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PERMIAN TRIPS UP LEE TO CLAIM SHARE OF DISTRICT TITLE

Permian trips up Lee to claim share of district title

CHRISTOPHER HADORN

MRT | 11/9/2019

PHOTO CREDIT: Permian Athletics

ODESSA – Odessa Permian quarterback Easton Hernandez burned the Lee defense with big plays and cost the No. 17-ranked Rebels a chance at an outright District 2-6A title Friday night.

Hernandez broke away on a 27-yard run to give the Panthers a two-score lead with 2:12 to play and propel Permian to a 42-39 victory over Lee at Ratliff Stadium. The Panthers (6-4, 4-1) and the Rebels (9-1, 4-1) will share the District 2-6A title.

Permian clinched the No. 1 seed out of District 2-6A in the Class 6A Division I playoffs and will host El Paso Franklin in the bi-district round, while the Rebels will be the No. 2 seed and play El Paso Montwood in the first round at 4 p.m. Thursday at Grande Communications Stadium.

After Hernandez’s late score, Lee’s Makhilyn Young returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards to give the Rebels a chance to pull off the improbable comeback. Two plays later, Mikey Serrano connected with Loic Fouonji on a 16-yard TD pass, cutting Permian’s lead to 42-39 with 1:29 left.

Even though they had two timeouts left, the Rebels attempted an onside kick, which Karl Taylor appeared to recover it while standing at the 50-yard line. But the officials ruled he first touched the loose ball just shy of the 10 yards.

“My hat’s off to them, they did a hell of a job coaching,” Lee had coach Clint Hartman said of Permian’s coaching staff. “I have no problem with that. The problem I have is with the onside kick. When we catch it on the inside of the ball, all the coaches get around (the refs) and they talk them out of it. The (official) on my side says, ‘Coach, he got it on this side of the ball.’ That’s a big call. When I mess up and they’re right, then I will call and apologize to each and every one of them.”

After Lee’s defense stopped Permian on three run plays, the Rebels got the ball back on their own 16-yard line with 23 seconds left.

Serrano completed three straight passes to Fouonji, pushing Lee to midfield before the quarterback’s last Hail Mary attempt fell to the ground.

Trailing 35-32, Permian’s Carson Roberts lined up to attempt a 38-yard field goal attempt, but it was blocked by Taylor, which gave the Rebels the ball back on their own 20. However, Lee couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity, as Permian got them off the field after only a four-play series. The last play on the series was a sack by Permian senior Jake Parchman, the grandson of legendary Lee head football coach John Parchman.

“Our defense had to step up and play and (Lee) has some great players,” Panthers head coach Jeff Ellison said. “I thought our kids did an amazing job of containing some very special football players.”

In a losing cause, Serrano completed 25 of 35 passes for 408 yards and three TD passes, while Fouonji caught eight passes for 118 yards.

Hernandez accounted for five of Permian’s six touchdowns, while rushing for 159 yards on 17 carries. Hernandez also completed 8 of 11 passes for 142 yards.

“We knew we were going to have to do some special things tonight and the kids stepped up and made plays,” Ellison said. “Easton had a great game tonight. First off, Midland Lee, Coach Hartman and those guys have an amazing football team. They have a great staff and they’re going to play a lot more football here in the playoffs. I’m extremely proud of our guys tonight.”

After giving up a score to Lee on its first drive, Permian fired back to take a 14-6 lead behind the heroics of Hernandez. The Panthers scored their first touchdown when Alex Rose tossed an 18-yard pass to Hernandez on a trick play, double reverse to convert a third-and-10 with 2:41 left in the first quarter. Hernandez shined again on Permian’s next possession, tossing a 26-yard TD pass to Terran Limuel with 11:09 remaining in the second.

The Rebels responded though on their next possession, as Serrano faked the Permian defense on a play action pass and threw to a wide-open Shemar Davis in the end zone for 12-yard pass with 9:28 left in the second, cutting the deficit to 14-12 after a missed PAT.

However, Permian struck back with a grinding 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive that culminated when Malachi Medlock scored on a 3-yard run. During the drive, Hernandez scrambled out of the pocket, extended the play and found Limuel for a 20-yard reception on third-and-14.

Taylor pulled Lee within 21-18 with a 1-yard run with 2:09 left in the second, but the Rebels trailed at intermission after missing two PATs and failing to convert a run on a 2-point conversion try. On its opening possession of the second half, Lee took its last lead at 24-21 when Davis scored on a 4-yard run.

But Permian bounced back, as Hernandez, on an option play, sprinted around the left side of the offensive line for a 60-yard, pushing Permian to a 28-24 advantage and give it the lead for good. Hernandez added a 1-yard scoring run at the end of the third quarter, which extended the Panthers’ lead to 35-24.

Down by two scores, Lee put together a 94-yard scoring drive, which was capped off by a 1-yard run from Taylor with 10:08 left. The Rebel defense followed with a three-and-out, but gave the ball back when a Lee player touched a rolling punt, which was recovered by Permian’s Kayden Baze at the Rebel 12-yard line. Taylor’s blocked kick shortly afterwards gave Lee life, but the Rebels couldn’t close the gap.

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