Steve Steen was scheduled to start the Permian football team’s third drive.

The Panthers needed him a little sooner.

Steen entered the game in the middle of the second drive and on his first play — a 4th-and-8 situation from Odessa High’s 29-yard line — he carried it for an 8-yard first down and five snaps later Permian scored the opening touchdown.

With Steen as the signal-caller, the Panthers scored on five of their final nine drives en route to a 35-9 victory over crosstown rival, and District 2-6A opponent, Odessa High Friday at Ratliff Stadium.

“We knew I was going in, but we didn’t know how many reps I was going to get and the game that it turned into, I ended up getting a lot,” said Steen, who ended with 17 carries for 73 yards including a 9-yard score to close out the contest.

Permian senior slot back Brother Miller, who served as backup quarterback as a sophomore, started the game for the Panthers.

The offense piled up 43 yards and four first downs under Miller. Permian head coach Blake Feldt said after the game that the tandem signal calling between Miller and Steen will continue to happen for the remainder of the season.

“I thought Brother was outstanding,” Feldt said. “We are going to continue to do that some — put Brother back there. We have plays for him, because he’s a great weapon.”

Permian (7-1 overall, 4-1 District 2-6A) rolled up 184 yards of offense in the first half, while the defense limited Odessa High to 64. The Panthers ended the game with 346 and the Bronchos had 190.

The Panthers held a 14-3 lead after 7- and 16-yard touchdown runs from Ed Williams. He finished with a game-high 94 yards and three scores on 22 carries.

Odessa High’s Cain Cordova kicked a 25-yard field goal at the one-minute, 47-second mark of the second quarter. The Bronchos (3-6, 1-4) scored their lone touchdown on their first drive of the third quarter with an 8-yard carry from Trey Smith.

Smith was 9-of-23 passing for 63 yards. He also had 11 carries for 53 yards and one touchdown.

O’Ryan Farley — a starting offensive and defensive lineman for the Panthers — knew the Bronchos had big-play ability as the longest play throughout the contest was 32-yard run from sophomore running back Senjun McGarity, who ended with 74 yards and 14 carries.

“We just had to be disciplined,” Farley said. “We knew they were going to get a big play here and there, but the key to the game was to make sure that we limited that and don’t let the big plays to get out of hand.”

The Panthers racked up their own big plays from Justin Hammond and Keshawn Jones. Hammond rushed for a 41-yard gain to set up Williams’ second touchdown in the first half. He also returned the kickoff to start the second half 65 yards for Williams’ third score. Jones added a 40-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Permian continues its season traveling to Midland Lee at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Grande Communications Stadium.

The Panthers and Rebels are tied at 4-1 in the district with the winner claiming the No. 1 seed in District 2-6A Division I. The loser will have to travel to El Paso.

“It’s a huge rivalry game for the Midland Lee Rebels and the Permian Panthers,” Feldt said. “The Odessa High-Permian rivalry is a big rivalry, but my goodness Midland Lee-Permian rivalry doesn’t get much bigger than that. Not only that, but it has huge playoff implications.”
