Austin Panthers: High School Football Preview
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Austin Panthers are ready to build off their first season in 4A which saw them finish second in the district with an overall record of 5-6 and 3-1.
To achieve their goal this season of finishing first in the district the Panthers know they need to improve. They return seven guys on each side of the ball but they enter this year without Division 1 signee and star running back/linebacker Jayden Wilson (New Mexico).
"You don't replace a kid like Wilson you just piece together a team, attack every practice and attack every game," Austin head coach Eric Pichardo said. "You just get another kid, new story, new name and someone that believes in the system and make it work."
Senior Jacob Marrufo is the guy tasked with filling Wilson's shoes. The running back and linebacker rushed for 207 yards and had 73 tackles last season and he's ready for an even bigger year.
"I'm excited. I'm not going to fill the same hole, I'm a different person but I'm going to just hit the gaps strong and make it happen," Marrufo said. "I see all the talk as we're underdogs and I'm excited to see what we can do."
"I really like all the doubt all the people that are saying we're not going to get far without Jayden and the other guys we lost," Albert Aranda senior defensive tackle and tight end said. "I think that doubt is really what's driving us to do our best and I think we're going to go a lot further than people think."
Austin begin their season at home against Fort Stockton at 7 p.m. MT on Friday, Aug. 25th. You can watch all the highlights that night on the Borderland Blitz.
