Westwood football off to fast start following best season since 2007

PALESTINE, Texas ( KETK ) – The Palestine Westwood Panthers football team is coming off a 9-3 season in which they won their second playoff game in program history.

“We’re really looking forward to using that momentum and experience to really push us forward and propel us to hopefully new heights this year,” Palestine Westwood head football coach Richard Bishop said. “It shows them that we belong and we’re not a fish out of water. It gives them confidence to be in that setting and have success.”

Bishop took over at Westwood in 2018 and said the football program is in a much better spot than it was six years ago thanks to the buy in and effort from his players.

“Just to see them get the fruit of their labor so to speak is really, really awesome just to see their success and their confidence now,” Bishop said.

The Panthers are 2-0 this season and out to prove last year’s playoff win wasn’t just a flash in the pan. With guys like sophomore dual-threat quarterback Kavian Bryant and bruising senior running back Jon Denman, they’re confident they can go even further this time around.

“It was fun last season getting to grow. But now this season we finna make a statement and go all the way,” Bryant said.

Bryant, who’s also a standout basketball player at Westwood, threw for more than 2,000 yards and rushed for over 800 yards last year as a freshman.

“To have a guy like that is very comforting. And then when things break down he can use his legs and go make a play too so he’s a very special kid number one. Very special human being and then very special talent,” Bishop said.

Denman recently transferred to Westwood from Palestine.

The TCU commit, who also plays safety for the Panthers, is ready to power his new squad into the state title hunt.

“I feel like everybody’s hungry. Everybody think we can make the same thing so I feel like we all on the same page too. We got a lot of momentum. We think we the best team in Texas really so we ready,” Denman said.

Palestine Westwood (2-0) hits the road to face Timpson (2-0) Friday, September 13 in a 3A vs. 2A week 3 non-district showdown. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at John Herbert Eakin Stadium in Timpson.

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