Mules soccer changed the standard

In what was easily the top-five coldest games I’ve ever covered, I watched Poplar Bluff fall to Farmington on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Class 3, District 1 tournament at Hillsboro, the Windy City of Missouri.

While I stood there wondering when I would have use of my fingers again, I thought back on what the Mules accomplished this season.

Yes, losing is disappointing and it still stings but changing the standard of a program is hard.

I’ve gotten the opportunity to watch several games of the Mules this season and one thing was clear. There was definitely an identity.

A stout defense and an attacking offense is the dream for any soccer team and the Mules did that in bunches.

I wasn’t fully aware how special this season was until a few weeks ago when Poplar Bluff was in the middle of a six-game winning streak, the program’s longest in a decade.

They had four separate three-game winning streaks if you want to get technical.

When I did a story on Colten Palma last week, he mentioned the change. He said how seven wins was great a few years ago but now the Mules finished the season with 15.

15 wins.

It’s the most since at least the 2005 season.

I’ve gotten to cover some really good soccer teams. I’ve covered Final Four teams and Division I players. What Poplar Bluff boys soccer did this season wasn’t a fluke.

Rusty Crafton is onto something and even with losing six really, really good seniors, the Mules are in a position to make noise for the next few years.