It didn’t take the Permian football team too long to make an impact against El Paso Franklin last week in the Class 6A Division I bi-district round.
The Panthers found the end zone when Rodney Hall threw a 47-yard strike to Jaquan Richardson on the fourth play of their opening drive.
Permian maintained the offensive burst and closed out the game with a 56-28 victory, setting up an area round showdown with Euless Trinity at 2 p.m. Saturday at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene.
To achieve success against the Trojans, Permian head coach Jeff Ellison said he wants to see his team replicate the production it had against the Cougars.
“We just got to go out every drive, do our jobs and hold on to the ball,” Ellison said.
The head coach also wants to see his team finish the drives where it finds itself in control of the clock.
Matriculating the ball down field at a consistent pace is something the Panthers will need to do when they face off against a team like Euless Trinity, which features a big offensive line and a potent rushing attack.
The star of the Trojan offense has been Ollie Gordon, an Oklahoma State commit who has 2,115 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns on the ground this season.
In the all-time series, Euless Trinity leads Permian with a 4-2 mark.
The Panthers have one win in the playoffs against the Trojans, which came in the 1984 Class 5A regional round by a 34-0 score.
>> APPLYING PRESSURE: Aside from the offensive output, one of the key factors in Permian’s decisive victory was the pressure the defense was able to generate on Cameron Byrd.
At first the Panthers were able to get to the quarterback with designed blitzes, but that changed when the defensive line got through the blockers throughout the second half.
Just like the offense, Permian defensive coordinator Vance Washington wants to see his unit jump out of the gates faster when it comes to the pressure it is applying.
“We can’t fall behind them, for sure,” Washington said. “We know what we’re going to do, they know what they’re going to do.
“We’ve got to get started early of course, offensively and defensively, the whole package.”
>> CONNECTION STRENGTHENS: Over the course of the season, Hall and Richardson have connected to provide some explosive scoring plays for the Panthers.
That remained true in the bi-district round, as all three of Richardson’s receptions from Hall went for touchdowns.
The first was the aforementioned 47-yarder, followed up by a 58-yard touchdown reception to close out the first quarter.
Hall and Richardson sealed the victory with a 68-yard scoring connection in the final quarter.
>> OTHERS TO LOOK OUT FOR: Aside from Gordon, Washington believes Euless Trinity has plenty of weapons to turn to at any given moment.
The way the Trojans set up their rushing attack and how Cade Barthelemess throws the ball are things the defensive coordinator is keeping a close eye on.
“They’re really big up front, they do a great job coaching them,” Washington said. “I think the quarterback has done a really good job for them, he throws the ball really well.
“The fullback does a great job, they run the trap with him. I think they all do a great job, they’re physical, big, well-coached.”
Ellison added that the Trojans’ offensive system is based on the run, but they also look for play-action passes to catch defenses off guard.
>> NOT TOO FAR: For the second straight year, Permian will play its area round game in Abilene and avoiding having to make the long drive to the Metroplex.
It’ll be different this year, as the Panthers aren’t playing at Abilene Christian’s Wildcat Stadium.
The drive won’t be too long for both teams, as they’ll both travel roughly 170 miles from their respective high school campuses to Shotwell Stadium.
Permian’s drive will span about 176 miles and it’s a straight shot down Interstate 20, while Euless Trinity will go westbound on the same route and travel 170 miles.
The last time the Panthers and Trojans met up in the playoffs, the game took place at Euless Trinity’s home stadium at Pennington Field in Bedford for a 2014 regional round contest.
>> Follow Chris Amaya on Twitter at @OA_CAmaya
PERMIAN VS. EULESS TRINITY
CLASS 6A DIVISION I AREA PLAYOFFS
>> When: 2 p.m. Saturday.
>> Where: Shotwell Stadium
>> Last Season: Did not play.
>> Records: Permian 8-3 overall; Euless Trinity 10-1.
>> Radio: KMCM (FM-96.9); KHKX (99.1)
>> Live Updates: Follow on Twitter at @OA_CAmaya.
Permian Player of the Week
RODNEY HALL
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 170
Class: Junior
Position: Quarterback
Last Week: Completed five-of-10 passing attempts for 213 yards and three touchdowns, while running for 128 yards and scoring twice on the ground.
This season: Leads team in both passing and rushing categories, recording 1,666 yards and 17 touchdowns through the air. He has also rushed for 813 yards and 13 scores.
