Mark McDonald/Sports Writer Sunday, December 21, 1975
Irving — Normally regarded as the stingiest things this side of Scrooge, only their black and white uniforms kept the Odessa Permian Panthers from looking like the man with a sack full of goodies.
The Panthers surrendered the football five times in losing the Texas Class AAAA schoolboy state championship, 20-10, to a grateful group of Port Neches-Groves opportunists.
Coach John Wilkins saw his Panthers throw three pass interceptions and lose two fumbles, including one that Indian defender Jack Collaze caught in mid-air and returned 36 yards for a touchdown.
Permian came into the game with just 14 giveaways in as many games, but before 23,427 here Saturday at Texas Stadium, the takers had become the givers. “I guess maybe we were just overdue for some,” Wilkins said. “You Know it’s kind of ironic that we should give up that many turnovers when usually that’s what we rely on ourselves.”
The ultimate freebie came when usually-reliable Permian ballcarrier Johnny Houser took a low hit from Mike Giblin and the ball squirted free about head-high. Collazo accepted the free ball before it touched the Tartan turf and ran 36 yards for the score.
“I couldn’t believe it!” bellowed Collazo over the din in the victors’ dressing room. “It just fell right in my hands and I took off. It has never happened before and it will never happen again.”
Wilkins was just as impressed, but in a positive manner. “What can you say about a fumble in the air?” he demanded. “That’s the easiest thing you can give somebody. They don’t have to do anything.”
The Collazo touchdown and resulting 14-0 lead was no less painful to Mojo backers since the Indians’ first score also had come after a needless penalty. Houser clipped a member of an Indian kick coverage unit when a punt was just about to roll dead inside the Permian 10-yard line.
The resulting penalty walk-off gave Port Neches-Groves the ball back, this time at the Panthers’ 25. Indian quarterback Ricky Ethridge, son of the coach, promptly turned an apparent pass into a 14-yard scramble for a touchdown.
The Ethridge touchdown and Gary Davis’ first of two extra points made it 7-0 with 7:23 left in the first quarter. Less than a minute later, Collazo was jumping up and down in the Panther end zone.
In the first 10 minutes of play, Permian committed 35 yards worth of penalties and lost two fumbles.
“We played poor football early,” acknowledged Wilkins.
The Panthers appeared to gather their wits and struggled to cut the lead to 14-3 by halftime with a 33-yard field goal by Russell Wheatley.
“Once we settled down, we began to play football,” the Permian head coach said. And by halftime, the Panthers had earned a 153-62 edge in the total yardage figures.
The Panthers took the second half kickoff and on the strength of Kris Howard’s passing and wingback reverses, moved 68 yards in 13 plays for the score. Houser, who simply had a knack for being where the action was Saturday, dived over the left side from two yards out. Wheatley’s extra point made it 14-10.
But yet another Permian mistake, this time a Wilson Weber interception of a Howard pass, not only stopped the Panthers but led to the Indians’ final touchdown as well.
Weber dropped off the line from his linebacker position, stepped in front of Ricky Ross near the sidelines and gave the Indians possession at the Permian 29.
Ethridge did the scoring himself, following his right guard from one yard out. A pass interference call on Steve Powders, who at 5-9 was mismatched against 6-5 receiver Kyle Aguillard, set up Ethridge’s second touchdown.
The conversion try was wide because of a low snap from center, but with 10 minutes still left in the game, the Indians had their 20-10 decision.
Was it a disappointing season?
“No,” Wilkins said, tugging at his black coaching shirt. “We’re down right now, but looking back it’s been a great year. I’ve never been associated with a team that played more to its potential than this one.
“I think District 5-AAAA and all of West Texas should be proud of this team,”
Called a “good defensive football team” by Indian coach Doug Ethridge, Permian finished with a 12-2-1 season record report. The champs end at 14-1.
Port Neches-Groves 14 0 0 6 – 20
Odessa Permian 0 3 7 0 – 10
First Quarter
PN-G – Ethridge 14 run (Davis kick)
PN-G – Collazo 38 fumble return (Davis kick)
Second Quarter
OP – FG Wheatley 33
Third Quarter
OP – Houser 2 run (Wheatley kick)
Fourth Quarter
PN-G – Ethridge one run (kick failed)
A: 23,420
PN-G O. Per.
First downs 8 19
Rushes-yards 40-86 46-218
Passing yards 59 95
Passes 1-8-2 10-21-3
Punts 7-36 3-33
Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-2
Penalties-yards 5-55 7-60
