By Kenton Brooks

Phoenix Sports Writer

Knowing his Muskogee High School football team will be tested mentally, coach Matt Hennesy plans to use an idea from senior linebacker Erik Howell when the Roughers scrimmage against Bixby and Broken Arrow tonight at Broken Arrow.

Playing under the format of two one-half games, the Roughers face Bixby at 5 p.m. and then Broken Arrow at 9 p.m.

“Trying to get back up and ready to go, that’s going to test our salt a little bit,” Hennesy said. “I had dinner with the captains the other night and Erik said since we’re taking new charter buses, we could put in a movie on the bus, get away from everybody and chill out like we’re getting ready for the first half of another game.”

Howell and linemen Robert Thomas and Miles Flusche have been named captains with three more to be named next week.

The emphasis was on conditioning in Muskogee’s practice this week.

“With the exception of the last series of the first half, our effort was good,” he said. “You usually can’t fix effort. We just got tired.”

Hennesy and his staff also want to take a closer look at right tackle, particularly Thomas and Howell.

“We want to get our rotation going,” he said. “Matt (Rust, a 6-foot-5, 260-pounder) did a good job last week, but this is his first year to play football. He’s real smart, a hard worker and pays attention. But he’s still learning. I was really happy with our offensive line.”

Hennesy was happy with practices this week as his team prepared for tonight.

“I thought our focus was good,” he said. “We’re ready to go. The No. 1 thing we’re looking for in a scrimmage is to stay healthy.

“We just need to solidify all the spots and fix the mistakes we had last week.”