Poplar Bluff's Zach Ferguson, right, eludes a tackle during the preseason jamboree Friday, Aug. 22 at Farmington. Ferguson ran for 1,046 yards in seven games last fall. (Brian Rosener/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor

At first glance, the matchup Friday night between the Poplar Bluff and New Madrid Country Central football teams is intriguing.

One problem. The opening week of football season is not about matchups.

"I could care less what Bluff does," Eagles coach Arlen Pixley said. "I don't care what they're doing over there, I know what our kids need to be doing and I know how they need to react."

The same is true for first-year Mules coach Shane Kearbey.

"We're focusing on what we do because that's the only thing we have control of is what we do," Kearbey added. "We're going to try to do what we do the best we can and hopefully good things will happen."

Still, it's an interesting matchup of two of the top three Southeast Missouri teams.

The Eagles, ranked 10th in the preseason Class 3 state poll, will host the only team they lost to in the regular season last year before reaching the quarterfinals of the state playoffs.

New Madrid returns seven starters, including a pair of all-conference players, quarterback Dontre Jenkins and a 1,000-yard rusher in Bryan Waters, while the Mules return 18 starters in all.

"They've got so many veterans returning," Pixley said, "(and) we've got some question marks in some areas."

There's no question Jenkins, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior, will be under center Friday night after taking over at quarterback midway through last season. New Madrid didn't gain a yard passing against the Mules last fall but Jenkins took over later in the season, throwing for 162 yards and two touchdowns in the Class 3 quarterfinal.

Waters also returns to the backfield after rushing for over 1,100 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior. The 5-6, 165-pound back had just two carries against the Mules last year but one was a 23-yard score in a 32-12 loss.

Kony Ealy (6-6, 225), who was an all-conference and all-region linebacker as a sophomore, returns with lineman Dominique Thornton (6-1, 245, senior) who earned the same honors. Much of line is new, as well as receiver Rodney Anderson (5-11, 175, junior) and back G'Darius Stevenson (6-1, 195, sophomore).

"(We've) got a lot to overcome," Pixley said. "Are we talented enough to do it? I think we can. I think it's going to be these first three weeks where we have to weather the storm of our schedule."

Poplar Bluff's early schedule is not much of a better forecast. The Mules face two ranked opponents on the road -- Union is ranked sixth and features last year's Class 4 offensive player of the year in quarterback Jordan Webb.

Kearbey said his team will have its hands full this week with New Madrid.

"They're going to be very athletic and have a lot of speed," he said. "They like to put a lot of pressure on you on defense and use their athletes on offense."

Two areas of concern for Poplar Bluff's coaching staff heading into the first game is special teams and conditioning because neither were tested in the preseason jamboree.

Last year the Mules gave up two touchdowns on kick returns in an early season loss to Blytheville, Ark.

"I think special teams is going to be huge," Kearbey said. "The team that's probably going to win the game is the team that probably makes something happen on special teams or causes a (turnover) on defense."

There has been an extra emphasis on conditioning this week during practice, Kearbey said, to get the Mules ready for 48 minutes of football.

"In that jamboree, we played hard at times," Kearbey said. "Then you watch the film and realize they took plays off."

That can't happen Friday night if the Mules want to win their first season opener in five years and make Kearbey a winner in his debut.

"I don't know if I can be any more excited," said Kearbey of his first game. "Kind of a nervous stomach, ready to go and can't wait to get there and let the kids do what they do."

Notes: Poplar Bluff is 8-9 all-time in a new coach's first game including two games in which the coach started a second tenure. The Mules lost former coach Brian Robbins' debut, 34-21 vs. Parkway West in 2006 but won Mike Dormady's debut at Dexter. … The Mules open the season with few injuries. Michael Penney will test his ankle and may be a game-time decision Friday but a high-ankle sprain will probably keep Josh Freeman on the sidelines.