The 2022 football season for the Odessa Highs can be summed-up by one word: toughness.
The Bronchos finished 3-7 overall and winless (0-5) in District 2-6A play, ending the season with a five-game losing streak.
Head coach Dusty Ortiz had a different vision of how his second season at the helm went.
“The players didn’t hang their head – I felt like they played the whole season tough,” Ortiz said. “They showed up to practice, and they practiced hard.”
The Bronchos started strong, with consecutive nondistrict victories against Lubbock Monterey and El Paso Americas.
The Bronchos averaged 45 points in those wins, but also gave up an average of 33 points in what was a precursor for the rest of the season.
Seven of their next eight opponents would all end the 2022 regular season with winning records.
The Bronchos faced Keller High (8-2), Permian (9-1) and Wolfforth Frenship (8-2) in the meat of their schedule, and Odessa High’s young defense – composed of 19 sophomores and juniors – gave up an average of 46 points per game to these teams.
Ortiz went on to say that the team had a never-say-die attitude.
“The players could have gone the other way and retreated and folded up their tent and said, ‘Hey, I’m done with this.’
“They didn’t do that. They kept on fighting. They kept on giving us some exciting games. And I think that’s what I am proud of most.”
Odessa High was led by senior quarterback Jaylien Jones, who in his first full season at quarterback, passed for 2,414 yards and 24 touchdowns, with just six interceptions – each statistic good for third-best in the district.
Jones also led the team with 445 rushing yards on 78 carries and four touchdowns.
“Jones has had such a great season,” Ortiz said. “He did not get a whole lot of snaps last year, as this is his first year really getting every snap – he’s grown so much, and he’s had a wonderful year.”
>> CAREER YEAR: Ivan Carreon had a junior year that topped his sophomore season, with career-highs in receiving yards (1,182) and touchdowns (14), with both numbers the best among District 2-6A receivers.
The yardage total places him squarely in the Top 10 among all receivers in Texas as well.
“(Carreon) did a great job, which is making catches in double, triple coverage at times,” Ortiz said. “That was something that was growth from the first year that was here he didn’t make those kinds of catches and so he’s grown from that.”
Ortiz believes the sky is the limit for Carreon’s senior season next year.
“I don’t know what else he can do better obviously, but we’re just excited to have him back,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz even casually mentioned that Carreon could be a two-way player and potentially play in the secondary as well next season.
“’I like having a weapon like him on the offensive side of the ball, and maybe even give him a defensive position going forward,” Ortiz said. “There’s a spot for him anywhere on the field and we’ve got to get creative and see where you can fit in defensively.”
>> TIME TO GROW: Ortiz is looking forward to the coming off-season going into his third year with the Bronchos.
“I have been here for two years, and the foundation has been set – now it’s time to start building,” Ortiz said. “We have to get more consistent across the board.”
Ortiz is excited about the future.
“I think the group that we have coming up, especially some of the kids from the JV, they had a winning record,” Ortiz said. “I think we’re looking for some great things going forward.
“It’s our job in offseason to make sure that we refine all of their skills, get them stronger, getting faster and get them tougher.”
