It will be a while before the Odessa High football team gets on the field again.
But for head coach Danny Servance, the Bronchos ended the spring on a good note as Red defeated White 26-14 in the annual Red-White Game Thursday at Ratliff Stadium.
“I just really liked the competitive nature that both teams had tonight,” Servance said. “The Red team came out on top but the White team fought back. I thought our kids did a good job of working hard, fighting and executing.”
Early on, the scrimmage was dictated by the defense as they were able to turn away a number of plays early and force a couple of early turnovers.
It wasn’t until the fourth offensive possession that there was an breakthrough as sophomore running back Amarea Peyton ran up the middle for a 9-yard touchdown to open up the scoring.
Peyton later added another touchdown run in the first half in his first game in a Bronchos uniform. The rising junior recently moved to the Odessa area from California and is projected to be part of a backfield combination with rising senior Senjun McGarity.
“We’re excited about him,” said Servance of Peyton. “He and Senjun are two big running backs and they both do a good job of getting downhill and getting yards after contact. Hopefully, both of those guys can stay healthy and we can use them heading into the season.”
Meanwhile, the big highlight from White came late in the first half when junior quarterback Ivan Miranda broke free for a 65-yard touchdown run.
That play, however, was called back due to a holding penalty.
Even with that play coming off the board, he was pleased with how he and everyone else played.
“I feel like everything went well tonight,” Miranda said. “The most important thing is that everyone came out healthy. It was good for us but now our focus now moves to that first game against Lubbock Monterey.”
After finishing 5-5 and missing the playoffs last season, Odessa High will look to get back to the postseason in 2019.
The Bronchos take the field on Aug. 23 at home in a scrimmage against Abilene Wylie before opening the regular season the following week at Ratliff Stadium against Lubbock Monterey.
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