Purcell’s first football contest with North Rock Creek is Friday night with kick off set for 7 p.m.

The No. 7 Cougars are 4-2 on the season.

“They are definitely one of the top teams in Class 3A that got a big win against Pauls Valley last week,” Purcell Head Coach Aaron Dillard said.

North Rock Creek has also posted a victory over Marlow this season.

“They are really a solid team that has a really good running back that is committed to North Texas. He’s the best back we’ve seen this year. Their quarterback is also really good. He has a strong arm and is a pocket passer.”

To compliment their talented signal caller, the Cougars have really good receivers including one that is 6’3” and 190 pounds.

“He is a big-time weapon,” Dillard said.

The Cougar defense is super multiple.

“They do a lot of blitzing and stunting,” Dillard said. “Their guys move around. We’ve got to make sure they are getting blocked by us.”

The coach shook his head when he spoke about last week’s 45-42 loss at the hands of Anadarko at Conger Field when it rained turnovers.

Purcell lost six fumbles and threw a pair of interceptions.

“We had eight turnovers and still only lost by three,” Dillard lamented. “It’s extremely frustrating.”

The Dragons had 15 drives, scored six touchdowns and coughed up the pigskin eight times.

On the other hand, the coach was very impressed with his offensive line. Dillard said that group turned in the top performance in the two years he’s been here.

The coach was heaping praise on Christian Kirk, Dylan Smith, Landry Bacon, Brian Bernal and Carter Thomas, who was making his first start at left tackle.

Behind the big eaters the Dragons amassed 488 yards of offense, 320 on the ground. Deakin Dobbins threw for another 168 connecting on 5-10 tosses and two touchdowns. Dobbins rushed for 43 and two touchdowns.

“He is a very effective runner for us,” the coach said.

Senior Boston Knowles led the rushing chart gaining 153 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries while Noel Chavez finished with 108 yards rushing on five carries. He scored on a 55-yard cross country jaunt. Knowles touchdown was a 31-yarder.

“Our receivers Bodie Meyer and Oscar Wren both had good games and Carter Bennett had a big catch out of the backfield. He also blocked really well for us,” Dillard said. “Us giving up 45 points is very deceiving because they had an 80-yard scoop and score and we turned it over twice inside our own 15 yard line.

“We need to play complimentary football and that didn’t happen Friday night,” the coach confirmed.

Dobbins scored on a 13 yard run and a one yard plunge while tossing scoring strikes to Bodie Meyer for 30 yards and 19 yards to Carter Bennett.

On the defensive side of the football Kirk was ubiquitous making 11 tackles, one for a loss and recovering a fumble.

“He was all over the field,” Dillard said. “Jonathon Minor played well at defensive end.”

He made six tackles including two for losses, had a quarterback sack and forced a fumble. On special teams Cooper Selman had a great game with big kick returns that set us up around midfield.

Dragon notes:

Purcell Head Coach Aaron Dillard nominated Landry Bacon as the Offensive Player of the Week. He graded out at 92 percent.

“He just had a tremendous game,” Dillard said.

Jonathon Minor was nominated as the Defensive Lineman of the Week. He posted six tackles including two for losses and forced a fumble.

Getting the nod for Defensive Player of the Week was Christian Kirk who had 11 tackles, two for losses, and recovered a fumble.

There was no nominee for Offensive Player of the Week.