AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The Amarillo High Sandies and Tascosa Rebels will meet for the 69th time in their storied rivalry as both teams prepare for the postseason on Friday.
Both coaches understand the challenge ahead in this matchup.
“They’re a good football team. They’re well coached, play really good defense and obviously running that offense, they’re certainly going to challenge you to do your job all night long and it tests your discipline,” said Amarillo High Head Coach Chad Dunnam.
Tascosa Head Football Coach Ken Plunk says his team faces a balanced offensive attack.
“They can really score. We got to play both good against pass and the run, they’re very balanced. [Jett Lopez] is doing a good job getting the ball out and I think overall they’re one of the better teams we’ve played this year,” Plunk said.
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Both coaches emphasized enjoying the rivalry atmosphere while maintaining focus.
“It’s gonna be a fun game, it’s gonna be an exciting game. The kids are gonna have a blast. I think our community is gonna have a blast getting behind their teams and it’s gonna be really fun,” Dunnam said.
“We try to stay away from the idea that it’s a big games, they’re all big games. The ones who qualify for the playoffs are the biggest, but this is a fun game. It’s a good crowd, it should be a good atmosphere and then I think you just go out and you play the best you can,” Plunk said.
Series history favors Sandies
Amarillo High leads the all-time series 42-23-3, with the teams first meeting in 1958. However, Tascosa has won four of the last five games, marking the Rebels’ best five-game stretch against the Sandies since 1973-77.
Tascosa scored its most points in the series with a 45-10 victory in 2022. Amarillo’s highest-scoring game was a 48-0 shutout win in 2012, which was also the last shutout in the series. Tascosa’s last shutout against the Sandies was 9-0 in 1991.
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The Rebels won last season’s meeting 34-29.
Tascosa’s November dominance
Tascosa has not lost a November game at Dick Bivins Stadium since 2016, compiling 11 consecutive wins combining district and playoff victories.
The streak includes the biggest comeback in school history when the Rebels overcame a 27-point deficit against Amarillo High in the third quarter to win 28-27 on November 6, 2020.
The Rebels’ last November loss in Amarillo was 49-15 to San Angelo Central on November 3, 2016, in the final regular season game.
Game coverage
The Tascosa-Amarillo High game will be a video and audio simulcast on the Texas Panhandle Sports Network and NewsChannel10.com with Adam Cox and Steve West on the call starting at 6:50 p.m.
The Coin Toss show with Mike Roden and Lance Lahnert starts at 6:30 p.m.
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