Poplar Bluff football team routs Riverview Gardens in first game at new stadium

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The first game at the new Mules Stadium started late and ended early with a 48-8 win by Poplar Bluff.

Kickoff was just over 40 minutes late as visiting Riverview Gardens of St. Louis couldn't get the team bus above 60 mph, making an already long trip longer. The Rams were given as much time as needed to warm up, but the wait didn't slow the Mules.

Poplar Bluff scored just under two minutes after kickoff when senior receiver Jerrid Moore took a short pass from Zane Foust 79 yards for the score.

Foust added a 13-yard touchdown pass to Moore on the same play-call with 2:14 left in the opening quarter. The Mules led 14-0 after the opening period, and then scored 47 seconds into the second when Tyson Tibbs caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Joe Darlin to add to the lead.

Following a turnover by the Mules, Poplar Bluff's Tyson Cox intercepted a pass and returned the pick for a touchdown midway through the quarter.

Brett Barousse added a 24-yard touchdown run with 3:05 left in the half and Poplar Bluff took a 34-0 lead into the break after a last-second 27-yard field goal missed to the left.

Junior quarterback Logan Bell added a 38-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to cap the opening drive of the half and Chris Barker scored on a 1-yard run.

The Mules had the ball for just 16 1/2 minutes, racking up 276 yards on only 33 plays.

The Rams managed 125 total yards in 59 plays but gave Poplar Bluff great field position, five times putting the host inside the 25-yard line. The Mules took away Riverview Garden's rugby-style punting to force turnovers on downs.

The Rams scored with 2:36 left on a 34-yard run by Travyon Wilson.

If the earlier delays weren't enough, things got more peculiar late in the game when the new facility's lights failed.

The home side had the ball when the lights turned off prior to a snap; Poplar Bluff took a knee to run off the final 1:44 in a semi-lit field and a steady rain.

The Mules, who improved to 11-1 in season-opening games under coach Mark Barousse, travel Friday to Dexter.

Mules Stadium, built in front of the new high school set to open Sept. 1, replaced the 80-year-old Morrow Stadium, which opened with a 6-6 tie against Crystal City in Oct. 1935.