By Felix Chavez
Special to the OA
EL PASO Aidric Rivera’s 37-yard field goal as time expired gave Odessa High a 22-20 win against El Paso Americas on Thursday night at the SISD Student Activities Complex.
Odessa High stopped Americas inside the Bronchos’ 30-yard line and got the ball at its own 26 to setup the winning drive. A 20-yard catch by Ivan Carreon was key on the drive as it put the ball inside the Americas 25. Odessa got the ball to the 20 and with two seconds remaining, Americas called timeout.
Bronchos head coach Dusty Ortiz said special teams coordinator Michael Long talked him into going for the game-winning field goal and Rivera paid the decision back with a kick between the uprights.
Odessa High improves to 1-1 and El Paso Americas is 1-1. The Bronchos have won two straight against the Trailblazers and won last year in Odessa.
Oklahoma commit Ivan Carreon caught first half touchdowns for the Bronchos to give them a 13-0 lead at the half.
Odessa High took advantage of an Americas turnover on special teams in the first half that turned into a score and the Trailblazers dropped a touchdown in the end zone.
Americas wide receiver Abdiel Rincon returned a kickoff for a score in the second half and caught a touchdown pass form quarterback Mark Moore and running back Cam’ron Johnson scored on a 10-yard run for the Trailblazers scores.
“Americas is a tough team and they did a great job of getting back into the game,” Odessa High coach Dusty Ortiz said. “They have great speed and that worried me. We made some changes on defense and that helped us a great deal. Our defense did some good things and our kicker stepped up and did a great job. It’s a great win for us. Who knows, we might see Americas again in the playoffs. It was a hard fought, tight game.”
