As Lubbock Monterey head coach Wayne Hutchinson looked over scrimmage film this past weekend, he saw a different Odessa High.
“Lots of improvement,” he called it.
Hutchinson’s Monterey team is set to host Odessa High is both teams’ season opener Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Lowrey Field in Lubbock.
The Plainsmen beat the Bronchos 41-13 last season, but Hutchinson said he sees a different Bronchos team this season in Danny Servance’s second season at Odessa High.
“It seems like they’ve got things going their way,” Hutchinson said over the phone Wednesday, discussing what he saw out of the Bronchos’ scrimmage. “I thought their offense looked really good. They’ve got some explosive players.”
Odessa High scrimmaged with El Paso Montwood last Friday night, while Monterey got together with Amarillo Tascosa for a scrimmage.
Thursday night, though, the regular season kicks off and Odessa High and Monterey play for keeps.
“We’re going to have to play very well to try to slow those guys down,” Hutchinson said of the Odessa High offense.
Hutchinson became plenty familiar with Servance during the end of Servance’s time at Lubbock Estacado, a fellow Lubbock ISD school.
Hutchinson arrived at Monterey in February of 2014, about two years before Servance left Estacado for Odessa High in January 2016.
“Coach Servance does a great job, and it’s going to be a big, big test,” Hutchinson said.
“He’s a good guy. I respect him a lot. He’s definitely a professional and a great coach.”
Hutchinson said Monterey returns about 10 starts from last year’s squad that finished 10-3 and went three rounds deep into the Class 5A Division I playoffs.
But, even with key players back from an explosive offense, he expects a stiff test from the Bronchos defense.
“Kids looked like they were well-coached and they looked like they were very aggressive and flew around,” Hutchinson said of the scrimmage footage. “It looked like they were physical. That’s something our offensive line is going to have to be (Thursday). We’re going to have to be just as physical as they are, and we’re going to have to execute.”
Monterey returns quarterback Brylon Lawson-Young, with favorite targets Trey Manahan and Xavier White both back at receiver, too.
In the backfield, Hutchinson said he expects to split carries given to two sophomore running backs, in Damontrareis Lacy and Ty Williams.
But each play will start with Lawson-Young — and Monterey is expecting big things.
“Brylon has really improved his accuracy,” Hutchinson said. “He had a great scrimmage against Tascosa. So we’re expecting some really big things out of him.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Hutchinson said he has just four starters back, with a lot of that experience coming along the defensive line.
Defensive ends Tydrick Ranson and Dyshaunrick Lacy are back, as is Chris Enchinton on the d-line.
Inside linebacker Jonathan Perez is another veteran returner.
They’ll lead a group looking for a hot start to the season on Thursday — but expecting a tough test from the Bronchos.
“It’s going to be an exciting matchup,” Hutchinson said. “I know Odessa High has an explosive offense, and we’re going to see where our defense is at, for sure.”
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