will QB the BulldogsThe big question for tonight's game will be will Sikeston QB Charlie Bohannon will play tonight. This item from the preview story in the Standard-Democrat:

"It will be a game-time decision," (Sikeston coach Kent) Gibbs said of the chances of Bohannon starting. "He (Bohannon) is getting closer and closer to being ready to play. However, if he is unable to start we have confidence in both Sam Erwin and Jordan Williams. Obviously, it would be nice to have Charlie (Bohannon) back, but we feel comfortable with either of our backups' ability to go out and execute for us."

Who controls the line of scrimmage Both teams like to run, a lot, so this game will be won or lost in the trenches.

Enjoy the game.

Comments

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I always think the Poplar Bluff football previews are first rate, however I found one small error on the series history....Sikeston leads 48-32-4 overall. I've got a book with every single game and score listed. Other than that, great job as usual.

-- Posted by semohoops on Fri, Oct 24, 2008, at 12:28 PM

Brian Rosener's response:
Thanks. I got my scores from a book former editor Bob Gray put together. Here's his list. Let me know what looks different and I'll look them up:
Year Sik PB
2007 6 50
2006@ 0 8
2005 8 21
2004@ 14 34
2003 3 42
2002@ 33 16
2001 6 8
2000@ 3 6
1999 16 33
1998@ 14 28
1997 25 35
1996@ 49 28
1995** 33 26
1994@ 40 32
1993 34 14
1992 41 22
1991 41 28
1990 24 28
1989 12 25
1988 55 15
1987 37 7
1986 6 16
1985 6 17 +state playoff
1985 27 6
1984 27 7
1983 27 17
1982** 7 0
1981 0 7
1980 21 6
1979* 13 7
1978 7 10
1977 6 28
1976 14 7
1975 14 26
1974 0 41
1973 6 14
1972 8 14
1971 14 12
1971 13 34
1970 13 34
1969 13 14
1968 20 13
1967 6 0
1966 6 35
1965 7 6
1964 19 14
1963 7 14
1962 13 13
1961 21 0
1960 34 7
1959 20 13
1958 13 33
1957 14 14
1956 28 24
1955 6 0
1954 20 6
1953 13 14
1952 13 12
1946 19 0
1945 33 6
1944 13 13
1943 13 0
1942 6 7
1941 13 13
1940 27 0
1939 10 12
1938 25 0
1932 6 0
1931 0 18
1930 6 0
1928 0 22
1927 0 25
1924 43 0
1922 30 0
1921 21 0
1921 52 0
Word around town is Bohannon felt great all week and should start.

-- Posted by yah-yah on Fri, Oct 24, 2008, at 12:41 PM
well, the sun is out, and the wind is blowing in most of SEMO land......so if it dries off, no one will be able to say the ball was slippery , or the turf was muddy....that's why they play the game

-- Posted by Headhunt on Fri, Oct 24, 2008, at 1:06 PM
I mean I will post it here.

-- Posted by semohoops on Mon, Oct 27, 2008, at 8:10 AM
It seems Mr. Gray left off a few years. My record book has as follows with Sikeston scores listed first:

1911 33-0 (which mentions that it was PB's first high school game) and 30-0

1912 12-0 and 26-7

1913 21-0

1914 14-0

1915 40-0

1916 76-6 (most lopsided game between two the two schools)

1921 51-0 and 21-0

1922 30-0 and 2-0 (forfeit)

1924 44-0

1928 0-25 (PB's first win against SHS)

The rest of the scores appear to match up with what you have.

-- Posted by semohoops on Tue, Oct 28, 2008, at 12:31 PM

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