Briefly: Poplar Bluff stays undefeated with win over conference foe Farmington

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Tristen Francisco threw for five touchdowns and ran for another while Poplar Bluff's defense made a pair of goal-line stands in a 44-30 win at Farmington on Friday night.

Jerrid Moore caught three passes for scores, including a 98-yard catch on Poplar Bluff's first snap.

Francisco threw for 357 yards and ran for 63 more to lead the Mules (3-0, 1-0 SEMO North).

Farmington (2-1, 0-1) trailed 22-12 at halftime but made it a 3-point deficit on Brandt Busenbark's 82-yard touchdown pass to Brayden Krause.

The Mules went ahead 30-19 with 2:21 left in the third on Francisco's 12-yard pass to Moore after the Knights faked a punt from their own end zone but came up a yard short.

Donovan Howard returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards to cut Poplar Bluff's lead to 30-27.

The Knights stopped Poplar Bluff 2 yards shy of the end zone but fumbled two plays later at their own 5. Francisco ran it in from 3 yards out for a 38-27 lead with 10:23 left.

Farmington recovered a Mules fumble at the Poplar Bluff 27 but was forced to kick a field goal from the 2, cutting the margin to 38-30 with 7:13 to play.

Poplar Bluff converted a third-and-12 during an 80-yard scoring drive capped by Francisco's 17-yard pass to Moore, who finished with 192 receiving yards.

Busenbark threw for 238 yards and ran for 56 more to lead the host Knights. Krause caught seven passes for 188 yards and kicked a 19-yard field goal.