THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Odessa High School Athletics

The Odessa High and Wolfforth Frenship boys soccer teams ensured that the District 2-6A race would come down to the final day of the regular season after finishing in a 1-1 draw Tuesday evening at Ratliff Stadium. First half goals by Odessa High’s Alan Rubio and Frenship’s Cameron Jones were all that either team could muster as the Bronchos (11-6-5 overall, 6-0-3) remain in first place in the district standings with 30 points while the Tigers (11-2-3, 6-1-2) are still alive in the district title race with 28 points. “I think it was 50-50,” Odessa High head coach Eliseo Ortiz said. “They played well and then we played well. They scored off a set piece and we scored off a play. I thought that was the biggest difference. “But they had a lot of set pieces and that was one of our key pieces to stop their set pieces and we weren’t able to do that.” Both teams will play their final district games next Tuesday with the Bronchos facing Midland Lee on the road while Frenship hosts Midland High. An Odessa High win or a Frenship loss would give the Bronchos the outrigtht district title while a draw by the Bronchos would clinch at least a share. “We came here with a game plan,” Frenship head coach Scott Smith said. “We worked tremendously hard. I thought we had the better chances. Lapses in defensive concentration though didn’t help us. But the result takes it to the last game and we’re excited.” Neither team could get much going in the first 20 minutes of the game. An early scoring attempt by Adam Aboohamidi for the Tigers was saved by Gabriel Padilla and a few opportunities by the Bronchos were the only highlights of the opening part of the first half. That all changed, however, when Odessa High’s Alan Rubio opened up the scoring with his shot from the right side of the box, putting the Bronchos in front with less than 13 minutes left in the first half. It didn’t take Frenship long to find an equalizer as Jones scored off a corner kick just two minutes later to make it 1-1. The Bronchos had one more opportunity to pull ahead late in the half with a shot on goal from Ivan Jackson. However, Frenship goalkeeper Chad Pharies was able to make the save and both teams went into the break tied. Playing the second half with the wind at their backs, Frenship’s Jon Olivarez fired a shot that required a fingertip save by Padilla, going out for a corner kick as the Tigers nearly took the lead early in the second half. On the ensuing set piece, Zachary Schubert overshot the Odessa High goal with a chance to go ahead. Despite playing against the wind in the second half, the Bronchos were able to create a number of chances in the second half and continued to control the momentum. But as time wore down, neither side could find the game-clinching goal and will have to wait until next week to determine the district title.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Odessa High School Athletics

BRONCHOS, TIGERS FINISH IN A DRAW

MICHAEL BAUER

Odessa American | 3/12/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Odessa Athletics