Permian Basin Spotlight:  Monahans Hosts Fort Stockton in 1-3A Showdown
            By Craig Craker, Staff Writer ~~ Odessa American, October 25, 2007

Last season the Fort Stockton Panthers had everything going right.

They boasted a 6-1 record and were undefeated in District 1-3A play heading into Week 8.

Then everything came to a crashing halt at the hands of the Monahans Loboes.

The Loboes not only defeated the Panthers to win the 1-3A title, Monahans hammered Fort Stockton 35-0 at Panther Stadium.

This season the circumstances are very similar as the teams square off at 7:30 tonight at Estes Memorial Stadium in Monahans.

The Panthers (6-1 overall, 3-0 district) are just hoping history doesn’t repeat itself against the Loboes (4-3, 3-0).

“They know what happened last year, falling apart in the second half of the season,” Fort Stockton head coach Tom Howard said of his players. “They have matured and their goal is not to let that happen again.

“They are not overly excited and have maintained their focus exceptionally well.”

Including the Monahans game, Fort Stockton closed the season with three losses in four games, including a 53-28 loss to Andrews in the area round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs

The Loboes ran the table in district, before falling 21-7 to Snyder in the area round of the Division II playoffs.

“I don’t see either team pulling away,” Monahans head coach Mickey Owens said. “I think it will be a tough game all the way.”

Owens is concerned about his defense stopping a multi-faceted Fort Stockton offense led by running back Francisco Jacquez and quarterback Sergio Corral.

Jacquez has rushed for 1,234 yards and 19 touchdowns in seven games this season.

“The one thing (Fort Stockton) hasn’t had in the last couple of years is a good tailback and they have one now,” Owens said. “They are playing really well. This is the best they have played in three years and we better be ready.”

The Loboes also have a different look as running back Stephen Neel doesn’t have the size as the runners in the past.

Monahans also has two distinctly different quarterbacks in Steven Valles and Quincy Titus, who are rotating every series.

“Obviously they don’t have the big, fast running backs of last year’s bunch,” Howard said, “but they do have some kids that run hard.”

And both coaches expect a lot of hard running come tonight.

“I expect it to be a good ballgame,” Howard said. “I know both teams will be well prepared and both teams play hard."