In this Friday night’s tilt, the District 2-6A finale will feature undefeated Permian and Bobcats of San Angelo Central. The Panthers have defeated the Concho Cats in the last six district meetings. Mojo looks to go 10-0 as they Burn the Angry Orange in Ratliff Stadium on November 6!
Permian (9-0, 3-0) is riding a nine-game win streak and coming off of a bye week, while the Bobcats (5-4, 1-2) lost 43-40 to Midland High (5-4, 2-1). In last year’s contest, Permian utilized a strong second half to send San Angelo Central home with a 35-27 loss.
You would have to scroll back to 2017 in the history books to uncover a 31-20 Bobcat victory over the Panthers. In head-to-head competition, Mojo currently holds a 39-15-1 all-time record over Central.
Nine games into the 2026 season, the Black Cats are still maintaining a balanced attack between pass and run. The Bobcats on the other hand lean heavily on their offensive line and running back. Without question, they are a run-first team.
The Concho Cats score predominately in the second quarter, and their chances of crossing the goal line fade noticeably in the final stanza. The Black Cats have been scoring somewhat evenly by quarter.
– POINTS: Permian is maintaining a lethal 41.7-point offensive average, while holding opponents to 16.9 points per game. The Central offense is producing a 33.7-point average, and the defense gives up 27.1 points a game.
| POINTS BY QUARTER | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| Bobcats | 6 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 33 |
| Panthers | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 42 |
– YARDAGE: The Panthers produce 435 yards of total offense per game, balanced perfectly between 235 yards passing and 200 rushing yards. The Bobcats have manufactured 400 total yards per game, tilting toward a 237-yard rushing average while still offering a 163-yard passing threat.
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| PERMIAN | CENTRAL | |
| vs Abilene High | W 41-29 | W 28-23 |
| vs Midland Lee | W 42-10 | L 32-27 |
| vs Odessa High | W 56-0 | W 38-14 |
| vs Midland High | W 42-17 | L 43-40 |
Permian will see a lot of junior running back Zeyvion Johnson (6-0, 220). Running behind a brute-force offensive line, Johnson is Central’s top threat and has racked up 1,452 yards on 214 carries with 19 touchdowns this season. He is averaging 6.8 yards a carry and 181.5 yards a game. No arm tackling… the ‘Mojo D’ will need to swarm and wrap up those thigh pads. On most pass plays, Johnson positions himself as a safety-valve check-down receiver.
Senior quarterback Micah Smith (6-0, 175) navigates the offense in his second year under center for the Bobcats. He has thrown for 1,301 yards, completing 110 of 206 passes (53%). Though he has tossed 16 touchdowns, he’s almost matched that with 14 interceptions. He backs up Johnson in the ground game, accounting for 207 yards on 42 carries with two rushing TDs.
Central has a corp of hands people for Smith to target. Gavin Johnson (5-10, 165) leads the group with 41 catches for 512 yards. He has accounted for eight touchdowns and averages 64 yards a game. Jesse Smith (5-7, 150) has 264 yards from 25 receptions, and Ellis Johnson (6-0, 185) has added 230 yards from 18 catches with two TDs.
Worth mention for the Central offensive assets is the offensive line. It averages about 260 pounds a lineman, which has created holes for Johnson to plow through all season.
No defensive player statistics are posted, so based on our own film study of the Bobcats vs. Odessa High, Midland Lee, and Midland High… On the defensive line, Riley Oines (6-2, 275), Tyson Mitchell (6-2, 230), and sophomore Solomone Ma’afu bring some serious beef to the line. The play-making linebacker standouts are Kash Jastrow (6-2, 185) and Nepote Kalamafoni (6-1, 180) on the outside, and Chris Walker (6-0, 175) handling the interior.
Senior defensive backs Troy Ceballos (5-10, 165) and Blaine Belcher (5-10, 160) are the main monitors of the airwaves. They are backed up by a smaller Gio Walker (5-8, 150) at safety. Belcher also serves as the punt returner.
In the three phases of the game, this one would be the soft spot for the Bobcats. Parker Neal handles punting duties with a 39-yard average. Permian will need to keep an eye on Neal as he is also the back-up quarterback. Sophomore Aaron Davila is responsible for kicking and is 36-of-39 in PATs and 2-of-4 on field goal attempts with a 25-yarder as his longest. Typically on kickoffs, he likes pooch-kicking the ball to the 25-30 yard line.
Offensively, Central likes to operate out of the shotgun and pistol sets with occasional play-action quick-dump passes to Gavin Johnson or Jesse Smith. The Bobcats favor lining up either in a 2×2 or three receiver stack to allow the quarterback to identify the defensive alignment.
Operating almost exclusively out of a 3-4 or 3-3-5 defensive shell, San Angelo has good size on the line but being able to pursue with any speed is not their strength. The Bobcats are very susceptible to getting burned all night on quick out passes to the flat or quarterback draws.
The coming Friday night encounter, San Angelo Central would like nothing more than to blemish Permian’s perfect record at Ratliff Stadium. So… let the Cat Fight begin between the Concho Cats and Black Cats! Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.
Authors: T Alan, Gem
DISTRICT 2-6A (11/6/26):
Central (5-4, 1-2) @ Permian (9-0, 3-0)
Lee (6-3, 2-1) @ Midland High (5-4, 2-1)
Odessa High is starting basketball…
*All Games 7:00 p.m. Kickoff
The gloves come off on Wednesdays. Check out our weekly editorial page to see the complete Game Notes, unfiltered Keys To Success, and view the week’s predictions from our panel of Sports media. They’ve locked in their final score picks for the District Finale.
[ Two Cents Worth & Predictions ]
