Rockdale story

[Dogman]

There is a good article in the Temple Sports page today about Coach Clark and the Tigers.

[CHS_Grad '85]

Here ya go...

Rolling Rockdale has overcome slow start; Tigers seek sixth straight win, 19-3A crown
ROCKDALE — Three games into Robby Clark’s tenure as Rockdale’s head football coach, it look-ed as if the Tigers might not accomplish the goal they set for themselves be-fore the season started. Five weeks later the Tigers have replaced the old goal board with a new one, not because of their 1-2 start but because of their 5-0 run since. “We talked during the preseason about what our goals were, and first and foremost was making the playoffs,” said Clark, an assistant at Burnet before he took over for Casey Creghan at Rockdale last spring. “Then a few weeks ago we said, ‘If we continue to improve at this rate, there’s no reason we can’t play for the district title.’ “So we scrapped the old goal board. Now what we want to do is be a better team each time we step out to play and win the district championship.” Thus far, Rockdale has accomplished the former and it will get a chance at the latter when it hosts Cameron Yoe at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Stadium in a key District 19-3A matchup — and the 50th edition of Milam County’s “Battle of the Bell.” The Tigers (6-2) and Yoemen (8-0) are both 5-0 in the 19-3A standings and Friday’s game will go a long way toward determining the district champion — as well as deciding who gets the 117-pound brass railroad bell. Five weeks ago, the annual rivalry wasn’t shaping up to be a 19-3A showdown after Rockdale got off to a 1-2 start and struggled on both sides of the ball. The Tigers had trouble scoring in a 14-7 season-opening win against Lorena, couldn’t keep the opponent from scoring in a 46-26 loss to Robinson, and couldn’t do either one in a 30-0 defeat at the hands of Taylor. “Our guys were still trying to learn new schemes and weren’t executing very well,” Clark said. “Those two things go hand-in-hand. If you’re not 100-percent sure of what you’re doing, then it’s hard to be aggressive.” Rockdale has since righted its ship and will be gunning for its second straight win over Yoe after taking last year’s meeting 25-23 in Cameron. One reason for the Tigers’ boost and ensuing 5-0 run has been the return of senior quarterback Matt Sanders, who missed the first three games after suffering a broken collarbone in a preseason scrimmage against Fairfield. Sanders (646 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, five interceptions) has infused a Rockdale offense that has averaged 26 points per game in its last five outings after averaging 13 points through the first three. by Eric Drennan