However spontaneous the voting was, the consensus among Nixa’s players Friday was the honor to be the recepient during the presentation of the Backyard Brawl trophy should be senior guard Jacob Lile.
Lile was proud to hold the illustrious hardware high in celebration of the Eagles’ 48-3 triumph, their fifth straight Backyard Brawl victory.
"It's a big deal being selected,” Lile said. “I think they pointed to me since I have been a starter since my sophomore year and I’m a senior. I was like, 'All right, I'll take it.' It felt great, having the spotlight while holding the trophy over my head.”
As always, of course, it made perfect sense for Nixa to empower its superior and strapping offensive line with some heavy lifting. Without fail, Lile and his cohorts combined for a surge at the line of scrimmage and even into the second line of Ozark's defense.
Eagles running back Dylan Rebura repeatedly ran untouched on his six touchdowns. He rushed for 242 yards on 29 carries.
Per usual, Nixa players weren’t lacking for self-motivation, no matter how many times their fans were telling them beforehand they would win again.
"We have very good motivation. It doesn’t matter who we play,” Lile said. “We've got to be on point every night. You’ve got to get one percent better all the time.
“It’s very competitive from the first play to the end against (Ozark),” he added. “I know (linebacker) Parker Elliott and (left tackle) Logan Smith well. They’re pretty cool dudes. I always give them glory and encourage them, it doesn't matter that they're our opponent.”
Another matchup that favored the Eagles was their ever-improving secondary opposite Ozark’s fleet of capable receivers. In the three Nixa-Ozark games over the past two seasons, the Eagles have held the Tigers to one touchdown and no scores through the air.
Nixa’s defensive backs contained heralded wide receiver Sam Clark. He was targeted nine times, while finishing with four receptions for 35 yards.
No Tigers player has more friends at Nixa and is more respected by the Eagles than Clark. Count cornerback Randy Flint among those who holds a high regard for Clark. He was thrilled to be assigned to him most of the night.
"I was smiling and ready,” Flint said of his reaction when Clark lined up on his side of the field. “He’s a great player who gives you different looks. You never know what is going to happen. So, you’ve always got to be ready. Playing against him, it's going to get me ready for down the road when I see other receivers like him. That's a good thing.”
Flint and Clark engaged in a classic jump-ball battle for a pass that resulted in a 29-yard Clark reception in the first half. Both players were visibly winded on the play after landing on their backs.
Flint answered later in the first half by outracing Clark to the ball and picking up an interception.
“Earlier, I missed (an interception) and the coaches were joking with me that I didn't have hands,” Flint said. “I had to get one back.”
Nixa (8-0) played with only one Flint, as Randy’s older brother, Keivon, did not suit up. Keivon, a wide receiver, injured an ankle on the opening kickoff at Waynesville last week.
"He's trying to get himself ready and prepared for the playoffs,” Randy said. “No rush (to return) at all. No offense to Ozark and (next week’s opponent) Glendale, but we'd rather save him for better teams. I hope he gets healed up. He's been looking pretty good.”
Nixa’s passing game wasn’t much of a factor. Quarterback Adam McKnight was pulled earlier than usual after completing 2-of-7 passes for 62 yards. He ran the ball seven times for 36 yards.
McKnight still has yet to throw an interception, but the Eagles turned the ball over twice on a fumble and an errant center-snap. That's twice as many turnovers as Nixa had in its first seven games.
Ozark (3-5) was guilty of four giveaways on two fumbles and two interceptions.
In addition to Flint’s pick, linebacker Carter Fangrow had an interception. Cornerback McCoy Sullivan forced a Tigers fumble and recovered the ball at the Ozark one-yard line. Also, linebacker Weston Weldon forced a fumble that was recovered by safety Parker Mann.
Tigers quarterback Peyton Russell was 15-of 27 passing for 133 yards and one interception. His backup, Caden O’Donnell, was 6-of-13 for 66 yards.
Ozark wideout Jett Easley caught seven passes for 91 yards and was also the Tigers’ leading rusher with 12 yards on three carries.
With Russell often under pressure in the pocket and sacked three times, the Tigers finished with two yards rushing.
As jubilant as Nixa players were to hoist the Backyard Brawl trophy, the Eagles’ post-game celebration was minus its traditional fireworks display and Randy Flint’s running back-flip.
“I couldn’t do it tonight, my body is banged up,” Flint said. “I’m going to go home and sleep. I might take a break from my back-flip and come back to it later for bigger games.”
As anyone who has witnessed Flint’s flip might suspect, he has a gymnastics background.
“I started doing gymnastics when I was 6 years old,” he said. “But I busted my knee and that was the end of my gymnastics career.”
