Heart and passion on display as Sikeston falls 2-1 at Poplar Bluff

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Despite a narrow 2-1 defeat at Poplar Bluff on Thursday, September 21, the Sikeston boys’ soccer team showed its ability to go head-to-head with top teams in the district and the SEMO Conference.

With a breakthrough on the horizon, the Bulldogs (5-7-0) demonstrated their potential against the Mules (6-2-1), signaling that the team is on the cusp of making a significant impact when the postseason rolls around.

“The best takeaway is we competed well with one of the better teams in our district,” said Sikeston coach Gabe Dement. “Our guys played with heart and passion despite the circumstances and proudly wore the SHS Soccer Crest.”

The first half of the game ended in a 0-0 tie, but Poplar Bluff possessed the ball more. However, both teams had several opportunities but were unable to capitalize.

“They had a few more than we did but our defense stood tall to keep them off of the board,” Dement said.

The second half saw the Mules gain a 2-0 advantage before Sikeston’s Jaden Johnson narrowed the lead to 2-1 with nine minutes and 45 seconds left in the game with an emphatic goal on a penalty kick.

“We had several chances in the closing stages to equalize, but Bluff turned them all away,” Dement concluded.

Sikeston will Jackson (6-1-0), another one of the SEMO Conference’s top teams, while Poplar Bluff will host Fredericktown (2-2-0) on Monday, September 25.