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Mules head to Kennett on Friday
After a strong performance against West Plains that came up short in overtime, the Poplar Bluff Mules will go on the road to try to improve their record against the Kennett Indians.
The Mules lost 35-28 to the Zizzers last week to drop to 2-5 on the season. Kennett, however, is winless so far, standing at 0-7 in 2024.
Poplar Bluff head coach Jeff Mannon says his team is ready to show how well they can play this week.
“Even though we didn’t get the win against West Plains, the team is in good spirits,” Mannon said. “The boys played a hard, physical game, and we saw significant improvements, especially in terms of execution on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
“That effort has carried over into this week’s practices, and they’re motivated to keep building and moving forward.”
Poplar Bluff’s record in recent years against Kennett is 3-1, with the past three years seeing the Mules rack up blowout wins against the Indians. Mannon, however, isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Kennett’s strength is in their ability to create opportunities in the open field, and we’ve been preparing for that,” he said. “Playing on the road always adds a layer of difficulty, but we’ve focused on staying sharp mentally and sticking to our game plan, no matter the environment.”
Poplar Bluff is scoring an average of 18.7 points per game, while Kennett has only managed an 8.6 average. The Mules defense has allowed an average of 36.7 points, while the Indians have given up an average of 39.4.
After a big game from Mules quarterback Jay Edmundson and receiver Hunter Clifford, Mannon is looking to his seniors to once again lead the offense.
“We’re focusing on keeping drives alive and protecting the football,” Mannon said. “Both Edmundson and Clifford had awesome performances last week, and they’ve been working hard to keep that momentum going. We’re planning to spread the ball around, utilize our playmakers, and take advantage of mismatches.”
The Poplar Bluff defense continues to improve, but the crucial assessment still comes up on the scoreboard.
“The defense has gradually improved the last few games, and we’ve been focusing on continuing that growth,” Mannon said. “Kennett may have struggled, but they’ve got athletes who can make big plays, and our defense has to be disciplined, especially in stopping the run and limiting explosive plays. We’re emphasizing fundamentals — wrapping up on tackles and finishing plays.”
Kennett may be winless this season, but this Friday is the team’s senior night, so the Indians are sure to have a big crowd out in support of their team.
“We’re reminding the players that, regardless of Kennett’s record, every game is a new challenge, and anything can happen,” Mannon said. “The key is staying focused on what we can control: our effort, execution, and mentality. The boys understand that we need to approach this game with the same intensity we bring to any opponent.”
As the regular season draws closer to the end, Mannon’s message remains focused on growth and progress.
“My message to the team has been clear: we need to keep playing physical, disciplined football and limit mistakes,” he said. “We’ve made strides in recent weeks, and I expect the same level of effort and execution this Friday. If we play our game, I believe we’ll put ourselves in a strong position to come away with a win.”