By Justin Fedich | Selma Times-Journal

Traveling to Hillcrest to play a road game isn’t the easiest task for the Selma Saints. Stopping a player who just rushed for 447 yards Friday — an Alabama Class 6A single game rushing record — is even tougher.

Selma (0-1, 2-1) is coming off a 25-21 loss to Paul Bryant Friday. This week the Saints travel on the road to face running back Brian Robinson and the Hillcrest Patriots (0-1, 1-2). Robinson, a junior, is a 6-foot-2 four-star recruit has offers from Mississippi, Louisville, Jacksonville State, Arkansas State and Southern Mississippi, according to Rivals.com

Selma head coach Leroy Miles knows the Saints have a tough challenge ahead of them.

“You’ve just got to make sure you do your assignment and play sound football,” Miles said. “That’s all you can do. Tackle well and try to get him on the ground.”

While Selma’s defense has played above-average football so far this season — holding its opponents to 18, 6 and 25 points — Miles said it’s the offense that can help the Saints limit Robinson’s yards.

Miles said no player on the Saints’ roster has shown the ability to put up over 400 yards in a game, but his offense has another role to play Friday.

“One of your best defenses sometimes is your offense and that’s controlling the football and trying to nickel and dime them and keep their offense off the field. Keep the ball out of his hands,” Miles said.

Last season, Selma fell to Hillcrest on a late touchdown. Friday, Selma lost to Paul Bryant after blowing a late lead.

Miles hopes to restore the confidence of his team early on in the week so that his players can come out strong against one of the toughest opponents in Class 6A, Region 4.

“Losing a game like we lost, late in the fourth quarter, it’s tough,” Miles said. “And sometimes it’s hard to match that intensity next week.”

Miles said a win at Hillcrest would turn the season around for a Saints’ team that was on the brink of going 3-0, but is now staring at the possibility of a 2-2 record.

“It would mean everything to our season if we can pull this one off in this hostile situation, tough place to play down in Hillcrest,” Miles said.

The Patriots are also reeling from a loss. Despite Robinson’s rushing outburst, Hillcrest lost 41-40 to Clay-Chalkville, the No. 1-ranked team in Class 6A.

If the Saints want to strike another crushing blow to the Patriots, they will need to keep Robinson from running wild over a Selma rush defense that has held its own so far this season.

Miles is ready for the challenge, but he’s seen Robinson in action before and knows what he’s capable of. Miles has set reasonable expectations for his team.

“He rushed for [over] 400 yards. If we could keep him to 100 yards we’ll be doing great,” Miles said.