HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER: MULES LEAVE TIGERS IN A FOG 2-0

With an eerie fog hanging over the field, the Cape Central Tigers' hopes of repeating as district champions vanished with a 2-0 loss to the Poplar Bluff Mules.

Poplar Bluff (15-8-3), the No. 3 seed, netted two first-half goals to take its first-ever Class 4A, District 1 championship.

Top-seeded Cape Central finished its season at 14-8-3.

"This is the first time we've won district in the nine years we've been going," said Poplar Bluff coach Duncan Gittins. "This is excellent for the program and the school, as well."

The contest, moved from Jackson to the Notre Dame Sports Complex which is lighted, saw the Mules avenge two earlier shutout losses to the Tigers.

"I remember saying, after our last game, how hard it was to beat a good team three times in a year," said Cape Central coach Tom Doyle.

The senior-dominated Mules played a physical, aggressive style all night as they consistently beat the Tigers to the ball with headers and slide-tackles.

"They were swarming," said Doyle. "I heard some of my players at halftime say 'they're everywhere' and they were. They're a lot more physical than we are, bigger and stronger. I won't say we can't compete in a physical game, but we're at a disadvantage."

But for a fantastic save by Cape Central goalie Trevor Blattner, Poplar Bluff would have scored at the 5:00 minute mark of the first half. Blattner leaped to the left side of the goal to snare a Mule kick.

The Mules did break into the scoring column with 18 minutes gone on a goal from point-blank range by Luke McCann on a rebound of a shot that bounced off Blattner.

With Poplar Bluff applying pressure, the Tigers were forced into a defensive posture for most of the first half. They had few good scoring opportunities.

About eight minutes after their first score, the Mules struck again on another McCann goal to take a 2-0 lead. Taking a crossing kick off the left wing from Jerrad Roehrs, McCann netted the shot from close range.

"I told the team at halftime that the team that played the hardest and wanted it the most won the first half," said Doyle, trying to motivate his Tigers for a second-half run.

During the second half, action was stopped twice by game officials because of difficulty seeing the ball due to the fog. The first delay lasted about 10 minutes and the second about eight.

"With the 2-0 lead, we were trying to make sure we didn't concede anything," said Gittins. "It was difficult with the game stopping for the fog. It was like starting all over again."

The Tigers battled gamely throughout the second half, but could not cut into the Mule lead.

Poplar Bluff advanced to the sectionals at Anheuser-Busch Sports Center in Fenton on Thursday night.