LIVE from Morrow Stadium, Dexter vs. PB

The teams are back for the second half. ...

Kickoff to Mules. Ferguson returns it to own 25. On first play, he takes it 75 yards for the score.

TOUCHDOWN MULES!

41-0 with 11:36 left in third.

Mills returns to QB for Dexter's first possession. Dexter forced to punt.

On next snap, Pete Bryant breaks a 56-yard run for a score.

TOUCHDOWN MULES!

Kick fails, 47-0 with 7:01 left in third.

Mules forced to punt for first time tonight and Jake Smith pins Dexter inside the 10.

Poplar Bluff has cleared the bench. Dexter has three first downs so far.

END OF THIRD QUARTER

47-0 Bluff

It's 8:45 p.m., why couldn't this have been the Week 1 game when I had a deadline that night.

Mules run out the clock to finish the game ...

MULES WIN 47-0

Read the story in Sunday's DAR.

From previous entries...

I'm high atop the pressbox at Fred M. Morrow Stadium in Poplar Bluff as the Mules host the Dexter Bearcats. I'll try to keep up to date posts after each drive.

The Sho Me Band is playing "Soul Man" and the teams are in their locker rooms with about 20 minutes to go.

A few things I'll watch during the game is Poplar Bluff's pass defense, including the matchup of Greg Coble on Dexter wideout Ryan Windham. The two are among the top receivers in the SEMO Conference and they'll be lined up across from each other.

Last year this game was all about Zach Ferguson, who ran for 180-something yards.

National Anthem time ...

Will the Dexter defense be able to stop, or at least slow Ferguson this year or will it be Eljie Johnson breaking off more big plays.

This is the 75th meeting between these schools but the Mules won 16 straight until an overtime loss in 2006. Poplar Bluff has won the last two meetings.

Coin toss ... Poplar Bluff will kickoff and defend the south end zone first.

Dexter forced to punt after three plays of minus-3 yards.

MULES TOUCHDOWN!

Poplar Bluff puts together a 51-yard drive on eight plays. Ferguson scores on a 1-yard run. Kenyan Francis kick is good, 7-0 Mules with 7:08 left in the first quarter.

Dexter kicker Dylan Acevedo hits the right goal post on a 34-yards field goal attempt with 3:54 left in the first quarter after Ben Mills hit Windham for a 54-yard pass.

Mills is sacked by Michael Penney and is hurt with 7:50 left in half.

On fourth-and-12 at the Dexter 30, Zach McAnulty hits Greg Coble with a pass on the left side. He bobbles, pulls it in and heads in for a touchdown.

TOUCHDOWN MULES!

14-0 Mules 0:22 left in the first.

END OF FIRST QUARTER, Poplar Bluff leads 14-0.

After Ferguson sacks Mills on third down to force a punt at the Dexter 18, he breaks a 43-yard option run down the left sideline.

TOUCHDOWN MULES!

Mules miss kick, lead 20-0 with 9:46 left in half.

Mills is sacked by Michael Penney and is hurt on the play with 7:50 left in the half. Sophomore Cody Stevens takes over at QB.

McAnulty hits Ferguson for a 38-yard pass, then after a penalty on the Mules, McAnulty finds Ferguson again for a 20-yard touchdown pass.

TOUCHDOWN MULES!

27-0 Mules with 6:23 left in the half.

Mills still out, Dexter forced to punt.

After a TD by Pete Bryant is called back on a holding penalty, Ferguson runs it in from 20 yards for his third score.

TOUCHDOWN MULES!

34-0 with 2;36 left in half.

Dexter fumbles a pitch but falls on it and punts three plays later with 10 seconds left in half.

HALFTIME

Some numbers of interest ... Ferguson has 116 rushing yards and 94 yards on four catches. McAnulty has thrown for 124 yards on 5-of-9 passes and two scores, one to Ferguson and one to Coble.

Dexter has 65 total yards of offense with just 1 yard rushing. Mills competed 3-of-5 passes for 64 yards.

DAR writer Alex Abate, who is on the Dexter sideline, said that Mills has a knee injury but may be back for the second half.