Published: October 05, 2008 11:58 pm            

Top-ranked Navarro still has room to grow

There is much to learn when you are the No. 1 team in the nation. One of the best lessons is how to win ugly.

The Navarro Bulldogs digested Lesson One on Saturday when it routed Trinity Valley 35-6 in a less-than-beautiful victory that was mired by 24 penalties and seven turnovers and a myriad of missed chances on both sides.

“We were flat and we didn’t play with a whole lot of emotion,” said Navarro Coach Nick Bobeck. “But the bottom line is that we won the football game. We have to learn from what happened and apply it next week.”

After playing four ranked teams in the first five weeks, Navarro goes on an easier bent in the schedule the next three games before closing the year on the road at Blinn. Navarro travels to Northeastern Oklahoma (2-3) this week before hosting Cisco (1-4) and Arkansas Baptist (2-4).

In other conference games, Blinn rebounded from losing its No. 1 ranking by slamming Tyler, 52-3. NEO needed overtime to subdue Cisco, 28-22, on the road, and Kilgore allowed Arkansas Baptist just 157 yards in a 21-7 victory in Little Rock.

The final of Navarro’s string of ranked opponents proved to a very good test of the Bulldogs’ mettle. Unbeaten and averaging 49 points per game. Trinity Valley featured a potent offense and an opportunistic defense. Thanks to its own stingy defense and a quick-strike offense, Navarro made what could have close game into a 29-point rout.

Kudos goes to the Bulldog defense. Although it yielded 336 yards total offense, Navarro’s defense shut down Trinity Valley when it reached deep into Bulldog territory.

Five times Navarro’s defense denied Trinity Valley points inside the Bulldog 20. The Cardinals, using a backup kicker because of injury, missed a pair of field goals. The Bulldogs stopped Trinity Valley at the 8 on fourth down after fumbling on the first play from scrimmage. Two other drives died at the 4- and 18-yard lines.

Navarro’s defense also set up a touchdown when linebacker Brad Graham intercepted a pass deep at the Trinity Valley 29. Graham was the leader of the defensive carnage, registering a team-high 15 tackles, three tackles for loss and two quarterback pressures while breaking up a pair of passes.

“Any time you hold a team to six points, it’s a great feeling,” Bobeck said. “I don’t care how you do it, whether you stop them five times at the 1 or don’t let them past midfield. Our defense made plays when it had to, and it helped us win a pretty big game.”

The Navarro offense was far from inept. Take away two Andre Bevil interceptions, a bad shotgun snap and two other fumbles, the Bulldogs were at times quite impressive. Navarro gained 479 yards, averaging 7.2 yards per rush. Running back William Powell continued his running barrage of late, gaining a team-high 172 yards on only 13 attempts, including a 96-yard touchdown run in the third quarter a play after Navarro snuffed out a Trinity Valley fourth-and-goal inside its 5. Bevil added a 66-yard run and running back Justin Sturns scored twice.

Navarro even used a rare trick play, as quarterback-turned-receiver Marcus Jackson took a reverse pitch and lofted a perfect 46-yard scoring pass.

“Coach told us there would be days like this when everything did not go how we wanted, but we would still win the game,” Jackson said. “We set out to finish what we started. Fortunately, our offense got clicking in the second half and we were able to pull away in the second half to get the win.”

Bobeck said for Navarro to avoid any dips during the next three games, it would be necessary for his veterans to help spur the team emotionally.

“It’s hard as coaches to keep getting the players up every week,” Bobeck said. “At some point, that responsibility has to be assumed by the sophomore leaders.

“We’ll be a better team when we don’t have the emotional ups and downs. That’s why we haven’t played four good quarters in a game. When we do, we’re going to be very difficult to beat.”

        

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