“This is always fun,” Mary Hardin-Baylor’s sophomore starting linebacker said of the upcoming game against rival Hardin-Simmons on Saturday. “It’s a rivalry game, and there’s a lot of excitement around it.”
In addition to the American Southwest Conference title and a possible No. 1 regional seed for the NCAA Division III playoffs being up for grabs, the clash between the third-ranked Crusaders (3-0 overall, 2-0 ASC) and 11th-ranked Cowboys (4-0, 2-0) carries extra bragging rights for Beckworth.
It just so happens that his stepbrother, ZaVious Robbins, is a junior slotback for the opposition. It will be a sibling war at 2 p.m. Saturday at Tiger Field.
“We both saw some snaps in last year’s game, but this year we’re both playing a lot more,” Beckworth said. “After his game was over last week (in Abilene), he actually came to our game.
“I talked to him a little bit. There wasn’t much trash-talking. It was just, ‘Love ya, but when we get on the field, we have to be opponents.’”
And opponents haven’t fared well against Beckworth and the rest of the Crusaders defense.
After seeing action in all 10 regular-season games as a freshman, Beckworth has thrived in a starting role this year. The 5-11, 185-pound Palestine product is second on the team with 18 tackles and has five tackles for loss. He’s a key contributor for a defense that has yielded just 14 points.
“It’s been a lot of fun so far,” he said. “I’ve just had to make the transition from being a second-string player to taking on a starting role.
“Being second-string as a freshman, and because you always want to take it a step further the next year, my goal coming in was to be a starter. I knew it would take a lot of hard work and dedication, so that’s what I focused on.”
There could come a point in Saturday’s game when Beckworth finds himself going head-to-head against Robbins (5-10, 160), who ranks second on the Cowboys with 18 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
If that happens, Beckworth says his stepbrother will be nothing more than an opposing football player.
“During the summer and early in the season, this is a game we talk about all the time,” Beckworth said of he and Robbins, whom HSU did not make available for comment. “This is one we can’t wait for it to get here. And now it’s finally here.
“There’s going to be a lot of emotion going into the game. With me, sometimes the emotion comes out and sometimes it doesn’t. But I’m pretty sure we’ll be talking some on the field.”
Beckworth has had good reason to needle Robbins off the field. After all, the Crusaders have won five straight against the Cowboys and six of the last seven. If that’s not fodder for good-natured ribbing between relatives, nothing is.
“Since we’ve had the bragging rights lately, of course I’ve had to brag about it a little,” Beckworth admitted. “This is the game of rings. He wants a (conference championship) ring and I’ve already got one, so it’s 1-0 right now."
And given how much fun Beckworth had grabbing a one-ring lead, if he gets a two-ring advantage he might never stop smiling.
edrennan@temple-telegram.com
