Poplar Bluff seniors Ethan Hollins, left, and Percy Garcia celebrate a turnover against Hannibal in this Sept. 13 photo. The seniors will be honored before the game Thursday night at Morrow Stadium. (Brian Rosener/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor

C.J. Council and the Sikeston Bulldogs may have awoken a sleeping beast just in time for Halloween.

After Council's interception return for a game-winning touchdown Friday night, Poplar Bluff coach Shane Kearbey saw it.

"I think when you look at last week and how disappointed those kids were on the sideline, you could tell there was a lot of emotion there," Kearbey said. "Those kids want to win. Now, I think they're even more committed than ever to go out there and get it done."

In any other year, Poplar Bluff's 0-2 start in district play would have knocked the Mules out of playoff contention. This year, with two teams qualifying from each district, there's plenty to play for Thursday night when West Plains comes to Morrow Stadium.

A win by Farmington against Sikeston along with a win by 10 or more points by the Mules would put Poplar Bluff into the second spot by virtue of a three-team tiebreaker.

"I think that's the main thing that motivates us, too, is there is still a glimmer of hope there," Kearbey said. "They know what they've got to do to get it done and they seem pretty motivated and ready to go."

It's been eight long years since the last Poplar Bluff football team qualified for the playoffs. During that time, the Mules are 0-8 in Week 10 games including a four-year losing streak against the Zizzers, the defending District 1 champions.

West Plains (2-7, 1-1 district) can also clinch a playoff spot with a win Thursday along with a Sikeston loss or if the Bulldogs win by 8 points or less than the Zizzers' winning margin.

"It gets too complicated for me," Zizzers coach Greg Simpkins said. "The only thing I can tell my kids is just go try and win. That's the only concrete thing that's positive."

The Zizzers feature the same high-scoring offense Farmington used to post 65 points with 436 total yards of offense against the Mules in Poplar Bluff's last home game. This spread, however, is led by running back Tommy Meyer.

The 5-foot-8, 205-pound senior has rushed for 986 yards in six games this season, averaging 7.4 yards per carry, following a 142-yard effort against the Knights in a 47-28 loss.

"I heard he's 5-8, 205 pounds, that's a man," Kearbey said. "We're going to have to get low, tackle low and gang tackle, fly to the football and do all the little things that our defense has done this year."

Poplar Bluff's run defense has been tested in district play by Farmington's Tyler Oyler, who ran for 187 yards, and Sikeston's Eli Jackson, who finished with 184 yards Friday. Last year, Meyer was one of two runners to top 100 yards against the Mules in a 21-6 Zizzers win.

Senior quarterback Austin Riggs (6-0, 161) completed 50 percent of his passes for 1,321 yards through the first eight weeks (his numbers against Farmington were not available). Riggs has thrown for five touchdowns and ran for 11 including three last week with a pair of 31-yard runs and another for 18.

Riggs has multiple weapons to choose from, throwing to Meyer or senior Skyler Townsend, who had 36 catches for 452 yards before the game at Farmington. Korey Brown, also a senior along with Zack Phegley and junior Joey Meyer have at least five catches this season.

"It's nothing we haven't seen," Kearbey said of the Spread. "It just gives you a hard time trying to figure out where the football is. That's why the linebackers have to really focus on reading and keying and getting to the ball."

Poplar Bluff's linebackers will get another boost this week with the return of Colby Geringer, who returned from an injury last week at tight end for his first catch of the season. The senior started the season as a two-way starter but was one of the first of many Mules to be bitten by the injury bug this fall. Linebacker Michael Penney (concussion) has yet to be cleared and Greg Coble (knee) will miss his second game.

"The key is to play sound defense," Kearbey said. "Those D-linemen up front playing that spread, we've really learned we've got to play that technique and be gap sound. The linebackers have to do a great job of reading and keying and getting to the football and tackling well."