DRAWING GREATNESS DESERT FOOTBALL STAR IS GREAT ON THE FIELD, WITH PENCIL.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE - His coaches draw up plays to try to take advantage of his great athleticism, as opponents frantically sketch out ways to stop him.

But Rudy Burgess just likes to draw.

Burgess, a three-time First-Team All High Desert wide receiver/defensive back for the Desert High football team, is among the most coveted small-school prospects in the state. But he's developed talents off the field that have raised fellow students' eyebrows in drawing classes.

``I'll put up some of my drawings in class, and people will come up to me and ask me if I really did those,'' he said.

Most of his wowing comes on the football field, though. He's among four fourth-year starters who've led the Scorpions (13-0) to the brink of a Southern Section Division XII title. Desert plays on the road against Ontario Christian (12-1) for the title tonight at 7.

Burgess started out sketching with a pencil when he was in fourth grade and has since learned to paint with oil and acrylics. It's just a hobby now, but he plans to major in graphic arts and considers a four-year school having a strong department in that area a priority.

And, as if by design, tonight, in the game of his life, he'll be involved in what figures to be the game's most compelling head-to-head matchup.

His assignment: defending fullback Drew Robinson - also considered a can't-miss Division I prospect - when he lines up as a slot receiver. It's the toughest test Burgess has ever faced.

Ontario Christian runs a variation of the Delaware Wing-T offense, going from a traditional set to a passing-oriented spread formation. When the Knights go into their spread, Robinson lines up in the slot.

Robinson, who has amassed 2,678 yards (2,098 rushing, 580 receiving) and 42 touchdowns, figures to be a load.

Burgess views the Robinson matchup as a challenge, and talks about it the way a boxer would speak of an upcoming bout.

``After the first couple of plays, I'll see what level I have to compete at to keep up with him and for him to keep up with me,'' Burgess said. ``I'm just hoping to be able to contain him. I'm sure it'll be a good, hard-fought battle.''

A factor on both sides of the ball, Burgess has rushed for 1,026 yards and averages 11.7 yards per carry. He leads the team with 19 receptions for 477 yards and is second on the team with 21 touchdowns. But it is his assignment at free safety that will be most crucial for the Scorpions tonight.

``He's (Robinson) certainly their statistical leader and he's probably also one of their team leaders, and Rudy is the same situation for us,'' Desert coach Joel Sweitzer said. ``It should be an interesting matchup.''

Desert is confident it can stop him in part because of Burgess' athleticism. He placed fourth in the state in the long jump last year and is being recruited by virtually the entire Pacific-10 Conference including Oregon State, which is sending head coach Dennis Erickson to visit him personally on a recruiting mission next month.

``We know that if we stick Rudy out there on someone ,they're not going to have the type of game they want to have,'' said Desert quarterback/defensive back Nick Gava, who leads the team with seven interceptions. ``With Rudy, if he puts his mind to something, he's going to get it done, we've just got to trust that.''

Desert defensive coordinator Chris Hinton said the burden of defending Robinson isn't Burgess' alone, noting that other defenders, including defensive linemen Waymon Hawthorne and Grant Pacheco, and linebackers James Cook and Derrick Shingledecker, will need to figure in the mix as well.

``They're both special kids,'' Hinton said, ``but it's still a team game and we're going to have to get after it as much as they are on both sides of the ball.''

Tonight, Burgess' focus will be on nothing but perfecting the art of pass coverage and getting into the end zone.

But after the game, he knows there's a pencil and a brush waiting for him somewhere.

``It kind of gets my mind of things,'' Burgess said. ``It's kind of relaxing to just sit down and sort of express yourself and get away from all the outside distractions.''

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Photo:

Desert High football player Rudy Burgess shows a passion for the game on the field, but he also has a passion for drawing.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer