Brian Rosener is the keeper of the Semoball Cup which is presented to the school with the most successful season. It is based on a formula that takes into account the combined winning percentage of all sports teams plus bonus points for advancement in postseason play for both teams and individuals. The bonus points are divided by the number of teams a school fields. Rosener has been the sports editor for the Daily American Republic in Poplar Bluff, Mo. since December 2001. He was born and raised in St. Louis, where he attended Lindbergh High School and Webster University. He is married to Jennifer, a Poplar Bluff native, has a son Jack and a dog named Satchel who stands in for his @semoballBrian photo.

Mules 70, NMCC 63

Posted Thursday, February 12, 2009, at 3:38 PM

NEW MADRID -- With another late push, the Poplar Bluff Mules inched closer to a SEMO Conference title Thursday night.

Riley and Jay Raulston combined for 52 points while Greg Coble and Eljie Johnson got key buckets in final minute of Poplar Bluff's 70-63 win at New Madrid County Central.

The Mules (14-7, 5-0 SEMO) sit atop the conference with a home game Friday night against Notre Dame and a trip to Charleston a week later to end the regular season.

Jay Raulston's double-double of 27 points and 12 rebounds led the Mules while Riley Raulston scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half.

In a game that featured 21 lead changes and 13 ties, the Mules finished with an 8-1 run starting with Todd Bullington's free throw with 1:24 left that broke a 62-62 tie.

Central's Keith Holmes missed a 3-point shot with a minute left and Poplar Bluff senior Chris Kilgore came away with the rebound. His quick pass ahead put Coble on a break and the junior skied to the basket for a layin and a 65-62 lead.

Kony Ealy, who led Central with 20 points, got an offensive rebound and went to the free-throw line with 38 seconds left. After missing the first, Ealy hit his second and the Eagles fouled Jay Raulston 11 seconds later.

Raulston hit his first free throw and his second attempt missed, but Johnson got a putback with a hook shot for a 68-63 lead.

Riley Raulston finished the game with a putback dunk to set the final score.

Central didn't score a field goal over the final 2:27 after Ealy's putback tied the game at 62-62.

Poplar Bluff led 16-10 after one quarter and by as many as eight in the second, but Central rallied with a 10-2 run and took a 31-29 lead into halftime.

Poplar Bluff senior Ben Knuckles missed his first start and game of the season due to an illness, he did not dress. Freshman Kendric McCain got the start in his place.

More in Friday's DAR

From an earlier post

Now that The Big One is out of the way and districts are still over a week away, the races for the SEMO Conference title heat up.

Tonight, the Mules travel to New Madrid County Central to face an Eagles team that has already beaten Poplar Bluff twice this season. The Mules lead the SEMO race by a lead after beating Sikeston last Friday. Charleston, Sikeston, New Madrid trail the Mules by a game with Poplar Bluff hosting Notre Dame on Friday night. Charleston hosts Poplar Bluff a week from Friday.

Who will come away with this year's title?

On the girls side, Dexter's win over Notre Dame has the Lady Bearcats up on the Lady Bulldogs by a game with a key matchup at Poplar Bluff on Monday. Last season there was a three-way tie for the title after the Lady Mules won at Dexter. Could it happen again, or can Dexter finish the regular season unbeaten?

Poplar Bluff's district has been announced. Both the Mules and Lady Mules were named the top seed. Here's the brackets for the boys and girls.

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I said in a comment probably back in Dec.that Poplar Bluffs program and fans have alot to be happy about.They have a new budding young coach in Lamont Fraizer who is a three time state champion as a Charleston Bluejay and was apart of that special team at Mizzou,the team that nearly knocked off UCLA during March Madness.They knocked off Sikeston and they only have the dangerous Notre Dame Bulldogs and his home,the Charleston Bluejays left.If they defeat ND,that should set up another big game other than Sikeston and Scott Central,it may be sold out at the Jays Nest!

-- Posted by DonaldTrump on Fri, Feb 13, 2009, at 11:10 AM
a win tonite guarantees them at least a share of the semo conf. championship, although i know they've got their sights set higher than that. i think after the post-season begins and even ends, people tend to forget about what an accomplishment winning the semo conf. is. i expect another big crowd at peters gym tonite against a dangerous notre dame team.

-- Posted by myershallred on Fri, Feb 13, 2009, at 11:21 AM

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