The Randolph Ro-Hawks take their undefeated record into the Hill County Friday where they’ll face the Blanco Panthers.  

Randolph coach Elliot Ortiz became the fourth coach in the 60 year history of Randolph football in 2021 and led the Ro-Hawks to the playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Lago Vista 36-13.  A win Friday would be their sixth of the season, matching their second highest total for a season since their 11-1 campaign in 2007.  Although Randolph (5-0, 1-0 in 13-3A-I, #6 in the 3A-I-Region IV Padilla Poll) has made the playoffs 7 of the last 8 years, they’ve only exceeded 6 wins once in that run, when they went 7-5 in 2019.   

Under Ortiz’s predecessor Pete Wesp, Randolph famously spurned the forward pass on offense.  Although Ortiz’s team has thrown the ball more – they’ve completed 23 of 38 passes, averaging 7.6 passes a game – they still emphasize the run, with Aaron Davis and Colton Howard each exceeding 400 yards rushing and 9 yards per carry.  Randolph has outscored its opponents 176-54, shutting out YMLA and Kennedy.  

Blanco (3-2, 1-0 in 13-3A-I, #4 in the 3A-I-Region IV Padilla Poll) is in its first season under head coach Jamie Dixon, who in four seasons at Vanderbilt Industrial led the Cobras to four playoff berths and three consecutive 11 win seasons.  Blanco brings a 3 game winning streak into the Randolph contest; they opened their season with a loss at 3A-II power Poth and at home against Antonian.  Since then, they’ve outscored their opponents 115-7.

Each team has a victory over Boerne Geneva.  Randolph won a home game 27-21 against Geneva Week 2; Blanco defeated the Eagles 26-7 on the road Week 4.

Undefeated Llano (#1 in the 3A-I-Region IV Padilla Poll) will face Randolph next week, and Blanco the following week.  

Mark Kusenberger

September 25, 2022 

Read more from Mark on his blog at https://mkusenberger.wixsite.com/website/blog