The Frenship Tigers entered Friday’s contest in an almost must-win situation looking to keep their playoff hopes alive. Without a win over the Bronchos, the Tigers are now forced to win back-to-back games at Odessa Permian and the final regular season game hosting the Tascosa High Rebels to secure a playoff berth.
However, wins and losses haven’t defined this bounce back season for the Tigers. Their growth as a team coming off a difficult 2017 campaign has been marred by adversity.
“I think one of the things that I was most disappointed with tonight is I don’t know that we handled adversity very well at all,” Frenship head coach Jay Northcutt said. “I thought we’d made some progress, but I think we took a few steps back this week. That’s an area we’ve really got to focus on is just being able to handle the adversity when bad things happen.”
Health of its quarterbacks has defined adversity for the Frenship Tigers this season. After losing senior Austin Phillips to a foot injury against Lubbock Cooper, freshman Jess Hoel took the reins for the Tigers against El Paso Andress. Hoel left the game Friday night just before halftime holding his right arm. When he returned after halftime wearing street clothes and a sling it was apparent his time on the field was finished for the evening. Backup quarterback Tanner Higgins also entered the game in street clothes with his arm in a sling as well.
Odessa High opened the game with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown but Hoel and the Tigers answered with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Skyler Newsome following a 56-yard run by sophomore running back William Bayouth.
Newsome finished the day as Frenship’s leading receiver with 41 yards and a touchdown on five receptions. Bayouth led Frenship rushers with 10 carries for 64 yards.
The Tigers were unable to find the endzone again but added to their point total in the fourth quarter on a Cage Jones field goal.
On the defensive side, Christian Kiser collected his team-leading fourth interception late in the first quarter.
FHS (3-5, 0-3) travels to Ratliff Stadium to face the Odessa Permian Panthers on Friday, November 2. Kickoff from Odessa is set for 7:30 p.m.
ODESSA 56, FRENSHIP 10
Odessa 21 14 14 7 — 56
Frenship 7 0 0 3 — 10
First Quarter
O – Charles McClure 98 kickoff return (Cain Cordova kick), 11:46
O – Julian Galindo 6 run (Cordova kick), 5:34
F – Skyler Newsome 14 pass from Jess Hoel (Cage Jones kick), 4:07
O – Julian Galindo 70 punt return (Cordova kick), 0:00
Second Quarter
O – Josh Lara 10 run (Cordova kick), 2:53
O – Lara 1 run (Cordova kick), :35
Third Quarter
O – Galindo 11 pass from Trey Smith (Cordova kick), 5:57
O – Austin Aguirre 35 fumble return (Cordova kick), :08
Fourth Quarter
F – Cage Jones 22 FG, 8:05
O – Paulino Gabaldon 16 pass from Kameron Gonzales (Cordova kick), 1:17
FRENSHIP STATS
First downs: 11
Rushing yards: 94
Passing yards: 156
Comp.-att.-int.: 15-29-4
Fumbles-lost: 2-2
RUSHING: William Bayouth 10-64, Erin Brown 1-34, Jake Sherrard, 5-14
PASSING: Jess Hoel 7-14-1-80, Jake Sherrard 8-15-0-76
RECEIVING: Skyler Newsome 5-41-1, Drew Hocutt 3-34, Jonathan Hargrove 1-27, Theo Kurlander 1-22, Jordan Maden 1-16
*pictures provided by Curry Photography