HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Panthers have to regain their balance

It was the first blemish of Permian’s 2022 football season and the players were not happy climbing the steps to the home locker room at Ratliff Stadium.

Not a word was said, the only sound coming from cleats echoing off the concrete walls of the storied facility.

Quickly in and out of the locker room and on to the waiting buses, the Panthers were left to contemplate their effort in a loss to rival Midland Legacy.

They also are forced to regroup, with much more needed than a quick sideline adjustment in the heat of battle.

Permian (6-1 overall, 1-1 in District 2-6A) put the ball on the ground three times, losing one and giving up a safety on another.

The Rebels intercepted three passes and pushed the Panthers around at the line of scrimmage for most of the second half.

Heading into this week’s contest against Wolfforth Frenship (6-1, 2-0), Permian needs to regain its swagger and balance on offense.

With plenty of weapons, the Panthers have become quasi-one dimensional, which is easy to understand given their offensive line.

In the previous two games, against Abilene Cooper and Odessa High, the Panthers rushed for 616 yards and scored 11 rushing touchdowns.

They added 130 yards on the ground and three scores in the loss to the Rebels.

That’s 746 yards and 14 scores the past three weeks.

During that same span, Permian has thrown for 397 yards and ONE touchdown.

No matter how dominant the offensive line is, there has to be better balance on offense, especially with players the caliber of Ja’Quan Richardson, Tabarie Jones and Deonte Bass making life miserable for opposing defensive backs.

>> HIGH PRAISE: Midland Legacy head coach Clint Hartman was quick to single out Richardson after the Rebels’ victory Friday at Ratliff Stadium.

“That No. 2, that’s a Division I football player,” Hartman said of Richardson.

Richardson broke onto the scene last year as a junior, catching 33 passes for 928 yards and 13 touchdowns, many of them highlight—reel quality as he broke tackles, and ankles, all over the field

This season, he has 27 receptions for 425 yards and four scores and is climbing the Panthers’ career-receiving charts.

Currently, he has 60 career receptions, with Adam Podzemny (2002-04) sitting in 10th with 71.

Richardson’s 1,353 yards has him in eighth, with Kendrick Parrett in seventh at 1,409.

To crack the top five, Richardson will need 177 yards to displace Andrew Perez (1,530, 20011-12).

>> CHEERING FOR RIVAL: The Panthers have already faced rival Odessa High, earning a dominant victory.

Though Permian stumbled a bit last week against the Rebels, the Panthers still have their postseason aspirations firmly in their own hands.

Now, they need the Bronchos to get on the right track and qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2013.

Should both the Panthers and Odessa High qualify, they would be the Division I representatives from District 2-6A.

That would likely give Permian the home game in the bi-district round courtesy of its victory in the crosstown rivalry matchup.

If Odessa High does not qualify and Midland Legacy does, the Panthers could be on the road to open the postseason.

>> LOWER LEVELS: The Permian Freshman Black team defeated Legacy, 44-40, in a matchup last week at Ratliff Stadium.

The Panthers’ freshmen teams will be on the road this week when they travel to Wolfforth Frenship for 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. matchups with the Tigers.

The JV squads will be at Ratliff Stadium against the Tigers, also with 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. kickoffs.

>> Follow Lee Scheide on Twitter at @OALeeScheide