SECOND ROUND: Fox, Mules get rematch in district opener Friday

Atari Amos was standing on the sideline for most of the Friday nights this fall after breaking his thumb in the season opener.

The Poplar Bluff senior running back said he felt “anxious” being there, adding, “I just wanted to get out there and help them.”

He’s able to do that now as the Mules open postseason play Friday night. Poplar Bluff (4-5) hosts Fox (2-7) in the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 quarterfinal with top-seeded Jackson awaiting the winner next week.

“Right now our record is 0-0, we’ve got to get better,” said Amos, who was cleared to return last week and ran for 61 yards on 15 carries in a loss at Hillsboro.

Amos is wearing a brace over this thumb, which required surgery when it was broken at Park Hills Central on August 28.

“Having Atari back at full speed is going to be a huge bonus for us,” Mules coach David Sievers said.

The Mules are also expected to get back quarterback Mason West. The junior was sidelined last week due to a concussion suffered in the first half of the previous game at Kennett but has returned to practice.

“Having Mason back is going to be big,” Sievers said. “Jay (Edmundson) did a good job last week. As long as we don’t get too one-sided Friday night and take what they’re giving us, I feel good about what’s going on.”

Amos said his injury made him a better player.

“I didn’t take that as a loss,” he said. “I took that as an opportunity to get better. I was in the gym every day doing what I could do. I just tired to get better every day.”

The Mules will be without a pair of defensive players this week as senior linebacker Ben Colclasure and junior lineman Josh Alcorn suffered a concussion Friday night, Sievers said.

Colclasure led the team with 11 tackles in the loss at Hillsboro.

Even after missing seven games, Amos ranks second on the team in rushing yards with 147 on 28 carries, including a touchdown.

“I think I needed this,” Amos said. “This was an eye opener for me because I didn’t want to get hurt but at the same time I feel like now that I’ve gotten back I can see the game a little better now and I feel like it made me a better person.”

Makel McFarland is averaging 6.7 yards per run after taking over for Amos and backup Amare White, who returned from an ankle injury two weeks ago.

With all three now available, Sievers said he could see putting all three on the field at the same time to “give the Fox defensive coordinator fits.”

Poplar Bluff is looking to avoid a repeat of the 2015 season when the Mules beat Fox by 30 in the regular season and had their season end with a 27-21 loss to Fox.

In fact, since the current postseason system started in 2012, the Mules are 0-5 in district playoffs against opponents they faced earlier that same season.

“It’s always risky playing somebody twice,” Sievers said. “Coach (Brent) Tinker does a great job up there. He’s got some explosive athletes. They do what they do well.”

The first meeting with Fox on September 30 was tied at halftime before the Mules scored on their first three possessions of the second half.

West threw for a career-high 208 yards in the win with Chris Matlock catching seven passes for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Fox ran for 158 yards led by junior Ayden Smith’s 58 yards, senior Dom Murray’s 28 yards on eight carries while quarterback Cameron Underwood ran for 39 yards and threw for 88. Kyle Gast caught three passes for 46 yards.

Poplar Bluff forced three turnovers in the win.

The Mules will need to avoid the turnover bug that bit them last week at Hillsboro. Poplar Bluff turned the ball over a season-high six times after committing six turnovers over the previous four games. Two of the turnovers occurred on Poplar Bluff’s first two offensive snaps leading to 15 points for Hillsboro.

“It’s win or pick up the gear now,” Sievers said. “We feel good about it, we’re hoping we can jump on them early and kind of take a little wind out of their sails early.”