NWADG Prep Rally Football Playoff

30 PREP RALLY PLAYOFF: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2017 T R E E S E R V I C E PR A I R I E GR O V E 4 7 9 - 6 0 1 - 5 5 9 1 4 7 9 - 8 4 6 - 43 3 3 STEVE ANDREWS Special to the NWA Democrat-Gazette Mountainburg football coach Tom Harrell knew five years ago that he had something special when a stout, athletic seventh-grader joined his junior high football program. Now even more stout, Robert Roxin (5-foot-10, 210 pounds) is the team's unquestioned leader and has the Dragons on the verge of something special. Picked to finish no higher than fourth in the 2A-4 Conference this season, Mountainburg rolled to an 8-1 record, 6-1 in the conference, finishing second to Danville for the regular-season crown. e Dragons will host England (5-5) at 7 tonight in a first-round playoff game. "It's a different game when you start playing some of these other teams from other parts of the state," Harrell said. "Offensively, we are going to do what we do, and defensively, we are just going to have to contain. "We're going to roll it as far as we can roll it." Harrell, now in his 31st year at Mountainburg, will count heavily on Roxin, his senior quarterback, to keep it rolling. Roxin was the team's starting tailback a season ago, but aer the graduation of quarterback Quincey Pixley, the Dragons had a void to fill. "We had a spot there that we needed someone to pick up, so I just decided to move over and play quarterback," Roxin said. "Whatever I can do to help the team win games, I'm going to do." e Dragons also instituted a new offense, with similarities to the old single-wing – essentially a triple option. On the snap, a pair of backs basically run speed sweeps in opposite directions. e quarterback spins around with the option to hand the ball to either back, or keep it himself and run up the middle. ey also balance the attack with passing plays off of play-action. "It's a misdirection offense that gives me the option to hand it off, keep it, or throw it down field," Roxin said enthusiastically. "We basically force defenses to try and stop the run, then if we can catch the defense looking in the backfield, we can usually get a receiver in behind them. "We've been able to learn this new offense, and run it pretty good. We've just used what coach has taught us, and we're playing some good ball." Roxin has ran for 615 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has also completed 29 of his 45 passes (65 percent) for 641 yards, and nine touchdowns, with only one interception. He has totaled 1,256 yards of total offense this season, averaging 157 per game. "Robert has stepped in and done a remarkable job with what we have put in his lap, but I think it fits him very well," Harrell said. "He's a big, bruiser-type kid, and his passing has really improved since week one. He's just meant everything to us. It's not just him, but he is the one that makes it go." Harrell said defenses have actually sold out to force Roxin to run it himself in a couple of games. ose ended with him racking up 185 and 140 yards on the ground, taking a physical toll on the defenses along the way. "I love the physical game and making contact out there," Roxin said. "at's one of my ways of wearing down the defense." Dragons ready to road in 2A playoffs COURTESY PHOTO Robert Roxin, right, rips off a big gain against Lavaca in a 2A-4 Conference game. The Dragons earned the No. 2 seed in the conference and will host a first-round playoff game on Friday. AT A GLANCE ROBERT ROXIN SCHOOL Mountainburg CLASS Senior HEIGHT 5-10 WEIGHT 210 POSITION Quarterback/Defensive End NOTABLE First year as the starting quarterback, after starting at tailback as a junior. … Has rushed 129 times for 615 yards and a team-high 15 touchdowns and three 2-point conversions. … Has completed 29 of 45 passes (65 percent) for 641 yards and nine touchdowns, with only one interception. … Has tallied 1,256 yards of total offense, for a 157 per-game average. … Has also seen some action at defensive end making 14 tackles, nine solos and one fumble recovery. Mountainburg Dragons (8-2) DATE OPPONENT RESULT Sept. 1 ..............at Cedarville......................... W 26-12 Sept. 8 ..............Hackett* ................................ W 33-30 Sept. 15 ...........Danville* ............................... L 38-14 Sept. 22 ...........at Decatur* ........................... W 55-7 Sept. 29 ...........Lavaca* .................................. W 40-20 Oct. 6 ................Westside* ............................. W 40-14 Oct. 13 .............at Western Yell* .................. L 13-0 Oct. 20 .............at Hackett ............................. W 47-18 Oct. 27 .............at Magazine* ....................... W 35-8 Nov. 3 ...............Open * — Denotes 2A-4 Conference game CLASS 2A JODY GREGORY PLUMBING Supp ts Mountainburg

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