Poplar Bluff’s strong second half too much for Sikeston

Poplar Bluff's Gavyn Hays (26) runs through the middle for touchdown in the first quarter Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

SIKESTON — Nothing worked for Sikeston against the Poplar Bluff running game on Friday night at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium.

After a first half that saw both teams struggle to find the end zone, the Mules opened up the second half with a bang. They scored on their first three drives, racing out to a 30-6 lead, in their 30-9 win over the Bulldogs.

Senior Gavyn Hays paced Poplar Bluff (3-1) with 152 yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns, while senior Damarieus Robinson had 91 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown on the ground.

On their first drive of the half, the Mules made their presence felt, as Hays rushed for 15- and 19-yard gains, before the senior scored from the goal line, to give the guests a 12-6 lead. Hays added a two-point conversion run to make the total as well.

Then, on the second drive, it was much of the same, as the Mules continued to punish the Bulldogs on the ground, ending in a six-yard run by Hays — his third of the game — while adding another two-point conversion run to make it 22-6 with 3:34 left in the quarter.

Never finding an answer to stop the Mules ground-and-pound game after halftime, Robinson would tally the final score of the contest for Poplar Bluff in the fourth quarter, on a two-yard score. Driving from the 23-yard line, Robinson neared the end zone after a 21-yard rush that set up his touchdown, while Hays finished the deal with his third two-point conversion to make it 30-6.

“They went in and figured out what they wanted to do,” Sikeston head coach Terry Flannigan said. “They came out and did it. That’s what I was worried about; I was worried about that big running back and that big offensive line. They got some players that look like players, and I think they finally got themselves together there at halftime and said, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do,’ and they did what they needed to do.”

It ended up being a tale of two halves.

Each team scored on their second drives of the game, through the first half, with the Bulldogs taking the initial lead after senior Vashawn Upchurch rushed for an eight-yard score.

Sikeston (2-2) continually found holes in the Mules’ defense during the drive and wound up working the ball to within the 10-yard line to set up the score. Sikeston’s ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed, making it 6-0 with 4:19 remaining.

Then, on Poplar Bluff’s next drive, the Mules had to make a key fourth-down conversion to keep their hopes alive of tying or taking the lead.

David Siervers’ squad would do just that, as junior Kannon Carr found junior Jacob Baller for the first down and a near touchdown. Baller bobbled the football in mid-air, but recovered it just in time and nearly scored before officials called him down at the one-yard line.

On the next play, though, the Mules found the end zone, as senior Gavyn Hays scored from the goal line to tie the game at six. Poplar Bluff’s two-point conversion attempt failed as well, to keep the score the same, with one minute remaining.

Putting together four quarters of football is what Sikeston lacked, and was what Flannigan noticed after the loss.

“We would look good this quarter, look good this half, but we’ve got to get four quarters and give ourselves a chance,” Flannigan said.

It doesn’t get any easier for Sikeston in Week 5, when they host Jackson, at 7 p.m. The Indians defeated Cape Central 63-0 in Week 4.

First Quarter

S — Vashawn Upchurch 8 run (run failed), 4:19

P — Gavyn Hays 1 run (run failed), 1:00

Third Quarter

P — Hays 1 run (Hays run), 9:01

P — Hays 6 run (Hays run), 3:34

Fourth Quarter

P — Damarieus Robinson 2 run (Hays run), 11:32

S — Dylan Thornbrough 28 field goal, 2:56

TEAM STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing — Poplar Bluff, Gavyn Hays 18-152, Kannon Carr 3-6, Damarieus Robinson 12-91, Devin Gatewood 1-3, Justin Mitchell 1-7, Amare White 2-2, Ben Colclasure 1-2; Sikeston, Joseph Heckemeyer 6-14, Jackson Kuykendall 8-10, Vashawn Upchurch 9-62, Daniel Lawrence 6-36, Trace Sullivan 2-0, Xavier Jackson 1-1.

Passing — Poplar Bluff, Kannon Carr 11-19-0 128; Sikeston, Joseph Heckemeyer 9-29-0 75.

Receiving — Poplar Bluff, Devin Gatewood 1-12, Jacob Baller 4-77, Jeridon Young 2-17, Nic Brumitt 2-16, Damarieus Robinson 1-(-3), Gavyn Hays 1-9; Sikeston, CJ Posey 3-36, Daniel Lawrence 2-11, Vashawn Upchurch 1-7, Dakwan Tilson 1-6, Jackson Kuykendall 1-9, Conner Wallace 1-6.