By Neil Robertson
MaxPreps.com
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The third week of September is always a great time of year to be a high school fan in the Texas Panhandle. The annual Tri-State Fair sets up its neon and glitter midway just to the east of Amarillo's Dick Bivins Stadium.
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From the plush surroundings of that stadium's new, state-of-the-art press box (rivals most NCAA Division I-A media booths - come see for yourself), sports writers are treated to eye candy of Texas high school football being contested against the unique backdrop of a techno-color carnival in progress.
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It has been described as Amarillo's own little Cotton Bowl/Texas State Fair during the Red River Shootout weekend. Come see it, it's worth the price of admission.
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Amarillo High was supposed to be in rebuilding mode this season. Larry Dippel, Amarillo's legendary 33-year head coach retired after last season, the core of the 2005 defense lost to graduation.
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Someone forgot to tell the new guy - coach Brad Thiessen. The Sandies have started 2006 by dominating a deuce of 3-4A teams - Amarillo Palo Duro last week, and Pampa Friday night, by a combined score of 81-21. And that's with the Sandie second team playing the majority of the second half against Pampa.
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The Sandie offensive dynamic duo of quarterback Kyler Hill and running back Jacob Reinbold have started their 2006 campaign with spectacular stats in just two full games. Friday night before a homecoming crowd of 10,000 at the 84th contest of this legendary Panhandle series, Reinbold ran for 148 yards and four touchdowns versus the Pampa Harvesters - all before the middle of the third quarter adding to his impressive two-game season total of 358 yards and eight touchdowns.ÿ
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The Harvesters and rookie head coach Andy Cavalier perhaps were distracted in last week's practices by the bright lights of visiting NBC News "Dateline NBC" host Stone Phillips (that "Dateline NBC" segment featuring the Pampa Harvesters airs in October). Or perhaps the Amarillo Sandies are just that superior of a ball club. Regardless, 2-5A Amarillo's early-season warm-up versusÿ 4-A sparring partners ends abruptly next week when the Sandies take on powerhouse 5A Odessa Permian under THE original "Friday Night Lights" of Odessa Ratliff Stadium.
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Speaking of the intimidating confines of Ratliff Stadium, 2-5A Amarillo Tascosa rallied for a 17-7 road win there Friday evening against Odessa High. Despite a defensive joust, Tascosa Rebel Anthony Scott led the rushing with 19 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns. The Rebels improve to 2-1 with second-year coach Heath Parker heading into a Thursday meeting with 3-4A Canyon Randall at West Texas A&M's Kimbrough Stadium in Canyon.
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They saved the best for last in the Panhandle this past weekend. On a gusty Saturday afternoon before another homecoming crowd of 3,000 at Amarillo`s Dick Bivins Stadium,ÿ 3-4A Amarillo Palo Duro rallied from a 20-6 halftime deficit for a 32-26 overtime win over reigning New Mexico state champs Clovis.
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The constant wind out of the south turned the kicking game into a crap shoot: five extra-point kicks failed and a punt got blocked - the last Clovis extra-point kick was blocked and returned 86 yards byÿ Palo Duro's Don O'Quinn Young for a two-point safety.
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"These guys have been working hard since August 14, and they finally got their paycheck," Palo Duro coach Steve Parr said.
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This last-minute victory salvages the Dons early-season after opening with two consecutive losses.