Last Friday’s 49-42 overtime victory over Permian at Ratliff Stadium will be a moment the Odessa High players will remember for years to come.
However, they won’t have time to look back on it right this second as head coach Dusty Ortiz and his players know they have to get back to work and focus on the rest of district play.
After all, it’s going to take more than one or two district victories to get in the playoffs as the Bronchos sit at 4-1 overall, 1-0 in District 2-6A.
Last week’s win over the Panthers (3-3, 0-1) was the Bronchos’ first victory over their crosstown rivals in 10 years.
Now, the Bronchos are hoping to do something else that hasn’t been done since 2013 — make the playoffs.
One of the items Ortiz discussed with his players on Monday morning at a team meeting was getting refocused for this week’s District 2-6A contest against San Angelo Central (1-5, 0-1) which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Ratliff Stadium.
“It feels good,” Ortiz said of last week’s win over Permian. “We talked to the kids about resetting their minds. It’s going to be a great memory and I told them that it’s something that they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives but they have bigger goals than just beating Permian. One of their other goals is to make the playoffs. They understand. They got to enjoy this weekend and now it’s time to focus on San Angelo Central.”
The rest of district play looks to be a dogfight as the Bronchos know a victory over the Bobcats will be crucial if they want to make the playoffs.
The Bobcats (who are coming off a 45-27 loss to Midland High last Thursday) are the only team in 2-6A with a losing overall record right now.
After San Angelo Central, the Bronchos will face undefeated Midland High (6-0, 1-0), Wolfforth Frenship (5-1, 0-1) and District 2-6A favorites, Midland Legacy (5-1, 1-0).
“We have a tough district,” Ortiz said. “Each and every team can beat almost anybody on any given night.”
That includes San Angelo Central.
The Bobcats’ only win so far was a 35-33 victory over El Paso Montwood on Sept. 1.
However, most of San Angelo Central’s losses have been by 10 points or less.
“San Angelo Central will be no different,” Ortiz said. “San Angelo might be a team that’s come out on the short end of the stick a few times. They’ve lost a few games by a couple of points. We’re going to have to bring our A-game. We’re going to have to make sure the next four days count.”
The Bronchos are currently off to their best overall start since the 2018 season.
After going winless in district last year, Odessa High has its first win in 2-6A since Oct. 1, 2021. That victory came against San Angelo Central, 41-14.
>> WEIGHT LIFTED: The Bronchos’ last win over Permian was a 31-28 contest back in 2013 when Odessa High ended up going 6-6 that season and made it to the area round of the playoffs.
During the years since then, it’s been frustration after frustration for Odessa High with nine straight losses to Permian including last year’s 38-7 defeat to the Panthers.
With last week’s win, a burden has been lifted from the players in a season where Odessa High has already had so many games that came down to the final moments.
“It’s been ten years since that’s last happened so there’s a lot of weight lifted off their shoulders,” Ortiz said. “It makes them feel good. The community is proud of their effort and the outcome. Any kid feels good about that.”
>> COMEBACK KINGS: Odessa High trailed 21-7 against Permian in the second quarter.
However, just like against Amarillo High last month (in which Odessa High erased a 22-point first half deficit in the team’s 36-35 win) the Bronchos knew they could battle back against the Panthers.
“I think our players realized that, even before the game, we could come back,” Ortiz said. “We’re going to fight adversity throughout any game. We’ve had enough practice in the first five games of feeling it, seeing it and overcoming it. Then, we did it in the biggest game of the year, up to that date. We actually showed what we’ve shown in the previous five games that we can overcome anything if we stick together, keep on playing. As long as we have time on the clock, we still have a chance to win.”
>> RODRIGUEZ: Odessa High wide receiver Andrew Rodriguez finished the game with five receptions for 153 yards and two touchdowns.
The first of his touchdowns came on the Bronchos’ first drive on a 80-yard pass from quarterback Mikey Cota to help give Odessa High an early 7-0 lead.
“Andrew ran a slant,” Ortiz said. “The defender drove down on it and missed it by a hair. Mikey just fit it right through and Rodriguez catches it and the rest is history.”
What impressed Ortiz the most about that play was Rodriguez’s speed.
“I knew he was fast but I didn’t realize he was that fast and outrun the defenders and not get caught,” Ortiz said. “That was impressive and it gave us a lot of momentum out of the gate.”
