REBELS FACE DEFENDING CHAMPS

By Jonathan Conners

November 20th, 2025

Midland, TX -

Legacy High (6-5, 4-1) faces powerhouse North Crowley (10-1, 6-0) this weekend in the Area Round of the UIL playoffs. In the Bi-District round, the Rebels took out Franklin (El Paso) 62-42 in a back and forth matchup, and the North Crowley Panthers defeated Keller 42-20. 

North Crowley is ranked #5 in 6A and #8 in Texas.  Their lone loss this season was to Rockwall 37-35 in non-district play.  They defeated powerhouse DeSoto and Denton Guyer, also in non-district, before completing an undefeated district record.  Legacy and North Crowley have no mutual opponents this season. 

Last season, North Crowley completed a perfect season by defeating Westlake (Austin) 50-21 in the 6A Division 1 State Championship — their second title in school history.  Their first was in 2003 in the 4A classification.  They joined 5A in 2004 and stayed there through the 2013 season.  From 2014 until present they’ve competed in 6A. 

The Panthers are relatively new to the powerhouse world.  They experienced 14 straight losing seasons from 2006 through the 2019 season.  However, since the 2023 season they have compiled a 39-3 record.  A host of their players have progressed to the next level: Quentin Gibson - WR, Colorado; Chris Jimerson Jr - QB, North Texas; Jonathan Cunningham - LB, Texas; Cornelius Warren III - RB, Arizona. 

The Rebels season featured several top title contenders on their way to district.  They traveled to Allen, Lake Travis, Euless-Trinity, and a neutral game site against Ruston (LA).  Out of their 11 games this year, 9 opponents made the playoffs.  Of those 9 teams, 6 moved onto the area round.  Their schedule has been rated as the hardest in the state.

The Rebels and the Panthers met previously in 2007 when the Panthers made a trip to Midland.  The home team won handily 23-0 in the midst of the dark years for North Crowley. 

North Crowley operates a similar offense to Legacy.  They spread the field and run almost everything out of shotgun with a running back accompanying the QB in the backfield.  Their offense features a lot of read option, quick passes, and bubble screens.  Their offensive leader is senior QB #9 Hayes Cloutier.  He is averaging completing 60% of his passes, 1537 total yards, and 17 touchdowns compared to 5 interceptions.  They average scoring 48 points per game with 5 games over 60 points.

The Panthers are averaging 268 yards rushing and 234 yards passing per game.  Their run game overpowers their passing game with 61% of all plays being run plays.  This could pose issues for the Rebels, as they have averaged relinquishing 195.2 yards per game on the ground.  This includes last week’s 389 yards to Franklin’s Ernie Powers, 320 yards to Permian’s Gavin Black, and 409 yards to Ruston as a team. 

The Panthers have two main backs that carry 71% of the workload - junior RB #23 Kiante Ingram and junior RB #3 G’yrell Smith.  Ingram leads the team with 1,311 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns.  Smith follows with 856 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns.  The running game is responsible for 61% of their total team scoring. 

On the flip side, the Rebels’ passing game has given way to the running backs.  Junior RB #26 Hayes Hamm and senior RB #00 MacKenzie Rogers have taken over the past 3 games.  Hamm had his 7th 100+ yard game last week.  He has a total 1,175 yards on the season and 15 touchdowns.  Rogers has been a relative newcomer to the backfield in 2025.  In the 2024 season, he saw a lot more action as running back before being moved in 2025 to linebacker.  However, he has accumulated 2 straight 100+ yard rushing games with 126 yards against Odessa and 121 yards against Franklin. 

The defensive unit of North Crowley has been a stout competitor all season.  They average yielding 140 in the air and 115 on the ground — both are hard to contend with.  In addition to not relinquishing yardage, they also do not allow much scoring.  They average allowing opponents to score only 17.9 points per game.

Junior QB #4 JP Reyes, who is averaging 251 yards per game passing with 21 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, will have the tall task of leading the Rebels against one of the best defenses they will see all season.  His main offensive targets have been sophomore WR #17 J’Braylan Anders, senior WR #1 Caden Ellis, and senior WR #5 Jermaine Laster. 

This group represents 17 of Reyes’ 21 touchdown passes, 51% of receptions, and 67% of passing yards.  Last week, it was down to Anders and Ellis as Laster sat out the game.  Anders led the team with 131 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Rebels defense has been led by sophomore LB #38 David Ihediaw.  He did not play the first half of the Franklin game, which is when the Cougars did most of their damage.  Ihediaw has 118 tackles, 9 for a loss, and 10 hurries.  On the line in front of Ihediaw has been senior DE #9 Gabriel Henry, who is sporting 6 sacks, 10 hurries, and 5 passes batted down. 

The Area Round kicks off on Saturday, November 22nd.  North Crowley will be the home team and Legacy will be the visitor.  Kickoff is scheduled for 2 PM at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene, TX. The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”.

By Jonathan Conners

November 9th, 2025

Midland, TX

Legacy High (5-5, 4-1) chased visiting Odessa High (1-9, 0-5) out of town with a 58-28 victory.  The Rebels had a slow start in the first quarter, at one point being tied 7-7.  However, they soon scored 31 additional unanswered points in the 1st half taking a 38-7 lead going into halftime.  They followed that up with 2 straight scores in the 3rd quarter to seal the deal.

This victory marks 12 straight for the Rebels over the Bronchos, extending the all-time series (since 2004) to 18-1.   The Rebels bring their record to .500 for the first time this season.  After a brutal non-district schedule, they’ve improved to 5-5 overall and 4-1 in district.

The Bronchos received word of their first victory of the season before this matchup.  UIL found Amarillo High had been using an ineligible player in their first 6 games, including their 55-21 win over Odessa.  This game is being forfeited in Odessa’s favor, giving them their first victory. 

Considering special teams has been the star of the Rebels’ efforts, it is only appropriate for them to start the scoring.  Sophomore WR #17 J’Braylan Anders returned a Broncho punt 40 yards for a TD early in the 1st quarter. 

The Bronchos retaliated as sophomore QB #26 Phillip Carrasco found his favorite target, senior WR #13 Bo Rodriguez, in the endzone.  The pair also connected for another touchdown in the 4th quarter.  Carrasco finished the game with 16 completions out of 25 attempts, 205 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Rodriguez finished with 4 catches for 115 yards.

The Rebels’ running game soon took over the show.  Junior RB #26 Hayes Hamm ran in a touchdown from 11 yards out, which was one of 6 touchdowns they punched in on the ground.  The lone receiving TD came from Anders in the 2nd quarter.   Hamm ended the game with 17 touches for 124 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

Hamm was platooned by senior RB/LB #0 Mackenzie Rogers.  The senior started the season playing linebacker despite playing the majority of 2024 in the offensive backfield.  His switch back to offense has yielded high returns.  He took the ball 10 times for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns.   In the last 3 games, he averaged 85 yards/game with 256 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

Junior QB #4 JP Reyes was uncharacteristically quiet, attempting 15 passes.  He completed 9 of those passes and tacked on the aforementioned touchdown to Anders.  He was replaced by backup, junior QB #10 Cash Tranum, midway through the 3rd quarter.  Tranum added a rushing touchdown in the 4th quarter. 

The Rebels’ defense kept the Bronchos in check until the game was out of reach.  On the defensive front, senior DE #9 Gabrial Henry once again set the tone with 2 sacks. He was aided by sophomore DB #29 Maddux Marquez, who snagged 2 errant passes from Carrasco. 

Odessa High continued to struggle rushing the ball, gaining 14 yards on 22 carries.  However, the Bronchos out gunned the home team in the air with 356 yards passing. 

This ends the Bronchos season, falling to 1-9 overall and 0-5 in district.   The Amarillo forfeit breaks their 15 game losing streak going back to 2024.  The future has bright spots for the Bronchos with QB Phillip Carrasco only being a sophomore.  He is losing his favorite target, WR #13 Bo Rodriguez, to graduation but he has several others that can work on replacing his production.

The Rebels improve to 5-5 for the year and 4-1 in district, locking in the second spot in the district.  Their bi-district matchup is with a familiar foe, Franklin (El Paso).  Franklin and Legacy have faced off in 2 of the last 3 playoffs.  They met last season in El Paso, with the Rebels leaving with a 56-14 victory.  Their first meeting was in 2022 in Midland and was also a Rebel victory at 46-21. Kick off at Astound Broadband Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 PM on November 14th, 2025.  The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”.

By Jonathan Conners

November 7th, 2025

Midland, TX

The Legacy High Rebels (4-5, 3-1) remain at home for their 2025 season finale against the Odessa High Bronchos (0-9, 0-4). Last week the Rebels held off the Midland High Bulldogs 33-20 while Odessa dropped a close game to San Angelo Central 35-32.

Odessa High is currently in the middle of a 15 game losing streak dating back to last season.  Their last victory was on September 19th, 2024 to Monterey (Lubbock).  This season, in addition to San Angelo Central, they’ve dropped games to Amarillo, LD Bell, Eastwood (El Paso), Monterey (Lubbock), and Ellison (Killeen).  All of their district games up until this point ended in defeat, as well. 

The Rebels’ early season mimicked Odessa High’s outcomes as they played 6A and 5A top 25 teams - #2 Allen, #7 Lake Travis, Euless-Trinity, and Ruston (LA).  Sandwiched in between was a win against #16 Abilene, who have clinched their district title and another playoff berth. 

The Bronchos and the Rebels have played each other since the inception of the Lee/Legacy High school in 1961.  The all-time series record is 17-1 since 2004 with the edge going to the Rebels.  The lone Broncho victory was in 2010 when they walked away with a 48-21 finish.

The LHS run defense found answers against the Bulldogs’ triple option last week.  They had given up an average of 193.75 yards/game prior to last week.  They yielded only 93 yards to a run-heavy offense and both touchdowns they gave up were through the air.

However, they will have to adjust this coming week as Odessa has trouble running the ball.  They average 76.9 yards per game rushing.  However, they run the ball 46% of their plays and  pass 54%.  The Rebels will have the task of slowing down the duo of sophomore #26 Phillip Carrasco and senior WR #13 Bo Rodriguez.  This combo accounts for 5 of the 7 passing touchdowns.

The Bronchos defense is led by sophomore LB #31 Andrew Rios who has 43 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 interception.  They’ve been allowing 251 yards per game on the ground while doing slightly better with the passing game at 210 yards per game. 

Odessa will have to find answers for their own rushing defense, specifically for junior RB #26 Hayes Hamm.  He has led the Rebels rushing attack with 71% of the team’s carries while averaging 100 yards per game.

Handing Hamm the pigskin is junior QB #4 JP Reyes who is averaging 257 yards per game passing with 18 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.  Last week he eclipsed 2,000 yards passing on the season.  His main offensive production has come from the group of sophomore WR #17 J’Braylan Anders, senior WR #1 Caden Ellis, and senior WR #5 Jermaine Laster.  They represent 15 of Reyes’ 18 touchdown passes, 51% of receptions, and 67% of passing yards. 

The Rebels’ special teams has been the X-factor this season.  Senior DB #2 Nic Moore has 2 kickoff returns for touchdowns with Ellis adding one of his own.  Anders also added a punt return for a touchdown in the Midland High game.  Senior kicker #44 Steven Verastegui is 31 for 32 on point after attempts and 8 for 8 on field goals with a long of 41 yards.

The arrangement of Verastegui and #47 junior K Kaden Madrid has kept kickoffs interesting.  Both kickers will line up for the kickoff with the threat looming of either kicking it deep or attempting an on-sides kick.  This strategy has been effective as they have succeeded with several on-sides kicks.  Unfortunately, this stat is not officially kept at this level. 

Sophomore LB #38 David Ihediaw has been the catalyst of the Rebels’ defense this season.  He is averaging 11 tackles per game, 91 total, and 9 for a loss.  He also adds 2 sacks and 10 hurries.  On the line in front of Ihediaw has been senior DE #9 Gabriel Henry who is sporting 4 sacks, 10 hurries, and 4 passes batted down. 

The Permian Basin finale begins on Friday, November 7th.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM at Astound Stadium in Midland, TX. The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”. 

By Jonathan Conners

The Rebels (4-5, 3-1) escaped the charging Bulldogs (2-7, 1-3) with a 33-20 victory in the 66th Crosstown Showdown.  Legacy jumped out to a quick 24-0 lead in the first quarter, but went silent until the 4th quarter, allowing Midland High to inch closer.  

This is Legacy’s 9th straight victory over Midland High, extending their all-time series lead to 44-20-2.  The win secures the #2 seed for the playoffs, which will be Legacy’s 9th straight playoff appearance.  The last time the Rebels missed the playoffs was in 2016, Coach Clint Hartman’s first season.  

On the flip side, this loss eliminates the Bulldogs from playoff contention.  At 1-3 in the district, they are locked into the 5th spot.  Even with a win against Permian next week, they would still lose the tiebreaker to San Angelo Central and Frenship, breaking a 2-season playoff streak.  In the past 2 seasons, MHS not only made the playoffs but won bi-district.  

Legacy Senior K #44 Steven Verastegui started the action with a 41 yard FG.  Sophomore WR #17 J’Braylen Anders joined in with a 68 yard punt return.  

Then, in a plague filled drive, the Bulldogs backed themselves up into their own endzone in a 4th and long.  The punt snap went into the endzone, resulting in a safety and extending the Rebels lead to 12-0.  

Special teams were a dominant force for the Rebels, as usual this season.  In addition to an opening FG, the kickoff following the safety featured senior Nic Moore #2 running 75 yards for a  touchdown.  They also blocked a Bulldog field goal attempt in the first half.  

The first time the Rebels offense spoke up was when junior QB #4 JP Reyes hit senior WR #11 Cisco Rodriguez for a 12 yard TD.  Following this score, the momentum slowly swapped sidelines.  

Halfway through the 2nd quarter, Bulldog sophomore QB #24 Holt Howard found senior RB #2 Jordan McGowan for 17 yard passing TD.  Midland High is traditionally a run focused offense, but this week they threw for an uncharacteristic 19 times.  They were also out-rushed — the Bulldogs attained 93 yards on the ground and the Rebels 143.  

Howard finished with a respectable 12 for 19, 105 yards, and 2 passing touchdowns.  He also added 19 rushes for 57 yards.  He found senior WR #19 Elijah Cordova for a score in the middle of the 4th quarter. 

Senior K #36 Edgar Ramos added a 44 yard FG, but that was the end of the fun for the Bulldogs. The Rebels marched down the field and junior RB #26 Hayes Hamm punched in a 1 yard score with 3:45 left in the game.  Hamm adds another 100 yard game with 24 carries and 110 yards on the ground to his repertoire.  

Sophomore LB #38 David Ihediaw once again led the Rebels’ defense.  He completed 12 tackles, 3 for a loss, 2 hurries, and 1 sack.  The other two sacks came courtesy of senior DE #99 Jason Williams and junior #41 Jack Perez.  

Midland High falls to 2-7 overall and 1-3 in district.   They head to Odessa for their 2025 finale in a matchup with district-leading Permian.  The Panthers defeated Frenship this week, 38-25.  Their matchup commences on November 7th, 2025, 7:30 PM in Odessa.

Legacy climbs to 4-5 for the year and 3-1 in district. They remain home for a brawl with cross-basin rival Odessa High (0-9, 0-4) this week. The Bronchos are in the midst of a heartbreaking losing streak, losing 15 games in a row dating back to last season.  Their last victory was on September 19th, 2024 to Monterey (Lubbock).  Last week they lost to San Angelo Central 35-32. Kick off at Astound Broadband Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 PM on November 7th, 2025.  The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”. 

By Jonathan Conners

Midland, TX -

After dropping a heartbreaker to Permian last week, the Legacy High Rebels (3-5, 2-1) stay home and play as visitor for the Crosstown Showdown against the Midland High Bulldogs (2-6, 1-2). Midland High fell last week as well, to San Angelo Central 35-27.

The Bulldogs’ season should be named Heartbreak Hotel.  Outside of their opening week loss 49-0 to #1 Southlake Carroll, the rest of their losses have been by an average of 5 points.  That includes two 1-point losses to Pebble Hills (El Paso) and Inglewood (CA). 

The Rebels’ season features the toughest schedule in all of Texas.  Four of their first 5 games were against state title hopefuls - Allen, Lake Travis, Euless-Trinity, and Ruston (LA).  Sandwiched in between was a win against #16 Abilene, currently leading their district and are poised for a deep run in the 5A playoffs. 

Midland High opened in 1926 and played their first football season in 1928. Tonight’s rivalry began with the opening of Robert E. Lee High School in 1961. Lee/Legacy leads the series 43-20-2.  The longest win streak for either team belongs to the Rebels, winning the annual contest every year from 1989-2001. Currently, the Rebels have an 8 game winning streak dating back to 2017.

The LHS run defense will need to find answers against the Bulldogs’ triple option.  They have given up an average of 193.75 yards/game, including 342 yards last week to Permian and 400 against Ruston (LA). 

The Bulldogs own a 5-headed rushing monster that averages 254 yards/game.  Their biggest rushing game of the year was two weeks ago against Odessa High at 434 yards, closely followed by 350 yards against Montwood (El Paso).  Leading the charge in 2025 has been senior #2 RB Jordan McGowan fed by senior QB #11 Tristan Love.  Love was missing in last week’s game against San Angelo Central, with sophomore #10 Holt Howard starting in his place. 

Also getting in the act has been senior RB #4 Wyatt King, senior slotback #14 Keondre Garrett, and senior RB #45 Izaiah Miller.  All take turns leading the charge, which makes the Bulldogs hard to contain. 

The Rebels’ defense has been led by sophomore LB #38 David Ihediaw with a total of 79 tackles, averaging 11 per game, with 6 for a loss.  He also has a sack and 8 hurries.  His is platooned by senior DB #2 Nic Moore, who has 5 passes defended and 1 interception. 

Defensively, the Bulldogs will have to contend with Legacy’s junior QB #4 JP Reyes and junior RB #22 Hayes Hamm.  Reyes has 1,929 yards passing with 17 touchdowns to 6 interceptions.  Hamm is averaging 100 yards/game on the ground, totaling 738 yards with 6 touchdowns. 

On the outside, the Rebels feature a triple threat with sophomore WR #17 J’Braylan Anders, senior WR #1 Caden Ellis, and senior WR #5 Jermaine Laster.  This group accounts for 15 of Reyes’ 17 touchdowns and 68% of passing yards. 

Ellis was quiet to begin the season, but opened up during the Abilene game with 99 yards and 1 touchdown.  He followed it up with a monster game against San Angelo Central with 146 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Against Frenship, he added 194 total yards, 1 receiving touchdown, and 1 kick return TD. 

Leading the MHS defense is junior DB #16 Carson Ham, who is 3rd in the State of Texas for interceptions with 7 in 8 games.  Platooning Ham on the defensive front is senior DB #7 Jayden Guzman who has 64 tackles on the season.

The Crosstown Showdown commences on Friday, October 31st.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland, TX. The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”. 

By Jonathan Conners

The Rebels (3-5, 2-1) fought a valiant battle but a last second field goal sealed the game for the Permian Panthers (7-1, 3-0).  Tied at 48 each, Permian knocked in a field goal to win 51-48.  The Panthers take firm control of the district lead improving to 3-0 and 7-1 on the season.  LHS falls to 2-1 (3-5 overall) in district play and leads a tie breaker with Frenship.

Legacy’s defense started off hot. Senior LB #38 Joe Pesina intercepted Permian’s senior QB #25 Jakob Garcia in the first quarter and ran it back for a 44 yard touchdown.  This was Garcia’s 2nd interception on the season.  

Garcia settled down after that interception, completing 17 passes out of 26 attempts with 3 touchdowns, all in the first quarter.  Soon to follow was the Senior RB #18 Gavin Black show.  Black was responsible for all of the Permian scoring from the 2nd quarter on, excluding the sophomore K #84 Ike Munoz game-winning field goal.

The Rebels’ defense had no answers for Gavin Black.  He rushed 37 times for a total of 319 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Black’s yards after carry (YAC), a stat not kept at the high school level, was likely astoundingly high.  The Rebels’ secondary defense struggled to keep the D1 hopeful down.  

Senior RB #00 Mackenzie Rogers, who has not seen much action in the running game this season, took the ball 94 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter.  Junior QB #4 JP Reyes then completed a 72 yard touchdown pass to sophomore WR #17 J’Braylan Anders to regain the lead 31-27.

The Rebels were hopeful for a lead going into halftime, but Gavin Black punched one in from the 1 yard line to take the lead at the half for the Panthers 34-31.  

In the third quarter, the Panthers opened up a 10 point advantage with two more Gavin Black scores.  However, Legacy roared back with a senior K #44 Steven Verastegui 24 yard field gold, to be followed by a touchdown by junior RB #26 Hayes Hamm.  

The game ended up being decided by who had the ball last and, unfortunately for Legacy, it was not them. In the closing seconds, Permian sent out Munoz with seconds on the clock.  He drilled a 26 yard field goal to ice the game and avoid overtime.

Reyes ended the night with 15 completions out of 40 attempts, totaling 287 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception.  His most successful target was Anders with 173 yards receiving on 5 catches and 1 touchdown.  

Permian takes sole control of 1st place in the district at 3-0, with a clear path - win out and the crown belongs to them.   Next week, they head to Wolfforth where a matchup with Frenship awaits.  The Tigers defeated Odessa this week, 47-6. Their other shared opponent is Midland Legacy to which the Tigers dropped their matchup.  Permian vs Frenship commences on October 31st, 2025, 7:30 PM in Wolfforth.

Legacy dips to 3-5 for the year and 2-1 in district.  They are in a tie with Frenship, however, they own the tie breaker for 2nd place.  They remain home for a Halloween tilt with crosstown rival Midland High (2-6, 1-2), but will be considered the visitors this year.  The Bulldogs have struggled through the season losing a host of games by one score.  Their mutual opponents are Frenship and San Angelo Central — MHS lost to both and Legacy was victorious in both.  Kick off at Astound Broadband Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 PM on October 31st, 2025.  The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”. 

By Jonathan Conners

10/24/2025

Midland, TX

This Friday night marks another showdown of the biggest rivalry in West Texas. The Legacy Rebels (3-4, 2-0) will host the Permian Panthers (6-1, 2-0) for Permian Basin bragging rights. 

Last week, Permian conquered San Angelo Central (3-4, 0-2) with a 35-28 victory.  While Permian opened their season with a loss at Plano High, they have now won 6 straight to lead the district in overall record.  Legacy and Permian have had two mutual opponents so far this season — San Angelo Central and #15 Abilene High, and both teams were victorious in their respective matchups.  Other MOJO victims include Odessa High, Cajon (CA), Tascosa (Amarillo), and Eastlake (El Paso).

The Rebels outplayed Frenship High (3-4,1-1) last Friday night in another tale of two halves.  With a brutal pre-district schedule ranked as the hardest in the State of Texas, Legacy suffered through losses against #2 Allen (7-0), Euless-Trinity (5-2), #6 Lake Travis (7-0), and #3 Ruston (LA) (6-1).  

Permian and Legacy have a storied history.  They generally consider each other their main rival instead of their intercity counterparts.  They have gone head-to-head every year since at least 2004 (the earliest season of readily available statistics).  While Permian leads the all-time series 13-8, the Rebels won last year’s battle 49-38. 

The Panthers feature their pistol offense with #25 Jakob Garcia starting his 3rd year at the helm.  He has played nearly mistake-free football this season, throwing 11 touchdowns and only 1 interception.  Garcia has also completed 65% of his passes, 112 for 170, and accumulated 1,606 passing yards.  

His battery mate in the rushing game, senior RB #18 Gavin Black, has racked up 569 yards rushing on 99 touches and 6 touchdowns.  Black has Division 1 aspirations, visiting Texas Tech, University of Texas, and Texas State.  He is uncommitted at this time and has said he will wait until the end of the season to think about his future.

On the outside, Garcia’s favorite target has been sophomore WR #3 Aaron Navarette.  Snagging 40 catches for 631 yards and 5 touchdowns, he averages 90 yards per game.  

Defensively, the Panthers have a solid backfield, only allowing an average of 186 yards per game.  The highest yardage they’ve given up was to Cajon (CA) at 268 yards.  The defensive backfield is held down by senior DB #5 Cameron Mattingly, who has 2 interceptions, 8 passes defended, and 1 fumble recovery.   

The Panthers’ run defense has been their Achilles’ heel giving up an average of 186 yards per game.  Their season high running yards allowed was against Plano with 313 yards.  This bodes well for Rebels’ junior RB #22 Hayes Hamm, who is averaging 158 yards over the past 3 games.  Hamm, who struggled the first 2 games, has been a workhorse, logging 90 rushing attempts in the past 3 games.  

Junior QB #4 JP Reyes has his work cut out for him.  In spite of the defense he has faced, he has averaged 421 yards passing in the last 3 games, adding 12 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions.

Senior WR #1 Caden Ellis has been the difference maker in the last 3 games.  Fairly quiet in their 4 losses, Ellis has averaged 115 yards per game since, and has hauled in 4 touchdowns.  Ellis also contributes on special teams, bringing a kick return back for a 90 yard touchdown against Frenship. 

Defensively, the task of stopping the trio of Black, Garcia, and Navarette will start with sophomore LB #38 David Ihediaw.  He has compiled 65 tackles, 5 for a loss, 7 QB hurries, and 1 sack.  Aiding in the quest to get the QB has been DE #9 Gabriel Henry, who has 3 sacks and 7 hurries.  Manning the defensive backfield has been senior DB #2 Nic Moore, who has 1 interception and 5 passes defended.  

The bitter rivals clash on Friday, October 24th.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland, TX. The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”.  

By Jonathan Conners

10/20/2025

Midland, Tx

The Rebels (3-4, 2-0) exacted revenge last week, defeating the Frenship Tigers (3-4, 1-1) 45-42.  Legacy improves their all time series lead to 7-3, with this being their first win over their northern rivals since 2023.  

For the second straight week, the Rebels fans were entertained with an offense explosion in the first half.  Legacy took a 35-28 lead into the locker room.  However, the second half only saw 24 total points between the two teams.  The difference maker was a 4th quarter field goal by Rebel K #44 Stephen Verastegui, which allowed a 71 yard touchdown from junior QB #4 JP Reyes to senior WR #1 Caden Ellis to be the game winner.

Ellis stepped up for the second consecutive game.  Although only snagging 2 receptions, they totaled 103 yards with a touchdown.  He also added a 90 yard kickoff return for a touchdown.  

Reyes also spread the ball around to 6 different receivers, finishing with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception with 313 passing yards.  Getting into the receiving game was sophomore WR #17 J’Braylan Anders with 4 catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.  Senior WR # 5Jermaine Laster and junior RB #22 Hayes Hamm both added a receiving touchdown.  

Although Hamm was active in the passing game, he also added 161 yards rushing on 34 carries.  In the three Rebel victories of the season, Hamm has logged over 130 yards and a touchdown.  Reyes also helped in the rushing game, adding a rushing touchdown to his repertoire.  

On the other side of the field, Frenship senior WR #7 Chase Campbell dominated the first half with 6 catches for 128 yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 1 passing touchdown, and a rushing touchdown.  However, the future Red Raider took a big hit at the end of the 1st half and missed the entire second half with a shoulder injury.

Without Campbell on the field, the Frenship offense was only able to muster up 14 points in the second half.  Senior QB #2 Quaid Ferris tried to conjure some offense but it wasn’t enough.  Ferris finalized a solid game with 24 completions out of 40 attempts for 337 yards and 3 touchdowns.  He also ran for 61 yards and another touchdown on the ground.  

The unsung hero of the night was Legacy’s defensive pressure, logging 8 sacks on the night.  Leading the charge is senior LB #25 Weldon Cooks with 3 sacks.  Senior DE #9 Gabriel Henry added a pair with 3 others adding a single each.   

Special teams were also on point, completing 2 successful on-side kick attempts.  The Rebels have been using a formation that includes two kickers, Verastegui and freshman Ikr Hernandez.  Opposing teams have trouble reading whether the Rebs are kicking it deep or attempting an on-sides kick.  

The Tigers will head to Odessa this week to continue district play.   The Bronchos are in the midst of a 13 game losing streak dating back to last season.  They are currently 0-7 overall and 0-2 in district.  Last week they dropped a close game to Midland High on the road.  They’ve also compiled losses to Permian, Ellison (Killeen), Monterey (Lubbock), Eastwood (El Paso), Bell (Hurst), and Amarillo.  Their matchup commences on October 24th, 2025, 7:30 PM at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa.

Legacy returned home to prepare for Permian, one of their 3 home games of the season. They will also be home but playing as the road team against crosstown rival Midland High on 10/31.  The Panthers are 6-1 on the season and 2-0 in district.  They have an opening week loss to Plano High, but have since fired off 6 straight wins.  Their victims have been San Angelo Central, Eastlake (El Paso), #17 Abilene, Tascosa (Amarillo), Cajon (CA), and Odessa High. Kick off at Astound Broadband Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 PM on October 24th, 2025.  The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”. 

By Jonathan Conners

10/16/2025

- Sports -

- Midland, TX -

The Rebels (2-4, 1-0) continue their road show with a trip to Wolfforth to face the Frenship Tigers (3-3, 1-0). FHS defeated Midland High (1-5) in Midland last Friday 42-31.  Their early season schedule included victories against Legacy (Wichita Falls) and local TAPPS school Midland Christian.  They dropped games to #16 Byron Nelson (Trophy Club), Memorial (Wichita Falls), and Cooper (Lubbock).

LHS defeated San Angelo Central (3-3,0-1) Friday night in a tale of two halves.  The Rebels ran a gauntlet in non-district play, featuring 4 teams with state title aspirations. They faced #2 Allen (6-0), Euless-Trinity (4-2), #6 Lake Travis (6-0), and #2 Ruston (LA) (5-1).  Their first victory was against #15 Abilene High (5-2). 

The Rebels and Tigers have faced off every season since Frenship’s accession to 6A.  Legacy owns the overall series 6-3, but last season the Tigers took a close game 51-48.  That loss was Legacy’s only loss in district and gave Frenship the outright district title — their first since 2014. 

The Tigers’ spread offense revolves around future Texas Tech Red Raider, senior WR #7 Chase Campbell.  He can catch, run, and will occasionally attempt passes.  The future D1 athlete features 45 catches for 763 yards (8th in 6A) and 11 touchdowns (13th in 6A).  He also has 27 rushes for 120 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

Tossing Campbell the pigskin is senior QB #2 Quaid Ferris.  The senior features 1,715 passing yards, which puts him 14th in 6A.  He has completes 18 touchdown passes and 6 interceptions. 

The Tigers’ defense features a two-headed monster. Senior DE #21 Hudson Page has completed 6 sacks on the season with 38 total tackles (13 for a loss).  His battery mate is senior LB #27 Noah Lopez.  Lopez leads the defensive unit with 59 tackles, averaging 9.8 per game.  He has also caused 4 fumbles, recovering 3 of them. 

Legacy will attempt to replicate the 2nd half of last week’s game.  After being in a shootout the first half, the Rebels settled down with mistake free football and stifling defense.  The defense is led by sophomore LB #38 David Ihediwa, who is averaging 11.6 tackles per game with a total of 56 and 4 for a loss.  He also features 1 sack and 5 hurries.  Complementing the linebacker is senior DB #7 Trey Jefferson, who returned to contribute against San Angelo after missing the game against Ruston.  He is second on the team with 38 tackles and adds 2 interceptions.

As for offense, junior QB #4 JP Reyes broke his own single season passing record with 473 yards last week.  His total on the season comes in at 1,335 with 89 completions.  His favorite target has been sophomore WR #17 J’Braylan Anders, totaling 18 receptions for 332 yards and 4 touchdowns. 

Junior RB #26 Hayes Hamm leads the ground game for the Rebs, carrying the ball 103 times for 522 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Hamm had over 100 yards rushing per game for both of this season’s victories.  He also ran over 100 yards against Lake Travis, but for a loss.

The two foes link up on Friday, October 17th.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM at People’s Bank Stadium in Wolfforth, TX. The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”. 

Other Games of Note

Friday 10/10

Odessa High @ Midland High

San Angelo Central @ Permian

Please note:

Rankings are based off MaxPreps Classification (5A/6A) Rankings

#midlandisd #TexasHSFootball #frenship #highschoolfootball #frenshiptigers #legacyrebels #leerebels

By Jonathan Conners

Midland, TX - 

10/11/2025

The Rebels (2-4) extended their winning streak versus San Angelo Central (3-3) with a 58-42 victory on Friday night.  This is the 6th straight victory and extends the all-time series to 8-6 in favor of the Rebels.  LHS improves to 2-4 overall and 1-0 in district 2-6A.  San Angelo falls to 3-3 overall and 0-1 in district.  

Offense dominated the first half with 73 combined points. Both teams scored 5 touchdowns, and traded interceptions.  The lone field goal came in the closing minute of the half as senior kicker # 44 Steven Verastegui gave the Rebels the lead at half,  38-35.  

The biggest 1st half contributor for the Rebels was # 37 Caden Ellis.  He scored 3 touchdowns, all in the opening half, and added 146 yards receiving on 4 receptions for the game.  On the other sideline the Bobcats had their own standout in the half, senior WR # 12 Colton Hill.  He scored all of his 3 touchdowns in the first half, concluding the game with 11 catches for 224.  

Slinging the rock to Hill was junior QB # 4 Micah Smith, who had his own monster game in the losing effort.  He completed 19 passes out of 41 attempts for 494 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception.

Junior QB # 4 JP Reyes set the tone for the Rebel offense, breaking his own single game passing record with 473 yards passing.  The previous record was set earlier this season against Abilene.  Reyes led 2 scoring drives in the first quarter that also included senior RB/WR # 2 Nic Moore with a kickoff return for a touchdown.  

Collaborating in the first half offense was sophomore WR # 17 J’Braylan Anders, adding a touchdown to the board.  He finished off the match with 7 receptions for 159 yards.  Reyes finished the night with 25 completions out of 38 attempts, 473 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 1 interception

The back and forth first half did not translate into the second half.  The Bobcats were declawed in the closing half, being outscored 20-7.  Legacy had shut down Hill in the second half.  The only score they mustered was when senior WR # 1 Gabriel Garcia ran for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter.  

Following that score the Rebels scored 10 points to close out the victory.  Workhorse of the night, junior RB # 26 Hayes Hamm, sealed the game with a 4th quarter TD.  Hamm handled 29 carries for 178 yards in addition to the touchdown.  

Defensively the Rebels’ Moore added a first half interception while junior LB #49 Lorenao Carrillo led the unit with 13 total tackles.  Only totally 1 sack all season up until this point, they added 2 more in this game alone.  Senior DE # 9 Gabriel Henry and senior DE #94 Andrew Nisuis both contributed a sack each.

San Angelo Central falls to 3-3 overall and 0-1 in district. Their season continues next week with a visit to Ratliff Stadium where Permian (5-1,1-0) will await them.  The Panthers have an opening week loss to Plano High, since then they have fired off 5 straight wins.  Their victims have been Eastlake (El Paso), # 17 Abilene, Tascosa (Amarillo), Cajon (CA), and Odessa.  Their matchup commences on October 17th, 2025, 7:30 PM in Odessa.

Legacy climbs to 2-4 for the year.  Next week they travel to Wolfforth for a battle with Frenship High.  The Tigers are a deceiving 3-3 (1-0 in district).  Their only big loss was # 19 Byron Nelson.  However, the other two losses were by one possession to both Cooper (Lubbock) and Memorial (Wichita Falls).  They defeated Midland High last night, 42-31.  Their other two wins were courtesy of Legacy (Wichita Falls) and Midland Christian (TAPPS).  Kick off at People’s Bank Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 PM on October 17th, 2025.  The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”. 

Please note: 

1. Rankings are based off MaxPreps Classification Rankings

By Jonathan Conners

9/25/2025

Midland, TX - 

Last night was a rough one for the Legacy High Rebels at their neutral site matchup in Alvarado, TX.   The Ruston Bearcats (LA) jumped out to an early lead of 28-0 in the 1st quarter. Although quarters 2 through 4 weren’t as grim, Legacy was unable to catch up by the final horn with a scoreboard showing 49-21.  Ruston climbs to 4-0 remaining in the top spot for Louisiana state Division 1 and #3 in the overall Louisiana rankings.  Legacy falls to 1-4 with district play looming on the horizon. 

Ruston dominated the game using their rushing attack, putting up 359 yards on 52 carries.  Their main back, sophomore RB #5 Dalen Powell, took half of those carries.  He rushed 29 times for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns.  His backfield partner, junior QB #7 Sam Hartwell, jumped into the rushing attack with 9 rushes for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Bearcat passing attack was largely dormant despite junior WR #6 Amhad Hudson being a top prospect.  He finished the game with a meek 3 catches and 28 yards.  Hartwell’s arm was barely used as he attempted 14 passes, completing only 5 for 48 yards total. 

On the other side, the offense was pressured and coerced into passing.  Legacy attempted 26 rushes with only 24 yards to show.  The Bearcats defense spent most of the game with 8 men in the box in an attempt to slow down junior RB #26 Hayes Hamm.  He did, however, add 1 touchdown despite their efforts.

The passing game didn’t fare much better.  Junior QB #4 JP Reyes could not replicate last week’s success as the Bearcats suffocating run defense also translated into a devastating pass rush.  Reyes threw 28 passes, completing 10 for 168 with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.  His main target was senior WR #1 Caden Ellis with 2 catches for 63 yards and 1 touchdown.  The other passing touchdown was caught by senior TE #36 Humberto Hernandez. 

Legacy’s defense was hampered by the absence of injured senior DB #7 Trey Jefferson.  Although his replacement, sophomore DB #29 Maddox Marquez, stepped up with big plays, the Bearcats rushing attack was too much for the Rebel’s defense in the end.

Ruston has a long week to recover and prepare for a trip to Lobo Stadium in Longview, TX to battle with #2 Stephenville (TX).  The Yellowjackets are a 4A powerhouse currently standing at 4-0 having outscored their opponents 170-26. Their victims include Midlothian Heritage (2-2), Everman (1-3), Godley (1-3), and Wylie-Abilene (2-2).  Their next matchup is with La Vega (Waco). 

Legacy enters their bye week before beginning district play. Their first game in district 2-6A will be against the San Angelo Central Bobcats (2-2) on October 10th at 7 PM on the opponent’s home turf.  The Bobcats previously defeated Abilene Cooper and Belton.  Their losses came at the hands of Amarillo and Abilene High, Legacy’s only victory.  The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”.

By Jonathan Conners

September 22nd, 2025

- Midland, TX -

The Legacy High Rebels overcame a halftime deficit to defeat the #14 Abilene Eagles 42-28 Friday night.  The Homecoming crowd experienced Legacy’s first win of the 2025 season as LHS climbed to 1-3.  Abilene drops to 2-2 as they enter district play. This is the 7th straight victory the Rebels have over Abilene with the last Eagles victory occurring in 2018.  The overall series since 2004 is now tied at 10-10, with a 1 year hiatus in school year 2008-2009.

The final score of this matchup is deceiving as much of the first half was a back and forth battle.  Abilene went into the locker room with a 28-21 lead at halftime.  However, the Rebels took over in the 2nd half and never looked back. 

The Legacy offense put up an exceptional 604 yards of total offense. The passing game made up for 78% of the yardage as junior #4 JP Reyes led the offense out of a 3 game rut with a stellar effort.  He threw 30 completions out of 38 attempts with 472 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Reyes set a new school record for passing yards in a game, breaking his own record set during the game against Abilene last season. 

His main target was senior WR #5 Jermaine Laster with 5 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown.  Senior WR #1 Cayden Ellis added 99 yards on 7 catches and 1 touchdown.  Also getting in the mix was sophomore WR #17 Ja’Braylen Anders with 5 catches for 67 yards and a touchdown. The running game did not disappoint as senior RB #26 Hayes Hamm dominated with 137 yards on 27 carries with 3 touchdowns.  Hamm proved his worth in the starting running back position, taking all but 1 rushing attempt the entire game. 

Abilene’s offense started off hot but was ice cold in the second half.  Led by a QB tandem of senior QB #1 Brayden Henry and junior QB #15 Tristen Beal, the Eagles were ahead most of the first half, during which Beal threw for 85% of his total yardage.  He went 11 completions out of 23 attempts for a total of 294 yards.  Henry went 11 for 17 and 88 yards with 1 passing TD.

Legacy’s rushing defense held the Eagles to 31 yards rushing on the night.  Sophomore DE #38 David Ihediwa set the tone on defense with 9 total tackles including 1 for a loss.  Senior DB #7 Trey Jefferson followed that lead with 8 tackles, 1 interception, 1 QB hurry and 2 passes defended. 

Abilene moved up to #13 in 5A Division 1 due to their strength of schedule.  Their other loss was to Legacy rival, Permian, a week prior.  Their two victories were over San Angelo and Abilene Cooper. They move into district 2-5A on the road, facing the Caprock Longhorns out of Amarillo. Caprock is 1-3, falling last week to Amarillo rival Canyon 34-28.  Kickoff at Dick Bivins Stadium in Amarillo is set for 7 PM Friday night.

The Rebels will return to the road for a neutral site game against #1 Ruston High Bearcats out of Louisiana. The Bearcats are 3-0 on the season having defeated Longview (TX), Acadiana (LA) and Cabot (LA).  Legacy will be kicking off south of Fort Worth at Charles Head Stadium, the home field of the Alvarado Indians. The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”.

Please note:

Rankings are based off MaxPreps Classification Rankings

Abilene is a 5A ranking

Trojans’ Spears Overpower Rebels’ Muskets

9/8/2025

Midland, TX - 

The Rebels were taken down by the #25 ranked Trojans in their 4th meeting since 2023.  Euless-Trinity led the whole game, finishing off a 28-16 victory at Pennington Field on Friday night.

The Trojans amassed 309 yards of total offense behind a platoon of QBs.  Junior QB #2, and Keller High transfer, Mack Lineweaver received the starting nod but split time with senior QB #3 Zorian Palmore.  Lineweaver is the son of coach Aaron Lineweaver and grandson of former Trinity headman, Steve Lineweaver, who won 3 state championships.

Euless’ offense was spearheaded by senior RB #4 Keondre Dixon.  He finished with 61 rushing yards and 2 TDs. Both QBs entered the scoring column.  Lineweaver threw a 6 yard TD in the 3rd quarter.  Palmore scored on a 46 yard QB run.  

The Rebels offense sputtered the first half, only managing a field goal.  Both their offensive scores came in the 2nd half.  In the 3rd quarter, junior QB #4 JP Reyes hit sophomore WR #17 Ja’Braylen Anders for a 27 yard TD which shrunk the deficit to 27-10.  The other Rebels’ score occurred in the 4th quarter with senior RB #1 Nic Moore completing a 1 yard rush.  

Lee had chances down the stretch.  The defense made a big stop with 5 minutes remaining and down 12 points.  However, Reyes threw an interception with 4 minutes remaining, ending the hopes of the visitors' comeback.

Reyes ended the game going 11 for 30, 196 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.  Leading receiver and rusher, Moore, had 4 receptions for 82 yards.  Also rushing for 30 yards and a TD.

Rebels fall to 0-2 for the season and continue the 2025 campaign in Austin with a rematch with #7 Lake Travis (2-0). The Cavaliers defeated Arlington Martin and Rockwall in their first 2 games. Last season’s matchup favored Lake Travis 41-20 in Midland. Kick off at Cavalier Stadium in Austin is at 7 PM on Friday September 12th.  The game will be streamed on “midlandisdsports-rebels.com/broadcasts”. 

#25 Euless-Trinity improves to 2-0 and will see a climb in the 6A rankings after 2 convincing victories.  The Trojans remain at home in their 2025 campaign with a district 4 showdown with Keller Central (2-0).  The Chargers knocked off University HS (Waco) and Grand Prairie to start the season.  Kick off at Pennington Stadium is scheduled for 7 PM on Friday, September 12th.  

Please note: 

1. Rankings are based off MaxPreps Classification Rankings

2. Abilene, Memorial, and Amarillo are 5A rankings

By Jonathan Conners

10/3/2025

Midland, TX -

The Rebels have had a rough go of their early season, however, their schedule is ranked as one of the hardest in the state of Texas. They started the season running through a gauntlet of powerhouses.  Allen High, ranked #2 in 6A and #2 across all of Texas, is undefeated with a realistic opportunity to end the season in the same fashion.  They have outscored opponents 172-27 in 5 games.  In addition to Legacy, they also demolished Cedar Hill, Rock Hill (Frisco), Plano, and McKinney.

Euless Trinity is no slouch either. Ranked just outside the 6A top 25, the Trojans are 3-2 on the season.  Their 2 losses are courtesy of #1 Southlake Carroll and #21 Byron Nelson.  Their other wins were against Strake Jesuit (Houston) and Keller Central.

Lake Travis (5-0), ranked #6 in 6A and #7 in Texas, outscored their opponents 239-81 in their first 5 games.  The other schools unsuccessfully challenging the Cavaliers were Martin (Arlington), #9 Rockwall, San Marcos, and Bowie (Austin).  The Austin school is in serious contention for a state title.

Abilene High (3-2), Legacy’s lone victory, is ranked #16 in 5A with a talented roster posed for a playoff run.  Their victories have been against San Angelo Central, Cooper (Abilene), and Caprock (Amarillo).  The other loss was to Permian.

Ruston High (4-0), the #2 ranked team in the state of Louisiana, is a challenger for another state title.  Their schedule features a close win against Texas powerhouse #25 Longview, as well as victories against #24 Acadiana (LA) and #18 Cabot (AR). 

The positive is the Rebels won’t have to face this level of competition in district play.  Permian is the only 2-6A team rated higher, and only by 2 spots.  Offensively, junior QB #4 JP Reyes has had flashes of greatness throughout their time in the gulag.  In the game against Abilene, Reyes broke Legacy’s single game passing record with 472 yards, surpassing his own record set last year against the same team.  

Rushing-wise, junior RB #26 Hayes Hamm has commanded the starting spot.  He leads the team with 74 carries for 344 yards and 3 touchdowns.  The receiving core has been led by sophomore WR #17 J’Braylan Anders with 173 yards and 3 touchdowns.  

Defensively, the Rebels have been led by sophomore DE #38 David Ihediwa with 46 total tackles, 4 for a loss, 1 sack and 5 hurries.  Backing him in the secondary is senior DB #7 Trey Jefferson, who missed last game due to injury.  He boasts 2 interceptions and 3 passes defended with 29 total tackles.

The Rebels commence district play at San Angelo Central on October 10th, 2025.  Kick off at San Angelo Stadium is scheduled for 7 PM.  Since 2004, the series between the two is 6-7, favoring the Rebels, with 5 consecutive wins since 2020.