ALEX -- Nowhere in the rules book does it say the biggest or fastest team must prevail.

Big 'ole boy Seth Beaird probably wishes it did. Maker of big 'ole plays Randy Alexander is glad it doesn't.

That's because, in an ironic twist, Alex and Alexander made enough big plays Friday to top Fox's girth when it came gut-check time.

In the guttiest of gut-checks this season, the Longhorns upset Fox, 34-28, on Senior Night, keeping alive their playoff and district title hopes.

Beaird came in big. In the end, Alexander came up bigger.

The Fox senior is a state powerlifting champion and weighs 240 pounds. And get this: He's a running back and usually the biggest player on the field. Let me say that again: He's a scary-big, scary-fast running back.

Try knocking down a building with a head-butt and you'll know what it's like to tackle Beaird with your full body. Particularly when runs at you with a full head of steam.

Steam wasn't a problem for Beaird on this chilly Friday night. He got his engine roaring by running out of Fox's whacky spread offense. Fox's offensive linemen stood no closer than 3 to 5 yards from each other, making every pre-snapformation look like the beginning of a kickoff.

When the ball was snapped, Fox quarterback Chris Spigner play-faked to running back Dillon Langley and froze the Alex linebackers. Then he handed off to Beaird, who was swung from one side of the formation to the other, trying to catch the corner at full stride.

Beaird carried six times for 63 yards -- and added a running, juggling catch of 24 yards to the highlight reel.

Yet, if Fox's offense was calling out the 'Horns, Alex acted as an answering machine. Each time Fox powered and speeded to a score, the gritty Longhorns dialed a big-play call of their own.

Alexander the Great answered Fox's first two touchdowns with scores of his own in the first and second quarters. Then the conquerer gave Alex its first lead on a 43-yard jaunt at the start of the third.

Fox tied the game two series later, but Alex owned the fourth quarter. Conditioning became a factor. The Foxes didn't run quite as fast nor quite as hard in the final 12 minutes.

And when senior QB Wayne Heffington threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to freshman Dakota Savage, Alex took the lead, 34-28. Fox had almost eight

minutes to respond. But it couldn't. Alexander recovered a fumble to stop one drive and then the Longhorns forced a turnover on downs.

Game over -- big win for the smaller team.

Now comes Alex's biggest test of the season. An unbeaten Ryan is on the

line, waiting for the 'Horns to come callin'. It will be no small task.