Odessa High will face Wolfforth Frenship for just the 10th team in program history this week.
The Tigers will bring a different look than the Bronchos have see the past four games.
Unlike Schertz Clemens, Permian, Midland High and San Angelo Central, the Tigers are not a run-dominant offensive team.
Frenship is so pass oriented that junior quarterback HudsonHutcheson ranks eighth among all quarterbacks in the state of Texas with 2,544 passing yards on the season.
“Our mindset has to be different because the past couple of teams have been run-first, kind of in-the-box and running downhill,” Odessa High coach Dusty Ortiz said. “Frenship is a pass-first offense and they get the ball to every receiver, throw a lot of balls and run a lot of plays.”
The Tigers have three receivers that average more than 80 yards per game: sophomore Leyton Stone (116.1 yards per game), senior Tate Beeles (124.2 yards/game) and junior Landon Hutcheson (84.6 yards/game).
“(The Tigers) have an explosive offense,” Ortiz said. “They have a lot of weapons.”
>> PLAY DISCIPLINED FOOTBALL: The Bronchos have given up close to 40 points per game over the past two months, and that has resulted in double-digit losses in each District 2-6A game this season.
The Bronchos cannot let the likes of Stone, Beeles and Hutcheson get behind their secondary, which would make for a long night for the defense.
Also, the Bronchos have to be efficient on offense and limit the number of possessions the Tigers have on the night.
>> SUSTAIN DRIVES: Ortiz has preached that the Bronchos’ offense and defense have to work together – limit the opposition’s drives while extending their own – if Odessa High is to have any success Friday.
“We feed off each side of the ball – the defense feeds off offense, and the offense feeds off the defense,” Ortiz said. “When you have three and outs on offense, obviously that doesn’t take a whole lot of time off the clock, and allows the other team to have a few more opportunities offensively.”
Ortiz was referring to the three consecutive four-play drives that happened right after halftime against Midland High last week, allowing the Bulldogs to pull way in a 41-31 victory.
>> CELEBRATE SENIOR NIGHT: Friday game is the regular-season finale at home for the Bronchos, who will honor the seniors before the game.
This game will be the last one at Ratliff Stadium for 32 seniors on the roster, including quarterback Jaylien Jones, running back Marcos Marichalar and linebacker Mikahel De Leon.
“We have a lot of great seniors that have done a really good job since I’ve been here,” Ortiz said. “They are just trying to buy in and trying to do what we’re asking them to do and meet the standard that we’re placing in front of them.
“They are a really good group of guys from top to bottom and I’m excited about giving them the acknowledgement that they deserve.”
>> LOWER LEVEL: All four teams lost to Midland High last week.
The Freshmen White team lost, 46-6, last Thursday, followed by the Freshmen Red squad dropping a 37-30 decision to the Bulldogs.
The JV White team traveled to Memorial Stadium in Midland and lost 32-14, with JV Red losing 26-22.
The freshmen teams host Wolfforth Frenship at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Ratliff Stadium South
The JV squads will travel to face the Tigers at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday at People’s Bank Stadium in Wolfforth.
>> Follow Sameer Malla on Twitter at @OA_SameerMalla
WOLFFORTH FRENSHIP AT ODESSA HIGH
>> When: 7 p.m. Friday.
>> Where: Ratliff Stadium
>> Last Season: Wolfforth Frenship 63, Odessa High 41
>> Records: Wolfforth Frenship 6-2 overall, 2-1 District 2-6A; Odessa High 3-5, 0-3
>> Radio: KMCM (FM-96.9).
>> Live Updates: Follow on Twitter at @OA_SameerMalla
ODESSA HIGH PLAYER OF THE WEEK
JUAN TARANGO
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 210
Class: Senior
Position: LB
Last Week: Had a season-high 12 tackles (two solo) in a 41-31 loss to the Midland Bulldogs.
This season: Has 31 total tackles on the season for the Bronchos.
