El Paso Montwood stern test for OHS

Odessa High coach Ron King was the defensive coordinator for the Bronchos in 1997, the first time the school played El Paso Montwood.

King remembers a team full of quick athletes that gave OHS all it could handle in a 28-27victory by the Bronchos.

Though it's been 11 years since he first looked at the Rams, King's opinion of the team from the Mountain Time Zone hasn't changed.

"You look at the film of them against Permian last year in the playoffs and you can see they have a lot of speed and a lot of skill players," King said. "They are really going to be a handful for any team they face this year."

The Bronchos get the unenviable task of opening the season against Montwood on Friday, hosting the Rams at 7:30 p.m. at Ratliff Stadium to kickoff the 2008 high school season.

Coached by Chuck Veliz, now in his seventh season, the Rams bring a high-powered offense to the field, but have a physical running attack to complement their aerial assault.

Last season, Montwood averaged nearly 300 yards per game passing and scored 35.4 points per contest under the guidance of quarterback David Reza.

The Rams were perfect in District 1-5A last year and defeated San Angelo Central in the bi-district round of the playoffs before falling to Permian in the area round.

Reza, however, is gone and senior quarterback Louie Tinoco is calling the signals.

He saw limited action last year, completing 12 of 20 passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns.

His top receivers look to be Chris Sazo, Isaac Cisnerso and Marco Flores. Running the ball will be Domingo Torres, one of the few returning starters from last year's playoff squad.

Also back for Montwood is offensive lineman Jake Swenson, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 305 pounds.

His size allows Torres (5-11, 185) to get lost in the backfield and then break free into the secondary.

That fact alone worries King as the Bronchos are looking to settle in to a new defensive scheme and get ready for the opening of District 2-5A action in Lubbock on Sept. 5

"That running back is real difficult to bring down," King said. "He can take a hit and bounce off it and get more yardage and that makes for a long night for a defense.
"We are going to have to do a good job of keeping him bottled up to have a chance."