Football: Bronchos look to spread load
Odessa High coach Ron King was all smiles on Friday after the Bronchos ran past El Paso Montwood in the season opener at Ratliff Stadium.
Behind the smile, though, King's thoughts already were turning to this week's District 2-5A opener against Lubbock High at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Lowrey Field in Lubbock.
One of the first thoughts was that very few of the Bronchos got involved in the offense.
Quarterback Derrick Teegarden and running backs Bradley Marquez, Ronnie Marquez and Dean Ramos were the only ball carriers and just Joseph Limon, Bradley Marquez and Ronnie Marquez caught passes from Teegarden and backup Brandon Maples.
"We are going to have to get more people involved," King said. "This team isn't going to be able to rely on big plays all the time, and we have to spread the offense around more.
"Yes, some of what happened was taking what the defense was giving us. But we still had opportunities to get the ball to other people and didn't get the job done, and that's something we really have to work on."
The Bronchos will have to work on it in a hurry as they have a short week of practice to prepare for the Westerners.
There was film work Saturday, and King ran the team through two long workouts on Monday to get the game plan installed for Lubbock High.
>> GETTING IN SHAPE: Linemen Ruben Talamantes and Dex Dennard were very busy against Montwood as they played on both sides of the ball.
It was little wonder, then, that both looked exhausted when they took their helmets off after King's post-game speech.
"I don't know just how many plays we used them on defense," defensive coordinator Mike Munguia said. "I know it was a lot, but they went hard every play. They'll be in great condition."
>> QUICK STRIKES: The Bronchos scored six touchdowns Friday night, which is 40 percent of their entire total from the 2007 season.
Of the six scores, three of them came on the first play of a drive and took a combined total of 36 seconds.
First it was Bradley Marquez taking a pitch from Teegarden on a reverse from the OHS 27-yard line and going around the left end for a touchdown with 5:45 left in the second quarter.
It was Marquez again on the Bronchos' next play from scrimmage when he released from the tight end spot and got behind the linebackers to catch a Teegarden toss and run 73 yards with 2:04 left before halftime.
On the Bronchos' first play of the fourth quarter, Teegarden raced around the right side on a sweep, faked a Rams player to the ground at the against Montwood 10 and raced into the end zone with 9:44 left in the game.
>> CLIMBING THE CHARTS: OHS kicker Travis Austin went 6-for-6 on extra points on Friday to increase his career total to 70 points.
Austin moved past James Greer (1995-96) into second place on the all-time scoring list for kickers. Brian Cook (1993-94) leads with 80 points.
>> THE JV REPORT: The OHS junior varsity did not play against Montwood.
The Basics
>> Who: Odessa High vs. Lubbock High
>> When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday
>> Where: Lowery Field, Ave. P at 66th Street, Lubbock
>> Records: OHS 1-0, 0-0; Lubbock High 0-1, 0-0
>> Last time: OHS 14, Lubbock 14, second game, 1967 season
>> Radio: KHKX-FM (99.1)
Odessa High Player of the Week
Bradley Marquez
>> Height: 6-0.
>> Weight: 175 pounds
>> Class: Sophomore.
>> Position: Running back / wide receiver.
>> Last week: Marquez rushed 13 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns and caught one pass for 73 yards and
a touchdown in Odessa High's win over El Paso Montwood.
>> Season: Marquez made his varsity debut against the Rams.
