Mules look to end skid at Sikeston

Poplar Bluff’s J.R. Lathon (left) looks to bring down a Jackson ballcarrier during last Friday’s SEMO North Conference football game at Jackson.

Southeast Missourian/Cole Lee

The Poplar Bluff Mules varsity football team hopes to rediscover a winning game plan on the road at Sikeston this Friday.

After a 1-1 start with a home loss and a road win, the Mules have struggled at home and on the road, losing to Farmington and Cape Central at home, then losing at Jackson last week.

Poplar Bluff head coach Jeff Mannon is encouraging his team to look forward, not back.

“We focus on learning from each game, win or lose. It’s all about growth and improvement,” Mannon said. “We keep emphasizing that the season is still ahead of us, and every game is an opportunity to get better and showcase our hard work.”

History is on their side against the Sikeston Bulldogs (2-3), whose two victories came over Class 1 schools Crystal City and Malden. The Bulldogs’ three losses, to Cape Central, Farmington and Dexter, were all by at least 39 points.

Poplar Bluff has won 10 of the last 16 games against Sikeston, with the Mules’ current winning streak going back five years.

The Mules offense is averaging 15.2 points per game, compared to the Bulldogs’ 21.4 ppg.

“We’re focusing on consistency and execution, making sure that every player knows their job on each play,” Mannon said of his offensive game plan “We’ve been working on fine-tuning the details and staying disciplined.”

On the defensive side, both teams are struggling this season, with Poplar Bluff surrendering 39.2 points per game and Sikeston giving up 36.8 per game.

“Defensively, it’s about tightening up on fundamentals and communication,” Mannon said. “We’ve simplified the scheme so we can play faster and think less.”

Mannon likes how his team matches up against the Bulldogs.

“We match up well in terms of speed and athleticism,” he said. “We’re focusing on fundamentals and execution this week and all three aspects of the game.”

He is also aware of the challenges posed by Sikeston’s athletes.

“Sikeston is a spread up-tempo team,” Mannon said. “They want to focus on running the ball but can sling it around too. We’re going to try and take away their top plays and go from there.”

Friday night’s game is Sikeston’s homecoming, so the Bulldogs are likely to have a big crowd in support of the home team. Mannon encourages local Mules fans to make the trip to represent Poplar Bluff on the visitor’s side of the field.

“We’re grateful for the support from our fans, and we need that energy on Friday,” Mannon said. “These athletes dedicate a huge chunk of their time to this sport, and having our community behind us makes all the difference.”

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium.