September 27, 2014
Sikeston comes up short against Poplar Bluff 14-13
sports@standard-democrat.com SIKESTON -- The difference between exhilaration and heartbreak is a fine line. The Sikeston Bulldogs know that all too well at this point in the season. For the third-straight week, Sikeston had a game come down to the final minute. They split the first two, but fell short on Friday at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium in a disappointing 14-13 loss to Poplar Bluff...
By Derek James - Standard Democrat
sports@standard-democrat.com
SIKESTON -- The difference between exhilaration and heartbreak is a fine line.
The Sikeston Bulldogs know that all too well at this point in the season.
For the third-straight week, Sikeston had a game come down to the final minute. They split the first two, but fell short on Friday at Sikeston Public Schools Stadium in a disappointing 14-13 loss to Poplar Bluff.
Such is life with a young, inexperienced team like the Bulldogs, who are a couple plays from being 5-1, but instead fall to 3-3 on the season.
"We've had several of those this year," Gibbs said. "When you play close games it certainly takes a lot out of you. Sometimes, obviously, you're going to come out on top, sometimes you're not."
Poplar Bluff's win snapped a seven-game losing streak to Sikeston, last beating the Bulldogs in 2007.
It also snapped a three-game skid this season as the Mules improve to 3-3.
"Us and Sikeston are both going through tough times," Poplar Bluff coach Mark Barousse said. "Graduation hit us hard. Both of us are down a little bit. But I thought it was a hard fought ballgame on both sides. We just found a way."
It eventually came down to special teams that made the difference in the end.
Trailing 7-6 with 8:35 left in the game, Poplar Bluff's Tristen Francisco ran a fake punt for six yards on a 4th and 3 to get the first down.
"The fake punt was not a called fake punt," Barousse said. "He did that on his own. He just saw it, there was no edge and he just took off."
The Mules then converted a 3rd and 6 when Francisco caught a 26-yard pass from quarterback Kameron Misner. Then on 3rd and 14, Francisco caught a 26-yard pass from Misner for the touchdown with 5:22 left in the game.
Bi Nguyen ran for the two-point conversion, got caught up in a pile, but was able to push his way into the end zone for what ended up being the winning points, leading 14-7.
Misner had missed the previous two games due to a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 3 and was listed as doubtful throughout the week, but the 6-foot-4 junior didn't miss a snap on Friday.
He threw for 188 yards, completing 15 of 29 passes with two touchdowns.
"He makes things happen," Barousse said. "He moves around a little bit, you know, scrambles out of the pocket and made some big plays and stuff."
Sikeston wasn't through, however.
Both teams traded punts on the following two possessions and the Bulldogs had one last chance with 1:44 left from its own 33.
On the first play, quarterback Nathan Hampton threw to Corbyn Blissett down the right sideline. Blissett adjusted on the ball, came back for it and out-wrestled the Poplar Bluff defender, who fell to the turf. Blissett kept his feet and sprinted to the end zone for a 67-yard touchdown.
But Hampton's extra point kick was blocked, leaving the Mules with a 14-13 lead with 1:33 left in the game.
"It was a good throw, it was a good catch and Corbyn did a good job of getting it to the end zone -- we just couldn't get the kick off," Gibbs said.
With no timeouts remaining, Sikeston's only hope was to recover the onside kick, but the kick didn't travel the required 10 yards. The Mules took possession and kneeled out the final seconds on the clock to seal the victory.
"In a one-point ballgame you look at film and you look back and there could be seven or eight plays there that determine whether or not you got a first down, didn't get a first down, got a stop, didn't get a stop," Gibbs said.
The Bulldogs had 10 penalties for 85 yards, including three of the 15-yard variety.
"We had too many penalties tonight and we did too many things like that," Gibbs said. "Shot ourselves in the foot. Not taking anything away from Bluff because they deserved to win tonight."
The first half was a defensive battle.
Sikeston fumbled on its first play of the game only to see the Mules fumble the ball back on its third play.
That led to the teams trading punts. Sikeston continually won the field position battle, including pinning the Mules at the Bulldog 1.
"(Field position) helped us keep them out of the end zone. Unfortunately we didn't do a lot with the football and we just kept sending our defense out there," Gibbs said.
Neither team could break through until Poplar Bluff put together a 16-play, 84-yard drive capped by Francisco's 9-yard TD reception with 3:44 left. The kick was wide, leaving the Mules with a 6-0 lead.
Sikeston responded quickly, going 76 yards on seven plays with Victwon Riley scoring on a 1-yard plunge. Hampton's PAT gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead with 1:06 left in the half.
Poplar Bluff had good field position on the following kickoff at the 49. The Mules got as deep as the Sikeston 21 and had a couple cracks at the end zone but the drive ended on downs, leaving the Bulldogs with a 7-6 lead heading into halftime.
The Mules started the second half with a fumble on its opening drive.
The Bulldogs put together a drive that reached as deep as the Poplar Bluff 8, but it ended on downs with 7:53 left in the third.
Poplar Bluff's ensuing drive was helped by a roughing the punter penalty against the Bulldogs, but the Mules ended up missing a 21-yard field goal attempt with 3:48 left in the third.
But Sikeston's offense never could get going as the next three drives ended on downs and two punts.
Sikeston finished with 219 yards of offense, including a season-low 37 yards rushing.
Hampton threw for a career-high 182 yards passing, completing 12 of 16 attempts.
Blissett had three receptions for 88 yards. Earnest Fobbs caught four passes for 65 yards.
Riley rushed for 48 yards on 17 carries.
The Mules finished with 285 yards of offense. Nguyen finished with 57 yards rushing on 22 carries. Francisco had eight receptions for 127 yards.
"Our defense played well but we also missed tackles at some inopportune times and we didn't take advantage of some things, really on both sides of the ball," Gibbs said. "They made more plays and they won. That's going to happen when you have two evenly matched teams."
Poplar Bluff will host Maplewood-Richmond Heights next Friday while Sikeston will host Jackson in its final SEMO Conference game.
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