Poplar Bluff soccer kept pace with an all-around Jackson team for about 20 minutes. But soon after, the Indians started to showcase why they were a 7-1 team with six clean sheets entering Tuesday's game at Mules Stadium.
Crisp passing, well-timed runs down in the wide areas of the field and an aggressive attack from Jackson (8-1) were too much for a shorthanded Poplar Bluff team to handle as the Indians scored two goals in each half for a 4-0 victory.
Poplar Bluff goalkeeper Justin Moses was tested early and often. Despite the lopsided scoring margin, he fended off shot after shot on his way to 16 saves.
When junior back Gage Rowland left the game with a foot injury with 15 minutes to go in the first half, his absence showed along the backline.
Also missing for the Mules (3-6) was Nik Rowland, who was out with an ankle injury.
"Defensively, just keep working hard," Poplar Bluff head coach Rusty Crafton said. "If you get down 1-0, 2-0, keep fighting. Don't give up. ... It didn't help with five starters on the bench and hurt, you know. That's never good."
Less than three minutes later, Jackson junior Ryan Kinder opened the scoring after Moses parried a save back into play.
No one was able to get to the loose ball and clear it away, so Kinder pounced and sent the ball into the back of the net.
Wyatt Rowland and Xander Martin threatened to equalize three minutes later with some solid work. Rowland dribbled by his defender near the left wing and set up a shot for a teammate from the right side.
The shot was saved and fell to the foot of Martin, who launched a shot that sailed over the crossbar by inches.
"We've just got to capitalize," Crafton said. "We had opportunities to score, we've just got to capitalize on it."
Jackson again seized control of the possession battle shortly after. Zavier Heinley was the next forward to get in on the scoring for the visitors. With just under six minutes to go in the half Poplar Bluff conceded a corner. An errant clearance attempt from the Mules left a free ball sitting, and Heinley delivered it into the right corner of the net to double the lead heading into halftime.
"We have to quit making key mistakes in the back that kill us," Crafton said. "It should've been 1-0 at the half and maybe tied at the half, but we allow a goal and nobody steps to the ball and they get a wide open shot. Things like that we've got to clean up and better at, and I think we can fix some of those problems.
Rowland and Martin almost broke through yet again for the Mules early in the second half. After Rowland beat his defender and shielded him off inside the 18-yard box, the ball found its way to Martin who ripped a shot from the top of the box, but it flew directly into the arms of Jackson keeper Luke Mirly.
"Our backline did a good job today as far as defensively shutting them down a little bit and taking away their opportunities," said Walton. "We did a great job working the ball through the back (and) using our keeper to help relieve pressure and not panic.
"Overall, it was just a good team effort."
Nearly 10 minutes later, though, Jackson added to its lead.
Jackson won possession in the midfield and sent a ball over the top and into the box. It took a deflection and found an unmarked Jake Sauerbrunn on the right side. He rifled a shot into the opposite side of the net to make the score 3-0.
Poplar Bluff had one more shot to get on the board, but an attempt by Rowland just missed the upper right corner of the net from a half volley just outside the box.
Jackson added its fourth goal when a mis-kicked ball from the Mules popped into the back of the net for an own goal.