FOOTBALL READY: Mules eager for season opener

The bright lights will return Friday to Mules Stadium as the Poplar Bluff High School football team takes on their first opponent of the season.

After a devastating loss from last season’s home opener, the Mules will seek their revenge to get a win back against Park Hills on their turf as they lost on the road 29-7.

The Mules are 28-12 all-time at Mules Stadium and are 3-2 in season openers under head coach David Sievers. As they get ready to step back onto the gridiron, Sievers believes the team is excited and will be locked and loaded for game day.

“I think we are ready to go play,” Sievers said. “I think we’ve had a really good summer and some really good practices this week. Park Hills is a high-quality team, so we will have to be ready for everything. For the most part, it’s all about just going out and executing. We’re feeling good about what we want to do, and I think we got plenty of troopers ready to go. It’s definitely exciting to kick off the season.”

Sievers said the Mules have many quality kids that they feel comfortable putting on the field. He understands that many players will be geeked up for the first game of the season, but he hopes the preparation they’ve done over the summer will carry them to a victory.

The Mules finished 4-5 last season and went 2-2 in their conference. Despite a slow start due to injuries, the Mules managed to win four out of the last five games, carrying a lot of momentum into the postseason. They had a solid showing in the district playoffs before falling to Central (Cape Girardeau) in the third round.

Senior running back and linebacker Logan Hite blasted out of the backfilled during the Dexter High School football jamboree. Last season, Hite was named All-State linebacker and captured 119 tackles with three sacks. DAR/D�Courtland Christian

The Mules will have a strong senior class, and Sievers expects them to lead by example and do some great things for them.

Key returners for the Mules include All-State linebacker Logan Hite, who captured 119 tackles with three sacks last season, All-Conference defensive back Darius Graham, who had 54 tackles and pulled in 311 receiving yards and DJ Hubrins, a first-team All-Conference offensive lineman.

Last year, the Mules got off to a shaky start, and Sievers felt the team wasn’t mentally or physically ready, resulting in a different approach during the summer. He wanted to make sure that the team was fundamentally sound and much stronger this season.

Heading into the first game of the year, Sievers said the team’s strength is having leadership from the senior class, a stronger offensive and defensive line, having players that can play multiple skill positions on both sides of the ball and returning starters at key spots.

As for any weaknesses, depth could be an issue as the season progresses, but Sievers intends to allow many young players to step in if needed.

“We’re going to attempt to run the ball as much as we can, which will take a little pressure off our passing game,” Sievers said. “We’re going to be big and physical upfront, which will help us push up the field. We aim to control the game and take care of the little things.

Junior quarterback and linebacker Jay Edmundson surveyed the field before slinging a pass during the Mules intrasquad scrimmage. DAR/D�Courtland Christian

“We might not be quite as flashy as we’ve been in the last few years, but I’m hoping that in the long run, we can do what we need to do to win. What’s great about this team is that we have a lot of good athletes who can do great things on both sides of the ball, which will help us a lot this season.”

Sievers said the key to a successful season is keeping control of the ball on offense, playing physical and aggressive on defense and cutting down on turnovers and penalties. Overall, he feels the team is prepared to play and compete.

Compared to the home opener last season, the Mules needed to make an adjustment to the kickoff time. Due to this week’s heat advisory, the game will be pushed back to 8 p.m. Friday, with the gates opening at 6:30 p.m. at Mules Stadium.

“It’s just one of those things where we must think of our players first,” Sievers said. “Of course, we would hate for anything to deviate us from playing, but safety must come first. I think we’re all hoping that it cools down before the game. Everybody’s dealing with it and has to work through the same situations. As for us, we’re probably going to play a lot more kids this week because of the heat, but I think it gives the younger kids a chance to get some reps in. We’re really looking forward to having the support and seeing the community pack out Mules Stadium.”