Logan Hite prepares to lead Poplar Bluff into playoffs

A hard work ethic, Integrity and a commitment to achieving excellence are all the right tools to lead on the football field.

Senior running back and linebacker Logan Hite is as motivated as ever for the Poplar Bluff High School Mules’ postseason. He looks forward to being a leader in their quest to capture a district title and more.

The Mules had their early struggles in the season with a 1-3 start, but in the past few games, there’s been a significant turnabout, and now they are preparing to win their fifth straight game and close out the regular season.

“I’m feeling pretty good with how we managed to turn things around,” Hite said. “We got a great win over Kennett, but it will be a tough game against Hillsboro. Our game on the field has really improved for the most part. We’ve cleaned up many mishaps we had in the first few games, so it will be a close game to close out the season.”

Hite said one of the biggest turnarounds he’s noticed about the team is how focused everyone got after their loss to Jackson High School. He said the team got more locked in and bought into what they wanted to accomplish as a team. The joking stopped, and everyone came together to recapture a season that was slowly slipping away.

Hite does a lot for the Mules on both sides of the ball. Hite currently has 173 yards rushing with five touchdowns on 42 carries. He leads the SEMO conference with 85 tackles on the season and is shy of five tackles from capturing 300 in his career with the Mules.

Being a senior holds a lot of responsibility, but Hite embraces his role as a leader and hopes it rubs off on the players under him.

“This season has been about growth for me,” Hite said. “I want to be a leader because many young players are looking up to me and watching my every move. I want to set an example of the proper way to be the best player on and off the field.”

Before every game, spectators will see Hite pacing back and forth to prepare for the game. He said it’s a tool he picked up during wrestling, which calms his nerves and gets him focused on the game. Hite said wrestling and football go hand-in-hand and has been a huge help on defense as he uses similar techniques to take down his opponents.

One coach who noticed that Hite would be a special player was the defensive coach, Jeff Mannon. He first played Hite at the defensive end, where he learned the proper mechanics of being a good defensive player while adding to his aggressiveness. Once Mannon saw his growth, he quickly moved him over to linebacker, and he’s flourished ever since.

“Over the years, Logan’s just been one of those highly competitive kids from wrestling to football and everything he does,” Mannon said. “He’s very competitive, and he flies around the field with relentless effort, which helps us play better.”

As the Mules finish their regular season against Hillsboro, Hite said his focus is on winning a district championship. Though they’re currently placed in third for districts, he would like to increase the rankings to host a game.

“We have all the tools to get where we need to be,” Hite said. “I just want us to keep our eyes on the prize and keep up the same energy we’ve shown the past few games.”