Bluff to promote assistant football coach

Shane Kearbey appears to be the next coach of the Poplar Bluff Mules.

In a statement released this afternoon, the school’s search committee will recommend to the Board of Education that Kearbey be hired. The board meets Thursday night.

Kearbey is a graduate of Poplar Bluff, where he was a quarterback on the Mules district champion team in 1990 and was a three-sport athlete. He went on to play baseball at Three Rivers Community College and Arkansas State University.

Kearbey has been an assistant coach under coaches Mark Barousse, Mike Dormady and Brian Robbins, who stepped down in February after two seasons to take over at Hillsboro. Kearbey has been both the offensive and defensive coordinators in his 10 years at Poplar Bluff.

“The school and community are excited about the next step the Mules will make under the leadership of Coach Kearbey,” the statement said.

The search committee included Bill Caputo, athletic director, Chris Hon, assistant superintendent, principal Scot Young, junior high principal Bob Case and assistant high school principal Mike Ivie.

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Also, the annual SEMO Conference basketball banquet in Poplar Bluff will go on tonight at the high school student center.