Mules football gets tune-up at jamboree

The Poplar Bluff High School football season is set to kick off Friday at Mules Statudum against Park Hills, but the Mules made a stop at Dexter High for a quick warmup.

Dexter High School football team hosted its annual Dexter Football Jamboree to allow teams to iron out all the kinks before gameday.

“It was good for us,” said head football coach Dave Sievers about participating in the jamboree. “We played a lot of kids and tried to let the starters get a few snaps in, and I think we did some good things. We showed that we could have good success with running the ball and that our defense has improved.”

The jamboree included Dexter High, Fredericktown, Caruthersville and Poplar Bluff, where each team received 12 plays to score.

The Mules tallied 197 yards with 127 yards rushing. Senior Kolyn McBride led the Mules with 32 yards and one touchdown. Logan Hite rushed for 31 yards, and junior Christian Robertson added 25 yards. Senior quarterback Mason West threw for 19 yards with one touchdown, and Jasper Edmundson added 51 yards and two touchdowns.

Though Sievers is happy with what he saw, he said the Mules still have work to do before gameday.

“I’m happy with how everything went, but it showed us the little things we need to correct,” Sievers said. “We put the ball on the ground a couple of times, which we can’t do, and we had a couple of penalties, little things I know we can fix. Overall, we’re in a good place with only a few days away from playing.”

After suffering some early injuries last season, Sievers said one of his biggest concerns is the team’s depth. He understands a lot of young linemen won’t get as many reps in and used the jamboree as a tool for development, which to him, is a great thing.

Despite the many teams, no one was more pumped to step on the field than center and defensive lineman senior Clayton Stark.

Senior Clayton Stark connects with a sack during the Dexter High School football jamboree.DAR/D�Courtland Christian

“I’m personally really excited to step on the field,” Stark said. “I believe the team feels the same way. We’ve been ready to go since June. I think our offensive game is magnificent. Our run game will show up this year and will be very prominent in how we play.”

Stark said he’s super excited for the defense and was hyped about their hard work during the jamboree. He believes it will be a successful season if they play hard on each level.

Besides the cheers from the crowd and playing alongside his teammates, Stark has a much bigger reason he’s ready for the season.

“I’m stepping on the field this year to play for our buddy Lane Savat, who passed away last year,” Stark said. “He was really close to me, and it means a lot to go out there for him. He’s a big part of why I step on the field daily, and just playing for him keeps me going.”