Friday, October 30, 1998

Panthers, Rebels knocking heads tonight

By Jeff Walker

ODESSA - The two Permian Basin powerhouses meet tonight with playoff implications and bragging rights on the line.

Odessa Permian, currently undefeated in District 4-5A action, travels to Midland to face the Lee Rebels, a team that is one game behind the Panthers, but ranked higher in the state poll.

The Rebels have been on the winning end of the scoreboard the last three times these teams have faced each other.

Both Abilene coaches have already faced the two teams. Abilene High lost at Odessa Permian the first week of district, 42-17. The next week Midland Lee rolled over the Eagles 34-0.

Cooper lost a close game to the Panthers, 28-25, in Odessa, but then knocked off Lee the following week at Shotwell Stadium, 21-14.

As opposite as the results were for both Abilene coaches, so are the opinions as to who will win this week.

"That's going to be a great game, both teams are really good," AHS head coach Steve Warren said. "I would have to go with Permian, though, because they are a veteran team and I think they are peaking at the right time.

"Lee is coming off a loss and most of their players have never been in as big a game as the Lee-Permian one."

Cooper head coach Randy Allen said he thinks the Rebels' inexperience won't matter.

"Lee is better defensively, Permian is better offensively and the kicking game is just about equal as long as Lee can figure out their problem with snaps on their punts," Allen said. "Lee is the best we've seen against the run and they're the fastest we've seen. I think they're a little better at this point in the season than the North Mesquite defense we faced."

Allen didn't actually say which team he thought would win, but when put on the spot..."Lee, they should probably win it."

The beat reporters in Odessa and Midland agree with Warren. Though both agree it should be a close game, both pick Permian to win this week.

Chris Turner covers the Panthers for the Odessa American. He said he thinks the Rebels don't have the experience to make it four straight against Permian.

"I think it's Permian's time," Turner said. "Lee has won the last three in a row but they've never won four in a row. I think the Permian offense can handle Lee because they're inexperienced. And on offense, (Lee) lost one of their running backs."

Turner said Autry Pryor quit before last week's game against the Cougars because of a lack of playing time.

"They've still got a nice three-man rotation, though," Turner said.

Terry Williamson, sports editor of the Midland Reporter-Telegram, said he thinks the Permian weaponry is too much for the Rebels.

"That game is always close, it's always a good ballgame and Lee always seems to play well against Permian," Williamson said. "The series record is 9-8-1 since 1983 and most of them have been close ballgames. I think it's going to be around 28-24. Permian has three of the most powerful offensive weapons I've seen this season in Williams, Powell and Morris."

As for my prediction, I said last week on the radio that Cooper would beat Lee and Permian would lose to Lee, forcing a three-way tie at the top, and I'm not going to back down.

So, if you are keeping score at home, it's Permian 3, Lee 2 from the writers and coaches.

Picks of the week

- Midland High at Abilene High: This is a tough one to call because both teams have question marks in the backfield. Sneezy Beltran has a pulled hamstring and is listed as questionable for tonight's game. Warren said Midland running back Shemond Davis also left last week's game due to injury. I'm still not giving up on the Eagles. AHS 31, MHS 14 (with Sneezy); AHS 24, Midland High 14 (without).

- Cooper at Odessa High: The Odessa defense is strong and quarterback Rick Leach has returned to the starting lineup. As long as the Cougars aren't too high after defeating Lee last week, this one should be a win for the Cougars. Cooper 27, Odessa High 14.

- Permian at Lee: I gave the prediction up top, now for the score. Lee 16, Permian 14.

Jeff Walker can be reached at 676-6711 or sports@abinews.com.