Football: Bronchos going back to Shotwell for playoffs

In seasons past, the Odessa High football team would have made at least one trip to Shotwell Stadium in Abilene for a district contest against either Abilene High or Abilene Cooper.

The redistricting by the UIL in February, however, moved the Bronchos away from the Eagles and the Cougars, who dropped down to Class 4A.

Not having their rivals in the same district, however, isn't going to keep the Bronchos from making their annual sojourn to the Key City.

This time, however, more than district bragging rights are on the line.

At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, OHS will face Arlington High in a Class 5A Division I area playoff game at Shotwell Stadium.

Bronchos head coach Ron King is hoping the familiar surroundings help his team.

"Most of the team played there last year against Cooper and Abilene High," King said. "We played well in both games and I think that will give us some confidence."

King would have preferred playing for a second consecutive week at Ratliff Stadium, the site of last week's bi-district victory against El Paso Franklin.

Shotwell, however, is better than the alternative, which was putting Ratliff up against Arlington's home stadium, which "has the same turf in since the last time I was there in 1995. Playing at a neutral site is just fine with me."

>> NEXT ROUND SET: Should the Bronchos emerge victorious Saturday against the Colts, it would set up a meeting with either top-ranked Euless Trinity (11-0) or Plano (10-1) in the regional round.

The game against Trinity would be at Pennington Field in Bedford, the Trojans' home field, at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29.

Should Plano end up as the opponent, the game would be played at Plano's John Clark Field, also at 1 p.m. Nov. 29.

"Going to have to use a different coin," King said. "It doesn't matter where we play, as long as we are playing."

>> BRONCHOS OF A DIFFERENT COLOR: When they had their helmets Saturday against El Paso Franklin, the OHS players all looked the same.

When they took their helmets off? Well, they were all trying to look the same.

The team, at the suggestion of several players who shall remain nameless, decided last Friday to take a trip to a local hair salon to dye their hair blonde.

Some of the players went for the aerodynamic look, as well, walking out with bleached Mohawks where once there was a full head of hair.

"It was pretty crowded in there," senior lineman Ruben Talamantes said, rubbing the unnatural color atop his head. "But it was great to do it as a team."

>> STILL SETTING MARKS: In this record-setting season for the Bronchos, there were several set Saturday in the bi-district victory against the Cougars.

Derrick Teegarden, Joseph Limon and Bradley Marquez all set or tied individual records, but it was the mark set for total offense that was most impressive for the Bronchos.

For the first time, OHS is closing in on 5,000 yards in offense (4,953). That shattered the previous mark of 4,777 set by the 1946 state championship team.

Marquez also is closing in on two marks previously thought to be nearly impossible to break.

With his five touchdowns on Saturday, Marquez, now has 24 on the season, one shy of J.W. Thompson's single-season mark set in 1945.

The Bronchos sophomore also has 1,564 yards rushing this season, just 93 yards shy of the single-season mark owned by Charles Hunter since 1983.

>> ANOTHER HORSESHOE ON THE FIELD: When the Bronchos line up against the Colts Saturday evening, the teams will have something else in common besides playing in the area round of the playoffs.

Both helmets have horseshoes adorning the sides, bound to cause some confusion during the contest.

"Just hope we throw the ball to the right one," King said, with a bit of a laugh. "I'm sure it will get confusing at times." 

>> TIME CHANGE: The start time for Saturday's game against Arlington High has been pushed back 30 minutes to 7:30 p.m.

THE BASICS

>> Who: Odessa High vs. Arlington High

>> What: Class 5A Division I area playoff

>> When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

>> Where: Shotwell Stadium, 1525 E S. 11th Street, Abilene

>> Records: Odessa High 9-2; Arlington High 7-4

>> Last meeting: Teams have never met

>>  Radio: KHKX (99.1-FM)

ODESSA HIGH PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Bradley Marquez

>> Height: 6-foot-0.

>> Weight: 170 pounds.

>> Class: Sophomore.

>> Position: Running back.

>> Last week: Rushed 21 times for 197 yards and five touchdowns in a Class 5A Division I bi-district victory over El Paso Franklin.

>> Season: Has rushed 179 times for 1,564 yards and 19 touchdowns, with 29 receptions for 477 yards and five touchdowns.