WINK, Texas — The UT Permian Basin Football team is set to host its first conference opponent in West Texas A&M Saturday night. There's buzz around the Basin about this contest since it will be the first time fans will get to see this team in Lonestar Conference play.
There's also another reason why area football supporters can look forward to this matchup: the local ties are deep. Especially at the quarterback position.
For one, former Wink star signal caller Kanon Gibson makes his return to the Permian Basin for the first time as a college football player. The current Buffalo is a true freshman but has already gotten two opportunities to start.
On the other side of the field, Kenny Hrncir also started as a freshman back at East Central University. That was a long time ago. The Falcon QB1 is now a fifth year senior with over 30 games of experience.
"Freshman year, I was kind of just running around with my head cut off not knowing what I'm supposed to be doing," Hrncir said. "Learned a little. Each and every game you learn something new. By the time I'm a fifth-year senior now, I've seen almost everything you can see in a football game: the good and the bad."
On paper, these guys are opposites, but a peak under the surface reveals that they have some things in common.
Both are coach's sons. Kanon's dad, Brian Gibson, is still the head football coach at Wink High School. Meanwhile, Kenny's dad, Andy Hrncir, is on the staff over at Kermit High School. Once upon a time, these coaches both sported the Wink orange as part of the same staff.
"Andy and I've been good friends since we started coaching against each other," Coach Gibson said. "We've been in constant communication whenever he moved away, so we've always been really good friends through it all."
Along with the connection with their fathers, Kanon and Kenny also suited up for the Wildcats at some point in their high school careers. Hrncir started for Wink his freshman and sophomore year before moving away to Needville to finish his career.
"You don't find that very often. You got two quarterbacks that played at Wink High School right there, and they're about to play here on Saturday night in front of a lot of people playing some big-time football. It's neat. A lot of places don't get that," Coach Hrncir said.
The overlapping stint at Wink was brief, but it has kept these coaches connected, watching their son's careers flourish was key.
"I text him [Coach Gibson] every now and then," Coach Hrncir said. "Check on Kanon, see how he's doing, and he asks the same questions about Kenny. We're excited for Kanon. We watched his career when we were in Needville and all he's done at Wink. Now, he's at West Texas and he's doing a great job, really excited to continue watching his career,"
Saturday night's contest will be the site where all these diverging paths come together, which will be a true testament to football here in the Permian Basin.
"There's not a lot of small schools, 2As, in the state of Texas that get to say they've produced two collegiate quarterbacks," Coach Gibson said. "The funny thing is when Kanon was going to school here, and after games and things, he'd always ask about Kenny and how's Kenny doing. He always tried to model after Kenny and the quarterbacks he grew up watching play," Coach Gibson continued.
The WTAMU quarterback can still mirror his game to Kenny's, learning from what advice the UTPB veteran would give himself.
"I think I'd just tell myself, 'Truly enjoy each and every moment," Kenny Hrncir said. "Don't have that stress and anxiety about games. At the end of the day, we're just blessed to be on this earth, so just tell him to have some fun. Just remember, a lot of kids can't do what I'm doing and playing college football is truly a blessing.'"
The game starts Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland. There is a possibility we see a true former Wink showdown between Kanon and Kenny. Regardless, the local representatives should be fun to watch on and off the field.