Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Westley Wood (37) battles with Poplar Bluff attackers for the ball during Monday's high school soccer game at Indian Park. [Click to enlarge]

Snapping a nearly three-year losing streak. Winning a season opener for the first time in school history. A school record for wins.

Add to that another first -- a win over the Poplar Bluff Mules.

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Allyson Luce swings at a pitch during Monday's high school softball game against Sikeston at Indian Park. [Click to enlarge]

Blake Wilbanks's goal -- his second of the day -- with just minutes to goal snapped a two-all tie and lifted the Tribe to a 3-2 win over Bluff Monday evening at Indian Park.

"Blake has shown some good finishing techniques," Kennett assistant coach Tom Hooper said. "He's really been able to put the ball in the goal when we've really needed it."

As stated earlier, Monday's victory is the program's first win over the Mules since Kennett began playing high school soccer back in the 1990s.

"I think it boils down to the fact that we have one of the strongest defensive lines in the area," said Hooper. "I've been extremely pleased with the aggressive play that they have shown over the season. Travis Gentry, Westley Wood, Ryan Richardson, Patrick Ratliff and Will Johnson have really stepped it up this year.

"I feel like by going back to the fundamentals of a strong defensive game, we've been able to produce some offensive scoring and that's been able to win is some games."

The Indians (6-9-1) took a 1-0 lead on Nelson Villela's goal in the first half and extended that to 2-0 by halftime on the first of Wilbanks's goals.

However, Poplar Bluff rallied, cutting the lead to 2-1 midway through the second half and tying the score at 2-2 late in the game, setting up Wilbanks's late heroics.

The Tribe will look to add to its memorable campaign on Thursday when it hosts Anna-Jonesboro on Senior Day.

"It's kind of nice when you can do some things you've never done before," Hooper said. "I feel like the programs going to continue to grow and improve. I think that these boys as a team have the potential to continue to break school records."

Volleyball
Kennett def. NMCC
At Kennett High School, the Lady Tribe improved to 17-2-1 on the season with a 25-15, 25-20 win over the Lady Eagles.

Ciara Dewrock and Taylor Wake each had five kills to pace Kennett, while Dewrock added three aces. Megan Lack had a team-high five aces and added a pair of kills, while Brea Riddle added nine assists, four kills and a pair of blocks and Chrisie Burrow dished off five assists.

In the jayvee contest, the Lady Indians won 25-10, 25-22.

Kennett plays at Hayti on Thursday with a chance to win the Bootheel Conference title outright.

Softball
Sikeston 3, Kennett 1
At Indian Park, Sikeston capitalized on four Kennett errors -- two in the eighth inning -- to spoil Senior Day for the Lady Tribe.

Kennett (10-5) forced extra innings as it tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Abbi Daniels tripled and scored on a Kasey Ellis base hit, but the Lady Bulldogs scored two unearned runs in the top of the eighth to pull off the upset.

Daniels finished the day with three hits and Ellis added a pair as the Lady Tribe pounded out nine hits.

Laurel Scales took the loss despite allowing just five hits and one earned run in eight innings, striking out 10 and walking none.