The Indians will experience a week of contrast as they go from playing the Idalou Wildcats who debuted at number seven in the state this season to facing the Fort Stockton Panthers tonight, a team which has given up 81 points scoring only 19 in two losses so far this season.
Facing a team that’s had problems like Fort Stockton has this season might make the Indians look past the Panthers, but Head Coach Chris Burtch said the Indians must focus on each game and what must be done.
“Unfortunately, to me what other teams do to our opponent doesn’t mean a whole lot,” Coach Burtch said. “We have to go out there and do what we do to be successful.”
The Panthers have a 0-2 record, losing to Lake View 32-19 and to Big Spring 49-0.
“I don’t know about their 0-2 record,” Coach Burtch said. “The one thing that will help get the Indians back on the winning track is us executing what we do and doing it very well.”
Quarterback senior Jacob Burtch said the game plan is the same as always.
“Each person needs to do his job, and we need a team aspect of it,” Jacob said. “Offensively, don’t turn over the ball and defensively, we can’t give up plays.”
According to defensive back junior Anthony Sharko, this will be a game that is going to make the Indians better because the team would play better and see what they are capable of. Sharko said the Indians just need a plan that’s not too overwhelming, while linebacker junior Ramon Juarez had a similar perspective.
“We have a great opportunity to have a lot of success,” Juarez said. “We need to dominate them up front and have less mistakes than last week.”
The Indians evenly split the win-loss column after losing, 27-10, to the Wildcats, who made it to the third round in the playoffs last year.
“It’s been a growing experience,” Coach Burtch said. “I think that our players have gotten better, and that’s what nondistrict games are for.”
Even with the loss, there were bright spots against Idalou. With only 38 seconds left in the second quarter, defensive back senior Marcos Moncayo intercepted for a first down.
“It felt great [to get an interception],” Moncayo said. “I held them from scoring.”
Juarez, who played both offense and defense, stressed his a/c joints in both shoulders.
“It’s an old injury, I just re-aggravated it,” Juarez said. “It will be fine.”
Seniors Sam Shirley, Cory Banman, Heath Green, Dexter Longley and Pranav Dave also came into the season with nonfootball-related injuries.
“We have some players that haven’t played because of prior injuries,” Coach Burtch said. “They came in unhealthy. All of them are expected to be contributors.”
With this new season, came a new district including Estacado, Cooper, Levelland, Shallowater and Andrews.
“It’s still a football game [even with the new district],” Coach Burtch said. “We played almost all of those people in nondistrict games, so we are used to seeing them. I think it can be positive and negative; it just depends on what you make it.”
Juarez said having a new district will be positive.
“I think the new district will make us better in the long run,” Juarez said. “We will go as far as we take it with effort and our mind set.”
The Indians still have Midland Christian and Big Spring before the district opener versus Shallowater on Oct. 12.
“We have to continue to improve, and when district comes we will be ready,” Coach Burtch said. “The seniors are doing a great job. They are good leaders for us. We just have to step up and get better.