Mules airing it out this season

A quarterback is only as good as his targets, and with the help of two star receivers, the Poplar Bluff Mules football team has managed to turn their season around.

Every team has that top-line star combination that a coach can rely on to motivate the players on the field and in the locker room, and seniors Darius Graham and Romeoh Wontor have been prime examples for the Mules.

After a 1-3 start to the season, the Mules changed their offense, making Graham and Wontor the primary targets for pushing their squad over the hump. Despite the slow start, Graham said the team has turned a corner on their season and is heading in the right direction.

“Our start was kind of rocky, but the win against Cape Central was pretty big for us,” Graham said. “Compared to last year, we didn’t get our first winner until week five, so coming into this year and getting that early win really has put us in a lot better position this year.”

Wontor said the team is coming together at a great time in the season and is happy to see them find their stride much quicker as they get closer to the playoffs. Graham and Wontor have combined for a total of 931 yards on the season and found a permanent home in the endzone as they completed most of the Mules touchdowns with seven.

The Mules have made a significant jump within their offense, and with starting quarterback Jay Edmundson behind the wheel, Graham and Wontor have been able to showcase their talents to the highest degree.

“I feel like the coaches are really exploiting our matchups,” Wontor said. “They’ve put us in the best position where we could make plays, and we have to give Jay credit for finding us each time. I would like for us to stay consistent with our pass and running game and keep the same energy on defense because those guys play with great effort every game.”

Graham believes the team has made the right calls with getting the ball outside to the receivers when needed and said their emphasis on execution has landed them in the perfect position to end up in the district championship once again.

“Offensively, we’ve been more consistent on just getting the ball out and executing our plays,” Graham said. “Towards the beginning of the season, we were still unsure of what we’re trying to do on offense, but now we’ve found our plan, and we’re sticking to it.”

While Wontor continued to find his stride as an offensive threat, Graham was cementing his name in the PB football history books by breaking the all-time punt return for a touchdown record of 94 yards. He said it felt good because it was one of the goals he didn’t intend to break, but he is happy to hold the record for a while.

Graham has played on both sides of the ball for most of the season. To any other athlete, the responsibility of performing well on offense and defense can be too much, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I just like being on the field, and I’m super competitive,” Graham said. “Any chance I get to be on the field, I’m going out there to compete. I’m never really concerned about being tired because I’m just worried about getting the win. If playing both sides of the ball is what’s best for the team, then I’m all for it.”

Poplar Bluff�s Darius Graham pulls down a catch during the Mules� overtime win over Cape Central earlier this season. DAR/D'COURTLAND CHRISTIAN

As both players continue to make an impact for their team, it’s been no surprise to Mules assistant coach Austin Jefferson, who’s witnessed the commitment of both players working hard to get better each game.

“They both show up, they work hard and they listen. That’s all I ask those guys to do every day if they want to be a successful football player,” Jefferson said. “If a player can do those three things, they’ll be just fine. Graham and Wontor do it to the best of their ability every single day with no questions asked. They’re the last ones to leave, and they do extra reps with the quarterbacks, and it shows. They’ve played together for a while, and now they’re just good athletes all the way around.”

The Mules’ regular season is slowly coming to an end with their two biggest games against Kennett (4-2) and Hillsboro (6-0), Graham is adamant about winning out the rest of the season.

“I feel like winning the remainder of our games will put us in a better position for districts,” Graham said. “As we go into our district play, we just need to come out like we did last year. We really came out pretty aggressive last year, and I feel like we set the tone, and I want to do the same thing this year.”