Football: Bronchos roll past Cougars in first playoff game since 1997

Clear some room in the trophy case - Odessa High's football team has some new hardware to show off.

Sophomore running back Bradley Marquez rushed 21 times for 197 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Bronchos to a 54-24 victory Saturday over El Paso Franklin in a Class 5A Division I bi-district playoff game at Ratliff Stadium.

Derrick Teegarden and Dean Ramos also rushed for touchdowns, with wide receiver Gabriel Rodriguez finding the end zone on a touchdown pass from Teegarden as the Bronchos (9-2) won in their first playoff game since 1997.

Safety Tyler Mints had three interceptions, the second time this season that he has picked off three passes in a game.

The Bronchos advanced to face Arlington High (7-4) in the area round at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene.

Marquez's performance tied him with two other players in school history with five touchdowns in a single game. Kenneth White had five touchdowns against Borger in 1954 and Brad Givens, Marquez's father, repeated the feat against Midland High in 1991.

"I thought this was a team victory," third-year OHS head coach Ron King said. "The kids came focused and I'm so proud of the way they played.

"The offensive line did a great job blocking and Bradley did what Bradley is capable of doing when he gets the football. This is a great team victory and now we have to get ready for Arlington High, another very good football team."

Teegarden completed 15 of 22 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown, becoming the first OHS quarterback in school history to pass for more than 2,000 yards in a single season. He now has 2,131 yards this year.

Wide receiver Joseph Limon caught four of the passes, giving him 42 on the season, breaking the single-season mark of 39 set by Daniel Rivas in 2006.

Quarterback Josh Valenzuela, who was 20-of-35 passing for 186 yards and two touchdowns, with the three picks, led El Paso Franklin (7-4). Running back Brandon Behl carried the ball 13 times for 83 yards and one score.

But the Cougars never could get on track against the Bronchos defense from the opening drive of the game.

El Paso Franklin took the opening kickoff out to its 22 and was able to move to midfield thanks to four completions by Valenzuela to three different receivers. OHS, however, then stuffed a third-down play to force the Cougars to punt.

Teegarden, who missed last week's game against Midland Lee with a knee injury, trotted back on the field and eight plays later, capped the Bronchos' first scoring drive of the game with a 4-yard run over the left side.

"It was nice to be back out there," Teegarden said after the game. "I felt good, but we still have a lot of work to do."

El Paso Franklin tied the score on its next possession, converting a fourth-down play into a 34-yard touchdown reception by Richard Quinn when the OHS defender missed on his interception attempt.

The Cougars' joy was short-lived as the Bronchos began showcasing Marquez on their next drive and he put OHS ahead to stay when he took an option pitch from Teegarden around the right corner and raced, untouched, 43 yards to the end zone with 27 seconds left in the first quarter.

"This was a big game for us," Marquez said. "I've had four touchdowns in a game before, but never five and to match my dad is special.

"But this is just the start for us."

>> Odessa High 54, El Paso Franklin 24

CLASS 5A DIVISION I BI-DISTRICT PLAYOFF

At Ratliff Stadium

El Paso Franklin            7    3    7    7     - 24

Odessa High               14  12  14  14     - 54

First Quarter

Odessa High - Derrick Teegarden 4 run (Travis Austin kick), 5:41. Drive: 8 plays, 79 yards, 3:40. Key play: On second-and 7 from the Franklin 33, Bradley Marquez went around the right corner for 23 yards to the 10.

Franklin - Richard Quinn 34 pass from Josh Valenzuela (Kyle Bero kick), 2:29. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 2:18. Key play: On fourth-and 1 at the OHS 43, running back Brandon Behl gets the first down of the right side to extend the drive.

Odessa High - Bradley Marquez 43 run (Travis Austin kick), :27: Drive: 4 plays, 74 yards, 1:56            Key play: On second-and 6 from the OHS 42, Derrick Teegarden took the option around the left side for 15 yards to the Franklin 43.

Second Quarter

Odessa High - Bradley Marquez 3 run (kick failed), 10:11. Drive: 3 plays, 31 yards, 1:20. Key play: On first-and 10 from the Cougars' 31, quarterback Derrick Teegarden throws an incomplete pass, but El Paso Franklin is called for pass interference to give the Bronchos the ball at the 16.

Odessa High - Bradley Marquez 1 run (run failed), 4:41. Drive: 4 plays, 28 yards, 1:21. Key play: On first-and 10 from the Franklin 28, quarterback Derrick Teegarden hits wide receiver Tyler McQueen with a 17-yard slant to the 11.

Franklin - FG Kyle Bero 24, :05. Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 2:13. Key play: On second-and 10 from the OHS 31, Brandon Behl hauls in a pass from Josh Valenzuela for 22 yards to the 9.

Third Quarter

Odessa High - Bradley Marquez 3 run (Travis Austin kick), 7:45. Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards, 4:15. Key play: On fourth-and 1 at the Cougars' 18, quarterback Derrick Teegarden connects with Joseph Limon for 10 yards and a first down.

Franklin - Cisco Rey 1 run (Kyle Bero kick), 4:23. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 3:22. Key play: On third-and 9 from the OHS 23, the Bronchos are called for a personal foul after an incomplete pass, moving the ball to the Bronchos' 11.

Fourth Quarter

Odessa High - Gabriel Rodriguez 23 pass from Derrick Teegarden (Travis Austin kick), 9:08. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 3:56. Key play: On fourth-and 10 from the OHS 26, Bronchos' punter Travis Austin was hit as he kicked, creating a roughing the kicker penalty and giving the ball back the Bronchos at their own 41.

Franklin - Joe Damian run (Kyle Bero kick), 7:17. Drive: 5 palys, 69 yards, 1:51. Key play: On first-and 10 at the OHS 11, the Bronchos are called for a pass interference penalty after a ball is tipped at the line of scrimmage, putting the ball at the 3.

Odessa High - Dean Ramos 1 run (Travis Austin kick), 1:42. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 5:35. Key play: On third-and 1 from the Franklin 20, running back Ronnie Marquez rushed for five yards to keep the drive alive.

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TEAM STATISTICS

                        Franklin           Odessa High

First downs      16                    27

Total yards      312                  456

Rushes-yards 22-131             58-307

Passing           181                  155

Comp-Att-Int    20-35-3           15-22-1

Sacked-Yards Lost                  0-0                   2-8

Punt returns     1-5                   0-0

Kickoff returns  8-165               3-45

Punts-Avg.       3-29.0              1-40.0

Fumbles-Lost  1-1                   0-0

Penalties-Yds  3-35                 3-30

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

El Paso Franklin

Brandon Behl 13-83, Josh Valenzuela 8-47, Cisco Rey 1-1.

Odessa High

Bradley Marquez 21-197, Ronnie Marquez 9-57, Derrick Teegarden 10-53, Gabriel Rodriguez 1-3, Dean Ramos 1-1.

PASSING

El Paso Franklin

Josh Valenzuela 20-35-3 186.

Odessa High

Derrick Teegarden 15-22-1-155.

RECEIVING

El Paso Franklin

Richard Quinn 4-66, Brandon Behl 7-34, Will Rogers 3-49, Chris Valiterra 3-23, Eric Grado 1-14, Team 1-10.

Odessa High

Gabriel Rodriguez 3-62, Joseph Limon 4-56, Ronnie Marquez 2-14, Bradley Marquez 2-14, Tyler McQueen 2-15, Nick Jones 1-7.

INTERCEPTIONS

El Paso Franklin

None.

Odessa High

Tyler Mints, 3.