Mules overcome early deficit, stop Hillsboro for Senior Night win

Poplar Bluff's Cole Christian (29) and Cole Laws (hidden) force a fumble by Hillsboro's Jaxin Patterson.

DAR/Paul Davis

Poplar Bluff overcame a shaky start Friday night, scoring 33 unanswered points to snap the longest losing streak in eight years on Senior Night.

The Mules took care of business with a 39-26 win over Hillsboro and will find out if it will be enough to move up in the district standings.

“We were a little nervous at first, I think, senior night has some jitters but we knew. Coach told us early on, we're going to have to be ready for it," said Poplar Bluff senior Chad Casey who caught six passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Down 14-0 heading into the second quarter, the Mules exploded for 27 points before halftime as Casey caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Kannon Carr and three different running back found the end zone.

Gavyn Hays ran for 71 of his 123 yards on a touchdown after Poplar Bluff's defense stopped the Hawks on fourth down, while Damarieus Robinson scored on an 11-yard run and Austin Tinsley scored the first of his two touchdowns.

Carr, who threw for 141 yards on 8 of 14 passes, added a 12-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to put the Mules up 33-14.

The Mules (4-5) will now wait to see if they did enough to overtake Seckman for the third seed in the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 playoffs. Prior to kickoff Friday, Poplar Bluff trailed 0.43 of a point. The Jaguars lost 42-2 to state-ranked Eureka and after Friday’s results the Mules led by 2.79 points with games to be played Saturday.

The bracket will be released this weekend by MSHSAA. The third seed will likely travel to Fox on Nov. 8 while the fourth seed plays at Jackson. Those winners will advance to the championship game a week later at the highest remaining seed.

“Our focus all week long is just we have to take care of our side of the equation and just see what happens," Mules coach David Sievers said. "We did, we got our 13 (point win). Now we just gotta hope."

The Hawks (3-6) were also in need of a win to host a first-round game in Class 4. They took a 14-0 lead into the second quarter after scoring on their first two drives but were stopped inches short on fourth down inside the Poplar Bluff 30-yard line.

On the next snap, Hays broke loose for a 71-yard touchdown and the Mules pulled even on Chandler Beaton's kick with just under 8 minutes left in the half.

Cole Christian hit the running back four plays later and Cole Laws popped the ball free helping on the stop. Christian recovered the ball to set up a 37-yard scoring drive for the lead.

“I just saw a shot and I took it and everyone started yelling 'ball,’” Laws said.

Five plays later, Robinson scored from 11 yards and the Mules were ahead for good with 4:18 left in the half.

Poplar Bluff's defense got a three-and-punt on the ensuing drive and got a break when the Hawks snapped the ball over the punter's head. The Mules got the ball for a 26-yard scoring drive as Tinsley, who ran for 66 yards, scored on a 1-yard run with 1:17 left in the half for a 27-14 lead.

The senior running back closed out the scoring with a 4-yard run to finish a 93-yard scoring drive after the Hawks got within a touchdown with 5 1/2 minutes left.

Instead of an onside kick, as they attempted before but ended up a yard short, the Hawks kicked it deep and pinned the Mules at their own 7-yard line. Hays ran for 26 yards on the first play and Tinsley followed with 35 more. Casey had a 22-yard reception during Poplar Bluff's last home scoring drive.

"Underclassmen should just enjoy this while they can. You don't realize how fast it goes by until it's already here," senior Cole Laws said. "This is the last time I get to play on this field.

"But I've had a great time and I hope the underclassmen can go and grow up and be great players."

Poplar Bluff snapped a four-game losing streak, the program's longest since 2011 after trailing early.

The Hawks opened the game with an 11-play scoring drive that ended with quarterback Austin Perez pushing in from the 1-yard line.

Four snaps later, Carr's first pass was deflected by lineman Daniel McCalliser and Austin Romaine came away with an interception. John Bennett scored on a 3-yard run six plays later after the Hawks converted a fourth-and-7 with a pass.

Perez, who came in 2 for 8 passing on the season, completed his first three attempts and was 6 for 12 for 97 yards, 13 more than the Hawks had thrown for in their previous eight games.

"Playing against that option we just got to be sound and we were," Sievers said. "I don't think it was a matter of us not being in the right places, just not making plays when we got there."

Jaxin Patterson ran for 215 yards on 38 carries, including a 2-yard touchdown with 9 1/2 minutes left.

After the Hawks forced Poplar Bluff’s lone punt, they converted a fourth-and-5 and scored four plays later when Perez threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Tristan Jones with 5:26 to play.

Hillsboro was within 33-26, but the Mules stopped the point-after run, one of three 2-point attempts by the Hawks that fell short.

“It’s win or go home from here on out so we’ve just got to keep it together and fix our mistakes,” Casey said.

Poplar Bluff's 13 seniors were recognized prior to the game along with five seniors on the cross country team and 17 members of the SHO-ME Marching Band.

There was a tribute and moment of silence for Wesley Lewis during a pre game ceremony. The Mules wore "True Mule" stickers on their helmets in his honor of the alum and longtime district employee who died last week.

Poplar Bluff's Austin Tinsley (1) picks up yardage early in Friday's game against Hillsboro.

DAR/Paul Davis

First Quarter
HIL — A.Perez 1 run (J.Patterson run), 6:43.
HIL — J.Bennett 3 run (run fail), 3:11.
Second Quarter
PB — C.Casey 28 pass from K.Carr (C.Beaton kick), 10:28.
PB — G.Hays 71 run (C.Beaton kick), 7:47.
PB — D.Robinson 11 run (C.Beaton kick), 4:18.
PB — A.Tinsley 1 run (kick fail), 1:17.
Third Quarter
PB — K.Carr 3 run (kick fail), 8:09.
Fourth Quarter
HIL — J.Patterson 2 run (run fail), 9:32.
HIL — T.Jones 35 pass from A.Perez (run fail), 5:26.
PB — A.Tinsley 4 run (kick fail), 2:26.

RUSHING: Poplar Bluff, G.Hays 6-123. A.Tinsley 15-66. D.Robinson 8-26. K.Carr 3-15. Da.Gatewood 2-20. R.Colvin 1-(-2). L.Strauts 1-(-3). Hillsboro, J.Patterson 38-215. J.Bennett 11-24. T.Watson 2-19. A.Romaine 3-8. A.Perez 3-6. Team 1-(-15).
PASSING: Poplar Bluff, K.Carr 8-14-1 141. Hillsboro, A.Perez 6-12-0 97.
RECEIVING: Poplar Bluff, C.Casey 6-131. Da.Gatewood 1-4. J.Mitchell 1-6. Hillsboro, T.Jones 3-55. T.Watson 3-42.
MISSED KICKS: none.