HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Permian looks to return to the playoffs

Permian may be young in a few places this season, but if there’s one thing the Panthers have been good at in the past eight years, it’s been consistently making the playoffs.

Not since 2016 has Permian missed out on the playoffs and the Panthers expect to continue their current postseason streak this season.

Permian head coach Jeff Ellison enters his seventh season in charge of the program.

“We’re really excited,” Ellison said. “Everybody’s ready to go. It’s an exciting time.”

Seven starters return on offense while four return on defense from last year’s team that went 7-5 overall, 3-2 in district.

Among those coming back is quarterback Jakob Garcia who returns after carrying the offense as a sophomore last year.

“I think he’ll have a great season,” Ellison said. “He had a great offseason. Physically, he’s stronger. He’s been in the weight room during the offseason. He’s a very intelligent football player, too, so having that experience is going to make him more comfortable with the system in the offense and make him more explosive on the field.”

As for the defense, Caleb Cruz and Sebastian Sanchez look to be the standout players.

“Defensively, we’ll have a returning corner who started as a freshman Caleb Cruz,” Ellison said. “One of our inside linebackers Jayson Cranfill is another player that saw a lot of reps in the spring and will continue to get better. Coffie Powell and our safeties, I can go on and on, but I’m really excited because a lot of these players have experience. I think it’s going to be a fun year.”

At times last year, the Panthers’ defense looked young. Then, at other times, it came through in clutch moments including holding an Midland High team to only 14 points in a must-win final game of the regular season that clinched a playoff spot for the Panthers.

This year’s offensive line looks to be another strength for this year’s Panthers.

“I’m not sure what our average is on our offensive line, but I think our shortest guy is 6-4 and I think the lightest is 277,” Ellison said. “We have some good size up front. They move well. We have some big guys. We just have to come together as a unit.”

There were plenty of promising things that stood out for the Panthers during spring ball this year, mainly getting the younger players some experience.

“From the past spring, I think the biggest thing that stood out were our younger guys,” Ellison said. “We had some sophomores who are now seasoned and better. We also have some upcoming sophomores that are contributing as well. They’ve made an improvement as well. That was the biggest thing that I saw this past spring.”

District 2-6A remained unchanged during the realignment this past winter as Permian once again will face the usual suspects of Midland Legacy, Wolfforth Frenship, Midland High, Odessa High and San Angelo Central.

Despite coming up short in the district title race last year, Permian still managed to earn the bragging rights against Midland Legacy, defeating the Rebels in a 32-31 road contest last year.

Only twice in the last five years have the Panthers lost to the Rebels.

Permian’s district schedule will start with its usual date against Odessa High at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at Ratliff Stadium.

The Panthers will then face San Angelo Central on the road before coming home to face Midland Legacy and Wolfforth Frenship in consecutive home games.

The Panthers will end the regular season at Midland High, just as they did a year ago.

However, before the Panthers can look ahead to 2-6A play, they’ll get a challenging nondistrict schedule that begins right off the bat with Plano at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at Ratliff Stadium.

“That’s a great game,” Ellison said. “That’s a great series that’s been played in the past. It’s been a tough game for Permian against Plano, but we’re excited about getting that game back.”

Permian will then face El Paso Eastlake on the road before coming home to face Abilene High on Sept. 12.

Permian’s nondistrict schedule will continue against Amarillo Tascosa on Sept.20 before wrapping up against Carver High School from Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 27.

“We’re going to El Paso and have some strong competition against Eastlake and Amarillo Tascosa,” Ellison said. “We’re getting a team from Alabama that we don’t know too much about, but it’s going to be a fun nondistrict schedule.”