District 2-6A was must-see football last year with the resurgence of Midland and Odessa. And with all six teams back for another go at it this fall, there should be no shortage of drama in the battle for the four playoff tickets.
Here’s what to watch for in this district.
Midland Bulldogs
Head Coach: Thad Fortune (4th season; 16-16 record)
Last Season: 9-3; 3-2 in district (Lost to Byron Nelson in area round)
Midland Key Players and Storylines
The Bulldogs are coming off their most successful season in quite some time. Not only did they make the playoffs for the first time in five years, they also secured their first playoff victory since 2016 with a 31-21 bi-district success over El Paso Americas.
Midland has a good group returning this season with six starters back on each side of the ball.
Offensively, it will all start in the backfield with an option rushing attack. Elijah McCoy is getting looks from the Division I level after rushing for 1,548 yards and 22 touchdowns a year ago. Midland will also benefit from a full year of quarterback Stroman Bridges (235 passing yards; 620 rushing yards and seven touchdowns). He missed five games last year due to injury but returned to be a key part of Midland’s playoff success.
80 yards td run vs Midland Legacy @Coach_Fortune @CoachCam36 @Coach_Brophy @BnanceTTU @CoachBlack10 @OU_CoachHill @Austin_Cochran1 @PCobbs43 @JaydenHuberUNLV @Coach_Leftwich @CHEADTSU @CoachMC_APSU @CoachCochranTTU @jkbtjc_53 @CraigDameyune @Igarza432 @CoachBPetrino pic.twitter.com/D0U5sV7Ylb
— Stroman Bridges ‘25 ATH/QB (@StromanBridges) October 28, 2023
When you run the triple option, you need some good blockers. Midland has that in senior receiver Anthony Kolb. He operates out of the slot and will also likely see some of the ball out of the Bulldogs’ rushing attack (492 rushing yards and seven touchdowns).
The biggest question for Midland will be up front after the Bulldogs graduated three all-district offensive lineman from a year ago.
Defensively, the trenches are a lot more solidified. Darrion Mitchell (55 tackles, three sacks) has a “great motor” while Tahj Harris is “hard to block.” Harris is coming off a season where he earned the district’s Newcomer of the Year award. Midland will lean on him (eight TFLs, three sacks) as their primary pass rusher.
Behind them, linebacker Ryder Miller and defensive back Blade Brandon were both first team all-district selections last year. Miller can do it all. The Midland coaching staff described him as “great in coverage” and a “tough run defender.” Brandon will be the “cornerstone in the secondary” after breaking up ten passes a year ago.
The Bulldogs have a good amount of experience back from a year ago. Expect them to be a force in the playoff picture again as they seek to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with out in West Texas.
Midland Legacy Rebels
Head Coach: Clint Hartman (9th season; 69-27 record)
Last Season: 10-3; 4-1 (Lost to Allen in regional semifinals)
Midland Legacy Key Players and Storylines
The Rebels have arguably been the premier 6A program out in West Texas under the leadership of Clint Hartman. Last year, they beat Euless Trinity in the area round on a two-point conversion in double overtime to advance to the third round of playoffs for the first time since 2019.
However, the Rebels’ backfield production from a year ago must be completely replaced with quarterback Marcos Davila off to Purdue and 1,800-yard rusher Damien Johnson also graduating.
The receiver room is far from empty though. Senior Aiden Serrano (1,008 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns) eclipsed the century mark a year ago, while speedy junior Caden Ellis (407 yards and five touchdowns) will be a big play threat.
@AidenSerrano8 stiff-arms a man and puts the Rebels on top! pic.twitter.com/25KfxvV5dl
— BasinSportsNetwork (@basinsportsnet) November 4, 2023
Up front, center Peyton Arthur was a first team all-district selection a year ago.
Defensively, safety Cole Neatherlin (107 tackles, seven TFLs) will be expected to lead the secondary. He was a first team all-district selection a year ago.
The Rebels should be a handful in the trenches. Brylon Zeno (45 tackles, two TFLs) was a first team all-district selection at defensive end. Drew Nisius (47 tackles) and Terry Ojopagogo (47 tackles) should plug up running lanes from their defensive tackle positions.
This will be the first time since 2020 the Rebels won’t have Davila as their starting quarterback. How that transition goes in the backfield could go a long way towards determining the ceiling for Legacy in 2024.
Odessa Bronchos
Head Coach: Erik Hartman (1st season)
Last Season: 5-5; 2-3 in district
Odessa Key Players and Storylines
Odessa came agonizingly close last season to snapping a playoff drought that stretches back to 2013. The Bronchos opened district with two wins but then lost their last three games to come up a game short of the postseason.
Now, they’ll head into 2024 with an Odessa alum leading the way as Erik Hartman comes over from Corsicana to replace Dusty Ortiz, who took the Carrollton Creekview job.
The Bronchos averaged over 43 points per game in their five district games last year, and the Broncho staff has high confidence their team will be able to move the ball up and down the field again this year. The defense is where the Bronchos must improve.
Four starters return on each side of the ball headlined by quarterback Mikey Cota (2,054 passing yards and 37 touchdowns). The Bronchos will miss receiver Ivan Carreon, who graduated and is off to play at Oklahoma. However, both Jalen Warren (704 receiving yards and nine touchdowns) and Andrew Rodriguez (658 receiving yards and seven touchdowns) are ready to lead the receiving corps this year after strong 2023 seasons. Sophomore receiver Kobi Baldonado is a player with “big-time potential.”
Mikey Cota(Odessa) went 27-38(71.1%) passing for 534 yards and 8 TDs, with another TD on the ground in a 71-70 win Friday night. The Junior QB has been on a tear over the past month, with 1,450 passing yards and 19 total TDs. #NextLevelAthlete #TXHSFB @cota_mikey @CoachHattenJr pic.twitter.com/2z7uUD9VlI
— Next Level Athlete (@NextLevelD1) October 18, 2023
Up front, expect Aidan Ortiz, a three-year starter, to anchor the offensive line.
Defensively, the Broncho coaching staff believes defensive back Landon Wilkerson (66 tackles) is set to have a big 2024 season.
In the trenches, Tony Romo (32 tackles, four TFLs) is Odessa’s leading returning playmaker from last season. The Bronchos also believes sophomore Elijah Marquez will be a force on the defensive line, while junior Ryan Sanchez is an “intelligent player who is fundamentally sound.” At linebacker, Dominick Taylor is back after racking up 45 tackles in 2023.
The Bronchos will be needing players to step up as they don’t have as much depth following the graduation of 34 lettermen. But with the offensive trio of Cota, Warren, and Rodriguez leading the way, expect Odessa to be in the playoff mix again this season.
Odessa Permian Panthers
Head Coach: Jeff Ellison (7th season; 47-23 record)
Last Season: 7-5; 3-2 in district (Lost to North Crowley in area round)
Permian Key Players and Storylines
Odessa Permian has been a model of consistency under head coach Jeff Ellison. The Panthers have made the playoffs and won at least seven games in each of his six years at the helm.
There’s no reason to see that changing this year with Permian returning half of its starters from a year ago (seven on offense and four on defense.)
Star running back Juztyce Lara graduated, but junior quarterback Jakob Garcia (1,182 passing yards and 13 touchdowns) is back and fellow junior running back Gavin Black (256 rushing yards) is ready to take on a bigger role in the backfield this fall.
The Panthers don’t throw the ball a ton, but senior Luke Paradeaux and junior Cayden Hernandez are next in line at the receiver position after Permian’s top five pass catchers all graduated.
Defensively, Permian has talent coming through the pipeline. Safety Braden Garcia was the district’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year last season, while cornerback Caleb Cruz started as a freshman.
Sophomore Highlights
6 Game Varsity Starter
Permian High school
All team district safety
46 Tkls
3 Deflections
2 FF
1 FR
2 INThttps://t.co/5QEMrk3fAv@CoachChrisMineo @Coach_JEllison @CoachSanchez1 @OdessaPermian @Coast2Coasttc pic.twitter.com/E0Zypb1tRu— Braden Garcia (@BradenGarcia4) December 31, 2023
Junior linebacker Jayson Cranfill should be another impact player for the Panthers. Sebastian Sanchez will be a threat to opponents’ backfields coming off the defensive line.
Replacing Lara won’t be easy, but Permian always seems to find a way to pound the football and win games, so don’t expect much of a change from one of Texas’ most historic programs this fall.
San Angelo Central Bobcats
Head Coach: Mark Smith (1st season)
Last Season: 1-9; 0-5 in district
San Angelo Central Key Players and Storylines
Experienced coach Mark Smith takes over the Bobcat program heading into 2024. He most recently was a defensive analyst at the University of Oklahoma.
Now, he’s tasked with righting the ship in San Angelo, where the Bobcats are coming off their worst season since 2008. Last year was also the first time they had missed the playoffs in 14 years.
So with all that being said, San Angelo should have no shortage of motivation this fall. They have quite the quarterback-receiver duo back in Christian “Squeaky” English (2,569 passing yards, 1,047 rushing yards, and 35 total TDs) and Colton Hill (854 receiving yards and four touchdowns). English had quite the debut season a year ago, earning the district’s Offensive Newcomer of the Year award.
Christian English with. 20-yard TD run gives San Angelo Central 7-0 lead on Montwood pic.twitter.com/PrDikiDQW0
— Felix Chavez (@Fchavezeptimes) September 1, 2023
He’s got some returning protection up front in Chase Cole and Tu’uta Kalamafoni. Both were all-district honorable mentions last seasons.
Defensively, the Bobcats have their leading tackler back in junior linebacker Mason van Sickle (101 tackles). Safety Kasen Rodgers (49 tackles) and linebacker Jaekob Jackson (41 tackles, six TFLs) are two other juniors who were reliable playmakers on the defense a year ago, so there’s hope that year of experience will help the defense take a step forward this year after giving up 46 points per game in 2023.
This San Angelo Central team has playmakers on both sides of the ball. With that talent, Smith and his staff will aim to have an instant impact and get this Bobcat program back in the playoff battle this fall.
Wolfforth Frenship Tigers
Head Coach: Jay Northcutt (8th Season; 36-38 record)
Last Season: 9-3; 3-2 in district (Lost to Southlake Carroll in area round)
Frenship Key Players and Storylines
The Tigers knew how to put up points in a hurry a year ago. They finished the season averaging nearly 45 points per game. That offense was key as they secured their second-straight bi-district round victory in a 87-58 shootout against Eastwood.
In 2024, the Tigers are blessed with two Division I talents leading its receiving core in Texas Tech commit Leyton Stone (1,658 yards and 23 touchdowns) and Chase Campbell (1,411 yards and 17 touchdowns). There’s some work to do outside that position group though as just four starters return offensively overall.
Texas Tech Football lands 2025 WR Commit from Frenship, Leyton Stone! @Leyton_stone17 pic.twitter.com/9oANJKvB7v
— Zach Fox (@ZachFoxSports1) November 21, 2023
The majority of Frenship’s backfield production from 2023 has graduated. Looking ahead to this year, head coach Jay Northcutt lists senior quarterback Holdon Phillips and running back Jordan Rodriguez as two players the Tigers expect to step up.
Defensively, Frenship has some more pieces back with seven returning starters. Linebacker Cooper Archer (103 tackles) will hold down the fort in the middle of the field, while defensive backs Bryce Garza (35 tackles), Hudson Simpson (76 tackles), and Hunter Hicks (44 tackles) will be relied upon to lead the secondary.
With several seasoned players on defense, Frenship will need that unit to progress from last year after it gave up 38 points per game. The offense will feature some fresh faces, and while that may bring some bumps in the road, Northcutt is confident in the speed and athleticism his squad will possess across the board this fall.
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