El Paso Odyssey

Locking down both Class 5A Division I bi-district playoffs in El Paso offered those of us at the OA a rare opportunity.

A road trip.

Traveling with a group that included Odessa High beat writer Lee Scheide, Lee’s son, Ryan, photographer Cindeka Nealy, Permian beat photographer Kevin Buehler and yours truly (Permian beat writer Joel A. Erickson), the Odessa American piled all of its Class 5A football writers into a vehicle that shall not be described to get the games covered.

And the following trip ensued:

10:28 a.m., Friday: Led by Lee — our fearless driver — the chariot hits the onramp onto Highway I-20. Only four hours, at least one stop and a whole lot of nothing to go. At least Lee brought some sausage biscuits.

10:35 a.m., Friday: Cindeka is studying. Overacheiver. Kevin is already cold. At the next stop, we better get the man a parka.

10:40 a.m., Friday: Kevin pulls out the first “Are we there yet?” Lee hands him a biscuit. “Eat this and be quiet,” he says. Guess the OA really is a family.

12:29 p.m., Friday: Rolling through Van Horn, we catch up to the Permian football team at a rest stop. By this time, I’ve already written a story and tried to fall asleep in the back seat. My back feels like an accordion. Apparently Panthers running back DeAnthony Fay has three seats to himself. Suddenly, I’m jealous.

12:03 p.m., Friday: Just passed into the Mountain Time Zone. From this point on, I will be confused every time I see the time.

2:07 p.m., Friday: After we get a glimpse of Mexico, we finally pull up to the hotel. Shortly after we get to the hotel, I fall asleep. Even reporters get pregame naps.

6:04 p.m., Friday: Fully sated from Kevin and Joel’s Meal of the Week, we make it to the Sun Bowl press box, and the view is stunning. But hey, I’m a sucker for mountains that look down into a city full of lights.

9:38 p.m., Friday: OHS running back Ronnie Marquez breaks away from the El Paso Franklin defense for like the 37th time. On to the next round, Bronchos.

11:47 p.m., Friday: Before we go to bed, Kevin, Cindeka and I hit the Applebee’s for our second dessert of the night. Whoever first came up with the idea of putting strawberry cheesecake in a shot glass was a genius. Just saying.

8:45 a.m., Saturday: Getting up for a noon kickoff isn’t easy. Not for sportswriters and photographers. As a species, we’re nocturnal.

10:08 a.m., Saturday: Leaving Chico’s Tacos in El Paso, our breakfast destination. Supposedly, this place is famous. Other than Kevin — who had a hot dog at a taco stand — we do not know why.

11:52 a.m., Saturday: Permian’s band plays Hawaii Five-O. Panthers fans go crazy. If anybody wasn’t sure yet, these football teams are in the playoffs.

3:49, fourth quarter, Saturday: Steven Pipes breaks away from the Aztecs defensive line, finds Tommey Morris at the 6, and Morris busts through several El Paso El Dorado defenders for the game-winning score. Lee and I let out a “Holy cow!” in the press box.

5:11 p.m., Saturday: Ready to get some dinner at B.J.’s Brewhouse, get in the car, go home and sleep through Sunday. All Sunday long.

After all, there’s some football to cover next week, too.

— Kevin Buehler, Cindeka Nealy and Lee Scheide contributed to this report.