NMCC will be tested by a physical Mule squad

NEW MADRID-- It will be a battle of speed versus brawn when the New Madrid County Central Eagles take on the Poplar Bluff Mules in New Madrid Friday night.

"We're two contrasting styles," NMCC head coach Arlen Pixley said. "We do some things I don't think they are very good at, and they do some things that we're not very good at."

The Eagles lost much of the district championship team from last year to graduation. Young as they might be, NMCC will be very deep across the board with talent stacked in most positions.

Despite individual talents returning in the likes of quarterback Dontre Jenkins, tight end/linebacker Kony Ealy, running back G'Darius Stevenson and offensive lineman Patrick Goforth; Pixley remains focused on the team concept.

"I'm going to depend on everybody," Pixley said. "We can't hang our hat on one guy."

NMCC's offense will be one of the fastest in the area this year, with four players in the backfield capable of making big plays.

"I expect multiple touches by multiple people -- that has to happen in order for us to be successful," he said of his running attack.

Pixley looks for his team to prevent turnovers on the offensive side of the game.

"We're focusing on zero turnovers and protecting the football," he said.

Poplar Bluff's defense will present a serious challenge to the Eagles.

"In the film I've seen, they just whipped everyone physically at the point of attack," Pixley said of the Poplar Bluff defense. "That means if they can get their hands on you, you're whipped. The problem we present for them is whether or not they can get their hands on us."

NMCC looks to take a page from their Friday night opponent and be very physical at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. Physicality is something Pixley constantly emphasizes to his squad as they prepare for Friday.

"We went full pads today (in practice), hitting and going to the ground," Pixley said. "Iron sharpens iron and men sharpen men. There is no secret to it -- everyone looks for a secret way to get more physical, you just got to put a body on a body."

Poplar Bluff packs a potent offensive attack on the arm of quarterback Todd Bullington and the legs of running back Zach Ferguson.

Pixley looks for his front seven to battle hard and gel as a unit, since many of them are new starters. However, he feels confident in the ability of his secondary to stop the pass attack.

"Right now we're running about eight different coverages and we're doing pretty good on those," Pixley said. "We have a total of 17 (coverage packages) so we have nine more to learn. We're slowly turning each page of the playbook to get there."

Pixley knows that the Mules will be a well coached squad under the leadership of first year head coach Shane Kearbey.

"I've known coach Kearbey for the past 10 years and he is going to have them ready to play," he said. "He's been a guy thats served under three different offensive styles and has picked and pulled from here and there and knows what suits his personnel."

The Eagles are ranked No. 10 in the Class 3 Missouri AP football poll, which is not something Pixley nor his team give much thought to.

"That doesn't concern any of us," Pixley stated. "We're not out to prove anything to anybody but ourselves. So as far as anybody saying we're in the top 10, until they get pads on and play us, I don't think anybody can rank anybody."

"We're never going to quit working with what we do here," Pixley said. "Thats just the way do things here at New Madrid, and its worked out for us pretty well the last few years."

Hard hits and lightning speed should be in abundance as two of the premier teams in the area square off Friday night.

"We've just got to line up and play," Pixley said. "This game is not going to be played on paper. It's going to be played on that field Friday night."