ROGERS — After two straight 7A/6A-West Conference losses, Rogers High quarterback Max Harrell gave the Mounties offense a much needed spark.
Starting for the first time in four weeks, Harrell rushed for 101 yards, but more importantly the senior was sharp running the Mounties’ triple-option attack in a 59-42 victory against Springdale Har-Ber Friday night. Rogers rushed for 556 yards and time-after-time Harrell made crisp option pitches and key reads that helped set up three 57-yard touchdown runs and a 63-yard scoring scamper by the Mounties.
“It would have been real easy for Max, when he wasn’t the starter, to crawl in a cave and pout,” Rogers coach Shawn Flannigan said. “But he didn’t do that and that speaks well about the type of kid Max is. Max came back and led our team to the win. I’m real proud of him.”
Harrell said he felt comfortable from the start being back under center. Harrell twice ran for first downs on third down and he had a late fourth down conversion as the Mounties pulled away. Slot back Brandon Workman rushed for 222 yards for Rogers while slot back Ty Galyean added 135 yards rushing.
“We just try to get the football in the hands of our playmakers,” Harrell said. “Ty and Brandon are great athletes. It’s been a while for me, but there is nothing better than getting back out and being with these guys.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Workman rushed for 222 yards on just eight carries. He had a pair of 57-yard touchdown runs and he added a 63-yard scoring run early in the second half to give Rogers a 42-21 lead. Workman now has rushed for 748 yards and 12 touchdowns on the year and is averaging a whopping 12.4 yards a carry.
PLAYS OF THE NIGHT: Har-Ber seemed to have the momentum after cutting the Rogers lead to 49-42 early in the fourth quarter. But the Mounties responded with a 67-yard drive that ended with a 28-yard field goal by Ryan Nolan with 2 minutes, 18 seconds left that gave Rogers a 10-point lead. During the drive, Galyean ran eight yards on third-and-7 and 13 yards on third-and-4 before Harrell went two yards on fourth-and-2 to put Rogers at the Har-Ber 13.
NOTABLE: Rogers had two interceptions, including a 60-yard return for a touchdown by Dane Rogers and a pick by Alec Wanasek in the Mounties’ end zone on the final play of the game. Wanasek’s interception was big because it allowed Rogers to get the maximum 13 points that may be needed in any tiebreaker at the end of the season. … The win marked the first time since 2006 that Rogers has defeated Har-Ber.
UP NEXT: Rogers travels to Siloam Springs on Friday. The Panthers are much improved and a Mounties loss would be a huge blow to their playoff chances.
THAT FIGURES
0 — Number of Rogers punts against Har-Ber.
1 — Nolan converted the Mounties’ first field goal of the season in the fourth quarter.
9 — Average per rush for the Mounties against the Wildcats.