Football prepares to make appearance in round two

The football team will continue their playoff run this Saturday in Odessa against Canutillo.

Ashlyn Salvato

The football team will continue their playoff run this Saturday in Odessa against Canutillo.

After being crowned Bi-District Champs, the Raiders look to continue their season Saturday at 4 p.m. against Canutillo at Odessa Ratliff Stadium. Discounted tickets can be purchased beforehand in the office at $6 for adults and $4 for students and will cost $8 at the stadium.

“The coaches spend a lot of prep time trying to best prepare their teams for battle,” Head coach Bryan Wood said.  “Our football staff works extremely hard to make sure that we have a great plan and that the boys are prepared every week.”

The team has spent a total of 77 days practicing, playing, lifting or watching film since two-a-days started August 12. This includes over 20 hours of opponent film as well as another eight hours spent watching themselves on film.

“At this point, the goal is to just play as long as [we] can,” Wood said. “We understand that there are 32 teams still competing for the 2013 Class 4A Div II Trophy and we are one of them.  That is quite an accomplishment, but I don’t think this group is satisfied just yet.”

There are only six weeks before the State Championship game in Dallas, and if the Raiders progress that far, it will break down into eight hours per week outside of school to prepare physically and mentally. That leaves a total of 48 hours to ready themselves and their teammates for the first state appearance in school history.