In a mix of offensive heroics from Muskogee’s 25-22 upset of Class 6A No. 1 Broken Arrow on Friday night, Archie Bradley’s numbers were certainly argument enough for the honor of Phoenix Player of the Week.

So was Allen Starks’ 96-yard rushing effort, Angelo Shipp’s 100-plus yard receiving night or the clutch catches of Cole Chapman, including the leaping grab in the corner of the end zone as time expired.

But in Bradley’s own words moments after the game, it wouldn’t have penetrated the heart of what made the night a special one for the Rougher offense.

Look to the trenches.

“Please go talk to those guys,” Bradley said of his offensive line. “Give them all the credit in the world. They opened it up for the running game and the pass. They made it all happen tonight.”

Therefore, among the toasts at their weekly Sunday dinner last night, offensive line coach Jason Medrano can salute the co-winners of the Phoenix Player of the Week — tackles Parker Borovetz and Jeremy Burton, guards Kyle Baker and Jack Lewis and center Myles Flusche.

“They responded very well,” Medrano said. “I think they deserve it.”

It’s been a forgotten five, a much-maligned five which has struggled to find itself, from a much-noted red-zone stuff against Class A Pocola in a summer camp to a 25-yard output against these same Tigers in a one-half scrimmage the week before the season opener through a 2-2 start.

It helped that on Friday, the Roughers went not only with a spread formation but schemed with a five-wide set, a welcome alignment for a unit that has looked much more comfortable in a pass-blocking set. But there was one other key element of preparation this week. Medrano, head coach Matt Hennesy and assistant coach Josh McMillan, all of whom are bigger than anyone in the Roughers lineup with the exception of 305-pound nose tackle Robert Thomas, suited up as defensive linemen this week.

“That was huge because it raised our intensity level all week,” Medrano said. “We didn’t talk about what happened in that scrimmage. I just reminded them that they were probably going against the best defense and the best defensive front we’ve seen and I thought that no one had really matched their intensity all season. We needed to go out there and hit them in the mouth early and often. I think the kids played their butts off.”

And they did, generating consistent drives if not scoring marches on all but their opening three-and-out drive that sandwiched between two Tiger scores, dumped Muskogee in a 13-0 hole.

Lewis, who Medrano said has had the most significant improvement up front, credited the week’s practice opponents.

“They gave us some good looks, they hit us hard and got us ready,” Lewis said.

The blocking was key on Starks’ 18-yard touchdown run on a toss sweep and Bradley was just sacked once, but the key was that more often that not he didn’t have to resort to scrambling for his life, being able to look off to his second and third receivers. The 385 yards of offense (137 rush, 248 pass) came on the heels of a slightly better 460-yard effort against Bartlesville.

But consider the competitive differences.

“It’s hard to point to any one player on offense as far as credit,” Hennesy said. “The whole unit was solid. Any of them deserved this honor.”

Also considered for the honor: senior Robert Thomas, who blocked an extra point, field goal and scored a rushing touchdown inserted as fullback in a short-yardage situation.

The win sets Muskogee (3-2, 2-0) on a course where they could get Jenks at home the final Friday in October with the 6A-3 championship on the line, although with Broken Arrow playing the Trojans this week, a Tigers’ win could allow for the possibility of a three-way tie and the use of tiebreaker points.

The Roughers play at Sand Springs (4-1, 2-0) on Friday.