Football Game Preview: Taft Greyhounds vs. Odem Owls

Taft hasn't had much luck against Odem recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Greyhounds will venture away from home to square off against the Owls at 7:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.

Taft took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They took their contest with ease, bagging a 54-8 victory over Monte Alto. The Greyhounds haven't had any issues with the Blue Devil recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive win against them.

Meanwhile, Odem got the win against Hebbronville on Friday by a conclusive 55-32. Fans of the Owls have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 20+ points.

Taft better keep an eye on John Hinojosa. He was instrumental in Odem's win, rushing for 203 yards and five TDs while picking up 7.3 yards per carry. Hinojosa is crushing it when it comes to rushing touchdowns: he's punched in at least two every time he's taken the field this season. Martin Castillo was another key player, rushing for 91 yards and one touchdown on only seven carries.

Odem was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 373 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 225 rushing yards in six consecutive matchups dating back to last season.

Taft's record now sits at 2-3. As for Odem, their record is now 5-0.

Taft came up short against Odem when the teams last played back in October of 2024, falling 28-20. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Hinojosa, who rushed for 225 yards and three scores. Now that the Greyhounds know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.