After seven consecutive years of making the playoffs, the Odessa High boys soccer team saw that run come to an end last spring.
However, with so many returning players, the Bronchos are hopeful of starting a new run of playoff appearances, beginning with this season.
Odessa High head coach Eliseo Ortiz and his players will return to the field this week to begin the 2024 season after losing only one senior from last year.
“We’re excited because we have basically the same returning group from last year,” Ortiz said. “We had a young team last year so we have the same returning players and that’s exciting.”
The Bronchos (who went 4-12-3 overall last year and 1-6-1 in district play) finished the 2023 season in sixth place in the District 2-6A standings.
Yet, with 10 returning starters, Ortiz is confident they can do better this year.
“We only lost one senior,” Ortiz said. “Last year was our first time in seven years that we didn’t make playoffs. We just had few juniors and seniors. The boys tried as hard as they could but the youth level didn’t allow us to win as many games as we wanted to.”
Ortiz has already been impressed from what he’s seen from December’s scrimmages as he used the word “intensity” a lot to describe this year’s team.
“We have played some scrimmages and the effort is there,” Ortiz said. “I think the effort and the intensity is there. If I was to point a couple of things out (about this team) it would be this team’s intensity just by seeing how hard our players are running and the hunger that they have.”
He expects District 2-6A to be another challenge as teams such as Midland High and Permian also look to make postseason runs.
“Our district is always going to be competitive,” Ortiz said. “I think since we’re a 6A district, every school will put a competitive team on the field. I think a lot of our players play each other in different clubs and different teams. There’s that competition between them. I don’t know who the district favorites are. Probably Midland High and Permian. I also wouldn’t underestimate any of the other teams in the district.”
Odessa High will begin its season with a 7:30 p.m. game against Abilene Cooper at Ratliff Stadium.
District play will begin on Feb. 2 against crosstown rivals Permian at Ratliff Stadium.
Like every other high school soccer team in the state, the Bronchos are coming back from a short Christmas break in the schedule, one that Ortiz said has been good for the players.
“I actually kind of like the setup because we practice for three weeks and then we play some scrimmages before we take a break and then it’s a nice little restart after the holidays,” Ortiz said. “Injuries is also a thing we have to manage. I think it’s the two-weeks that allows the boys to rest. The mental part of it is also a big thing that us coaches miss in that kids need a mental break as well to perform to their best.”
