LUBBOCK As a former linebacker, Odessa High head coach Danny Servance expects his teams to be physical and mentally tough.

In the first game of 2018, the Bronchos checked both of those boxes and shut down Lubbock Monterey’s explosive offense en route to a 23-11 victory over the Plainsmen Thursday night at Lowrey Field.

“Our kids are just resilient,” Servance said. “It was kind of nip and tuck for a while and we had to continue to battle. We talked about that we had to impose their will on them and we did that.”

After both teams struggled to get going on offense in the first quarter, the Bronchos were able find a spark on special teams.

Senior Charles McClure started off his night with a 34-yard punt return to put the Bronchos offense inside Monterey territory. From there, quarterback Trey Smith and running back Josh Lara took over on the ground, capping a six-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown run from Smith to open the scoring with 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

The Bronchos’ defense was able to shut down the Plainsmen on their next two possessions before Monterey got its ground game untracked behind running back Tre Lacy.

Lacy carried the ball for 49 of the 80 yards on Monterey’s lone touchdown drive of the game, with quarterback Coreon Bailey finishing the drive with a 19-yard touchdown run with 2:13 remaining in the first half.

A two point-conversion gave the Plainsmen an 8-7 lead that lasted all of 16 seconds.

On the ensuing kickoff, McClure weaved his way around the Monterey kickoff unit and sprinted 97-yards for a score that put the Bronchos back in front.

Monterey had an answer of their own on special teams with a 59-yard return by Tyaquna Williams that set the Plainsmen up inside the Bronchos 20.

But in a sign of things to come, the Odessa High defense stood tall and took a 14-11 lead into halftime after holding Monterey to a 29-yard field goal by Briley Alexander.

“That was huge for us,” Servance said. “Our kids were kind of deflated after giving up the long return but I encouraged them and just told them how big it was to hold them to a field goal.”

“That’s just how our defense is built,” McClure said. “That stop at the end of the half got everyone rolling on our team and that was the key stop in the game for us.”

From there, the physicality of the Bronchos defense took center stage, allowing the Monterey offense just 61 yards in the second half.

Odessa High got a spark off a forced fumble by senior cornerback Julian Galindo as the Plainsmen were driving inside the Odessa High 30-yard line.

“The coaches gave me an opportunity to make a play,” Galindo said. “I’m just glad to make something happen for our team.”

From there, the Bronchos offensive turned to Lara and the senior delivered, finishing with 174 yards on 29 carries, including 12 straight runs on Odessa High’s final drive.

Smith capped off the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run, his second on the night, as Odessa High finished with 213 yards on the ground.

Lara gave the credit to his offensive line.

“It means a lot knowing that the coaches have that confidence in me,” Lara said. “But I love the offensive line. Without them, what am I? They have heart and they push me to be better.”

Monterey had one last chance to score and looked like it had a touchdown pass from Bailey to Keatric Humphrey, but the play was called back on a penalty. Odessa High got the stop on the next play on fourth-and 20 to seal the win — one not quite as heart-stopping as last season.

In its 2017 opener against Monterey at Lowrey Field, Odessa High rallied for a 28-24 win in the finals seconds when Monterey fumbled a punt snap and the Bronchos scooped it up and scored on the ensuing scrum.

A year later, Servance was happy that no such craziness was needed this time.

“I’m glad that this win wasn’t as dramatic as last year,” Servance said. “We talked about finishing and trying not to let them come back and that’s what our kids did tonight.”
