Poplar Bluff’s Palma pulls double duty for Mules

Poplar Bluff senior Colten Palma does a lot for the Mules.

Not only does he kick on Friday nights, he’s also a formidable player for the Mules soccer program which is in the midst of its best season since 2015 and coming off of a 1-0 win over Farmington where the winning goal was scored by … Palma.

“The guy’s soccer knowledge, his on-the-field-knowledge, the strength of his kick,” Mules head soccer Rusty Crafton said was what made Palma so strong on the pitch. “That’s going to be hard to replace that.”

Palma has kicked for the last two seasons on the football team but has played soccer all four years during his time at Poplar Bluff.

He said his the love of soccer was planted early.

“My family has always been around it,” he said. “I just kind of grew up watching and playing as a kid.”

While soccer is Palma’s primary sport, and he doesn’t mind admitting it, he said he got the idea to give football a go a couple years ago.

He said it was when former Mules kicker Chandler Beaton graduated in 2022 that he knew the team would be looking to fill Beaton’s spot.

“I came here with my brother and realized I could do it,” he said. “I might as well go and help them out too.”

Palma said he remembers that first kick.

“It was shocking,” he said. “Shocking good. I didn’t know how far I could kick a football.”

The farthest he’s made in a game for the Mules is around 30 yards but the farthest he’s ever hit was a 50-yarder.

While some coaches are protective over their athletes playing just their sport, Crafton said he and Mules head football coach Dave Sievers have made it work.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “I think it’s great me and Coach Sievers can utilize one player. He kicks good for the football team, does well for us. I’m happy either way.”

Sievers agreed.

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Palma said it’s a load off of his shoulders as well.

“It’s really nice because soccer is always my first choice,” He said. “Football isn’t pressuring me to go over there with them.”

While Palma has a rare Friday night off, the Mules soccer team is in action today at 11:30 a.m. in the opening round of the Class 5, District 1 Tournament against Sikeston at Hillsboro.

Palma said the growth of the program has been awesome the last few years.

“It’s really great to make change,” he said. “Seven wins was outstanding my sophomore year, one of the best seasons we had in a while and we were so proud to get seven wins. Now we’re double that.”

Palma said the key to Saturday’s game against the Bulldogs is clear.

“I think we should just keeps our heads straight,” he said. “Not overthinking that we beat them once so it’s going to happen again. We have to keep our head and realize that they’re going to want to win too.”