When Permian head coach Jeff Ellison talks about the Panthers’ defensive unit, speed, intensity and toughness typically are some of the first words he uses.
He might want to add dominating after the season-opening performance against Abilene High.
With several new pieces in place, the Panthers’ held the host Eagles in check, allowing just 49 yards of total offense and three first downs.
Really, two first downs as a Permian penalty kept one Abilene High drive alive.
The Eagles were forced to settle for a field goal late in the first half after a long interception return and that was the highlight of the night offensively.
The 49 yards isn’t the fewest allowed by the Panthers.
They held Del Rio to minus-10 yards of total offense in 2000.
The three first downs were close to a program best, with the 1973 and 1991 Permian teams blanking Fort Worth Western Hills (1973) and Abilene High (1991).
The Panthers’ defenders, however, need to look forward and forget about last week as they open their home schedule with a game against Waco Midway at 7 p.m. Friday at Ratliff Stadium.
Midway gained nearly 300 yards last week in a 31-14 loss to Mansfield.
>> LAST YEAR: Permian defeated Waco Midway 57-41 in Waco in the first meetings of the teams.
Quarterback Rodney Hall completed 9 of 17 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns in the contest, along with rushing for 132 yards on 16 carries.
Hall is back and did a workmanlike job in last week’s victory, passing for one score in the final minute of the first half to give Permian the lead for good and rushing for another to cap the scoring in the third quarter.
>> FLYING TO THE BALL: The Panthers finished with 47 tackles on the night against Abilene High, with Jace Gilliam leading the team with eight, including two tackles for loss.
Caysen Clinton finished with six stops, while Matthew Abila and Bryce Woody each had five.
>> LOWER LEVEL: The Permian JV Black and JV White squads will be on the road Thursday at San Angelo Central, with kickoff of the JV Black game scheduled for 5 p.m.
The Freshmen White and Freshmen Black teams will also face the Bobcats, but on the fields adjacent to the Ratliff Softball Complex, beginning at 5 p.m.
Last week, the JV squads split their contests with Abilene High.
JV White came away with a 22-0 victory, while JV Black lost 20-16 to the Eagles.
>> Follow Lee Scheide on Twitter at OALeeScheide
WACO MIDWAY AT PERMIAN
>> When: 7 p.m. Friday.
>> Where: Ratliff Stadium.
>> Last Season: Permian 57, Waco Midway 41.
>> Records: Waco Midway 0-1; Permian 1-0.
>> Radio: KMCM (FM-96.9)
>> Live Updates: Follow on Twitter at @OALeeScheide.
PERMIAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
RODNEY HALL
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 170
Class: Senior
Position: QB
Last Week: Hall completed 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown and rushed 10 times for 71 yards and another score in a 17-3 victory against Abilene High at Shotwell Stadium.
