SAN ANGELO, TX — It didn’t take long for Central Bobcats head football coach Mark Smith to check out Amarillo High’s game film from last week.
The Sandies’ season opener against Odessa High was rained out minutes after it started.
It creates a situation where Central has very little scouting information to go on heading into their game at 7 p.m. Friday at Dick Bivins Stadium in Amarillo.
“It’s unique. They kicked off and ran about four or five plays, and then the game was delayed,” Smith said. “I’m happy we played a game. We’ve been out there and saw our guys in those moments. But they have the element of surprise, so to speak. We don’t have film of them playing a game and how they attacked Odessa High. We’re relying on a scrimmage and previous years.”
The Bobcats can count on a solid team waiting for them about 300 miles up the road in the Panhandle.
Amarillo High hasn’t posted a losing season in 17 years.
More
Central and Amarillo High played every year from 1998 to 2011 when they were realigned into the same district.
Their last meeting was a classic — Central rallied for a 28-27 win in Amarillo en route to its first undisputed district title since 1963 — but the rivalry has fallen dormant for over a decade until now.
The Sandies are led by Chad Dunnam, who is heading into his seventh year with the program.
They return six starters on both sides of the ball from last year’s 6-6 team.
“That coaching staff has been there a long time together, and those kids have been doing those systems for a long time, and there’s a great deal of benefit to that,” Smith said. “The thing that struck me was the consistency the team plays with. They don’t beat themselves. They’re a team that also takes chances. They’ve got fakes on extra point field goals, fakes on punts, everywhere, but they do it methodically and with thought put into it.
“There’s maybe not the individual stars that we saw this last week. But overall as a team, they’re as good as we’ll play.”
Central is coming off a 60-36 loss to Abilene High, which is ranked No. 8 in the state in Class 5A. Abilene and Amarillo are in the same district. Abilene is the favorite to win it, while Amarillo was picked third by Texas Football magazine.
Central was within 43-36 of Abilene High at the end of the third quarter and had the ball. The Bobcats struggled in the fourth quarter, however, and let the game get away.
As disappointed as Smith was on game night, he was encouraged by what he saw afterward.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but a hungry team showed up on Saturday and (Monday), ready to accept the challenge, and ‘What do we need to do to get better?’ You could see it in their eyes,” Smith said.
“Resiliency is something I think this team will be remembered by. Whatever situation comes up for them, they’re going to bounce back from it in a positive way.”
Central junior Elijah Allen had a breakout game Friday with 22 carries for 94 yards. Sophomore Darius Huitt had 14 carries for 52 yards.
Smith had kept his running back situation close to the vest leading up to the season opener, but Friday night appeared to show who would be leading the run game.
Central quarterback Christian English was 22-of-35 passing for 269 yards and three TDs. He also ran for two scores.
Jimmy Edwards had six catches for 94 yards and two TDs, while Colton Hill had nine catches for 81 yards. Tight end Casner Stribling had three catches for 51 yards.
Central will be on the road again next week at Abilene Cooper before returning home for back-to-back games against Belton and Waco to close out its nondistrict schedule.
More coverage
Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily
Required
Post a comment to this article here: