DC’s Three Takeaways after Mules win over Farmington

Another week of SEMO high school football is in the books, with the playoffs quickly approaching.

Last Friday, I witnessed some of the best football I’ve seen played by the Poplar Bluff Mules than I have all season as they captured their third straight win of the season against the Farmington Knights 28-14.

The Mules were able to execute offensively in the run game and with passing, while the defense held strong in the second half, keeping Farmington out of the endzone for the remainder of the game. It’s no secret the Mules have struggled after halftime, but with some adjustments made by head coach Dave Sievers, the team has found a flow of playing a complete game.

Edmundson’s standout performance

There was plenty to pay attention to in Poplar Bluff’s win, but arguably, the most significant thing to take away from the game was the dominant performance from junior quarterback Jay Edmundson.

Edmundson threw 16/25 on 223 yards with one passing touchdown and led the Mules in rushing with 181 yards with two touchdowns. With one of their star players battling through injury, the Mules needed a spark from the offense, and Edmundson would take on the task head-on as they faced off against Farmington.

While Darius Graham was limited on the field due to a previous game injury, Edmundson carried most of the offense in the first half, which kept the Mules in close proximity to take the game.

“Sometimes you just got to go and make plays,” Edmundson said. “I knew what we were up against in the first half, but I knew that Romeoh or Darius were bound to make a play. They didn’t make a huge play in the first half, but both of them just caught fire in the second half. That’s how players play, and it’s always great to have teammates on your side who can make those plays when we need them the most.”

Second half execution

Another takeaway from the Mules’ performance against Farmington was their ability to execute offensively after the first half.

The Mules collected 21 points, with some big plays being made by their key players. With Edmundosn picking up most of the slack to start the game, the Mules needed another boost in their offense.

Romeoh Wontor’s play on the field has suddenly risen over the past few games. He’s been able to exploit his matchups and has become a main target in getting the Mules to the goal line. Wontor had eight catches on 108 yards against Farmington.

On the opposite end of Wontor was key receiver Graham, who was a game-time decision for the Mules after a previous injury from their matchup against Fox. Graham captured six catches on 113 yards with one touchdown. He said being able to play on one side of the ball motivated him to go all out. As a player who plays both offense and defense, Graham constantly has to find a balance, but in this game, he could put all his energy toward playing receiver, and it worked out in the Mules’ favor.

Defensive presence

Though the Mules captured more offensive yards than Farmington 505 to 255, it was the defensive pressure that stood out. The stats might not show it, but the Mules’ defensive front played aggressively and halted Farmington from getting another touchdown in the second half.

Farmington got across the endzone multiple times in the second quarter, but the Mules quickly adjusted to the Knights’ scheme and put a stop to their run game. No matter where the ball went, the Mules’ smothering defense was there to cause havoc.

The Mules landed one sack from Connor Stevens and snatched away two clutch interceptions from Dylan Hall and Jais Soto, which sealed the game for the Mules late in the fourth.

The Mules improve to 4-3 with two games left in the regular season. Poplar Bluff will host Kennett Friday at Mules’ Stadium for its annual pink-out game.