'Tremendous': SHS wins on C.J. Council interception return

Bulldogs rally to stay alive in playoff hunt

SIKESTON -- Turnovers can win or lose football games.

C.J. Council's fourth quarter interception did both.

Sikeston's Eli Jackson runs through a tackle attempt of Poplar Bluff's Josh Freeman (11) Friday night. Jackson finished the game with 185 yards rushing.

Sikeston's Eli Jackson runs through a tackle attempt of Poplar Bluff's Josh Freeman (11) Friday night. Jackson finished the game with 185 yards rushing.

With the score tied at 28 and only three seconds remaining in regulation, the Poplar Bluff Mules (4-5) opted to line up on their own 25-yard line and take one last shot at a score instead of running out the clock and trying their luck in overtime.

Mules quarterback, Todd Bullington, took the snap from the shotgun position and sent a pass towards the left side of midfield.

The pass hit right in the chest of a leaping Council as he came down with the interception. Council sprinted up the sideline and towards the end zone with nothing but zeros showing on the game clock.

Sikeston's C.J. Council prepares to tackle Poplar Bluff quarterback Todd Bullington Friday night at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium. Closing in on the play is Sikeston's CA Strickland (5).

Sikeston's C.J. Council prepares to tackle Poplar Bluff quarterback Todd Bullington Friday night at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium. Closing in on the play is Sikeston's CA Strickland (5).

Council was just narrowly able to avert both Poplar Bluff tacklers and Sikeston blockers to cross the plane for the touchdown and give the Bulldogs a 34-28 win over the Mules which is something that hasn't happened since 2002.

"Tremendous," Sikeston head coach Kent Gibbs said. "I don't know if there would be another way you could win it. This is a win that they will never forget on their home field.

"We preach to our kids all year long 'you never give up on a play,'" he added. "And certainly we didn't give up on that play. C.J. (Council) stepped up with a wall of black jerseys with him going into the end zone. It was just a tremendous way to win a game."

Council's game-winning interception return was made possible because of what happened almost 10 minutes earlier in the game.

Sikeston (5-4) received the ball on their own 20-yard line after Zach Ferguson put the Mules on top by rushing for a two-yard touchdown with 9:28 left in the fourth quarter. On the first play of the drive Eli Jackson ran for a 52-yard gain to jump start the Bulldog offense.

Sikeston was able to work their way down to the Poplar Bluff three-yard line after the Jackson gain and was faced with a fourth down and one to go situation.

Quarterback Charlie Bohannon took the snap and faked a handoff to Jackson. Bohannon rolled out of the pocket to the right side of the field and headed straight for the end zone for the touchdown with 6:16 left on the clock

Sikeston had to go for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 28 points. Niquavious Dixon was on the receiving end of the two points that tied the game for Sikeston.

The next two drives both ended with punts for each team which led to the Council interception.

Jackson led all rushers with 185 yards on 28 carries for the Bulldogs. He also rushed for two touchdowns. Bohannon led in the air with seven completions on 14 attempts and 136 yards. Bohannon added to his rushing touchdown with a strike to Jordan Williams for 29 yards in the second quarter. Williams ended up with 73 yards receiving as well.

"Charlie (Bohannon) had a big game," Gibbs said. "He was a warrior out there tonight. There was a couple times that he got hit and I didn't know if he was going to get up. He's just been a leader all year long. I just can't say enough about what he brings to our offense and the leadership that he showed out there tonight playing hurt like he did. All the kids rallied up in that fourth quarter and played hard and that's got to make you proud."

Ferguson was able to reach the end zone on the ground twice as well. He benefited with 140 yards on 24 attempts from a ground attack that utilized the triple option that gave Sikeston fits all night long. He also caught a five-yard touchdown pass.

Bullington finished the game with one touchdown and 84 yards on six completions.

"It was tough," Poplar Bluff head coach Shane Kearbey said. "We probably should have just let the clock go out and go into overtime. We made a mistake and it bit us in the butt. I feel bad for our kids. They fought and they didn't deserve to lose the game like that."

With this win, the Sikeston Bulldogs are now tied with West Plains with a 1-1 district record and have put themselves in a position to possibly fill one of the two playoff spots. It all depends on what happens in their next game against the district frontrunner, Farmington.

"It gives us something to play for against Farmington," said Gibbs. "We put ourselves in a position to play and get higher in the conference and still contend for a district championship. We're in the money we just got to go and play next Thursday."