By Jonathan Conners

November 9th, 2025

Midland, TX -

The Midland High Bulldogs (3-7, 1-4) and the Permian Panthers (9-1,5-0) linked up for a bragging rights battle to end the 2025 regular season.  Permian led the whole game and wrapped up the season on a high note with a 33-14 victory.  This adds onto their all-time series lead at 52-14.

The Bulldogs received encouraging news as they picked up another win in the 2025 season.  Amarillo High played Midland High at Astound Stadium on September 12th, 2025.  This resulted in a 31-24 victory for the Sandies.  However, on November 6th there were confirmed reports that Amarillo used an ineligible player, so the first 6 games the Sandies played were forfeited.  District rivals Odessa High and San Angelo Central picked up a victory from this as well. 

MHS started the Permian game with promise as they recovered an opening kickoff fumble, soon to be followed by a rushing touchdown courtesy of senior RB #2 Jordan McGowan.  Unfortunately, the Bulldogs wouldn’t see the endzone again until the 4th quarter. 

Permian’s senior RB #18 Gavin Black put on another show with 148 yards rushing on 22 carries.  He added a TD in the 4th quarter as well. 

Black took over the rushing game but the scoring was spread around for the Panthers with junior RB #24 Cayden Taylor running in his first touchdown of the season.  Sophomore K # 84 Ikr Munoz struggled, missing a FG on their first possession and the extra point on Taylor’s score.

Permian was missing their main signal caller as senior QB #25 Jakob Garcia sat out with an injury.  His replacement, junior QB #20 Kayden Vickers, placated the home crowd with a solid performance.  He ended the night with 16 completions out of 20 attempts, 285 yards passing, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception.

In the 2nd quarter, the Panthers pulled ahead as Vickers found senior WR #3 Aaron Navarrette.  Following this up, he nailed senior WR #2 Cason Nabarette for a 50-yard touchdown to solidify the lead at 19-7 for halftime. 

Navarrette and Nabarette both ended the night with stellar stat lines.  Nabarette had 6 catches for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Navarrette finished up with 4 for 83 yards and one touchdown.  Permian put up 485 yards of total offense. 

Midland was held to 271 yards of total offense.  Sophomore QB #24 Holt Howard made the start, and senior QB #11 Tristan Love rotated in during his last high school game.  Love missed the past 2 games with an ankle injury. 

The Bulldogs have been slowly working the passing game into their heavy run-option offense.  Against Legacy, they threw for 19 times and this week Howard attempted 15 passes.  Normally they attempt no more than a handful of passes.  Howard, presumably the QB moving forward, completed 8 passes for 83 yards.  He also rushed 12 times for 45 yards. 

Outside of McGowan’s score in the opening drive, the Bulldogs were held in check by the Panthers stifling defense.  Averaging 250 yards on the ground on the season, they were held to 149 yards rushing.  The 2nd Bulldogs score came in the 4th quarter as Love ran in a 4 yard TD. 

Permian completes a perfect 5-0 district record and officially inks the district title.  This is their 31st district title in school history.   They will host Eastlake (El Paso) in their Bi-District playoff game.  The Falcons have never defeated Permian with an 0-3 record.  The two already went head to head once this season in week 2, with Permian walking away with a 27-12 victory.  They had the same arrangement last season, however Permian visited El Paso for both games and came away with two wins. Their matchup kicks off at 7:00 PM at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa on November 14th, 2025.

Midland High ends their 2025 campaign at 3-7 and 1-4 in district.  The season had higher hopes for the Bulldogs and the “what-ifs” will persist.  They lost 2 games by 1 point and several others were close games.  They will lose the majority of their running back monster machine to graduation — McGowan, Wyatt King, Keondre Garrett, and Izaiah Miller.  They will also bid adieu to Division 1 bound Pulelei'ite Primus, who will be heading to Vanderbilt to help them compete in the SEC.

Moving forward it looks like it's the Holt Howard show, with sophomore RB #34 Evan Taylor to bridge the gap.  The Bulldogs will have some large holes to fill and many new guys will have the opportunity to step up for the 2026 season.

By Jonathan Conners

November 7th, 2025

- Midland, TX

The Bulldogs (2-7, 1-3) finish out the 2025 season with a trip to Ratliff to face district leading Permian (8-1, 4-0). Midland High lost the Crosstown Showdown to Midland Legacy last week 33-20.  They have had a tough season with 5 of their 7 losses being at an average of only 5 points.  Their two wins came against Odessa High and Montwood High (El Paso), both currently winless. Their other losses include Frenship, San Angelo Central, #1 Southlake Carroll, Inglewood (CA), #21 Amarillo, and Pebble Hills (El Paso). 

Permian lost their first game on the road to Plano High, 27-17.  However, they have rattled off 8 wins in a row since, including district nemesis Midland Legacy as well as playoff bound teams Tascosa (Amarillo), Eastlake (El Paso), Abilene, Cajon (CA), San Angelo Central, and Frenship.  Their lone win against a non-playoff team came against Odessa High.

Last season Midland High got the best of their western neighbor with a 21-18 victory in Midland.  However, prior to this game, Permian had won 7 in a row dating back to 2017.  The all-time series heavily favors the Panthers at 51 victories to the Bulldogs’ 14. 

Permian’s offense has become the Gavin Black show.  The senior RB has rushed for 481 yards in the past 2 games with 7 touchdowns.  The three games prior he had a total of 146 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns. 

Senior DB #7 Jayden Guzman will have a busy day, alongside the defensive line, attempting to slow down Black.  Guzman leads the Bulldogs’ defense with 87 tackles, averaging 12 per game.  His partner up front, senior DE #9 Felix Ceballos leads the team with 3 sacks and 5 tackles for a loss.  Their unit has averaged yielding 156 yards rushing per game. 

Also aiding in the defense for Midland has been interception leader, senior #16 Carson Ham.  His 7 interceptions are good for #12 in the state.  Although the past 2 games he has been held without an interception, he is always a threat to make plays happen in the defensive backfield. 

The outside threats for the Panthers has been their trio of wide receivers.  Sophomore WR #3 Aaron Navarette has been leading the pack with 728 yards, 5 touchdowns, and averaging 80 yards per game.  He has been flanked by senior WR #2 Cason Nabarette and senior WR # 6Cayden Hernandez.  Between them they have 4 touchdowns, 30+ catches, and 1,100 yards. 

Offensively, the Bulldogs have been led by senior QB #11 Tristan Love, however he has been out the last 2 games with an ankle injury.  His replacement, #24 Holt Howard, threw an uncharacteristic 19 times with 12 completions in the game against Legacy. He totaled 105 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, and 19 rushes for 57 yards.

Midland has had a revolving door of threats in the backfield. Senior RB #2 Jordan McGowan has really taken the reins, and has been platooned by senior RB #45 Izaiah Miller, senior RB # 4 Wyatt King, senior RB # 14 Keondre Garrett, and sophomore RB # 34 Evan Taylor.  

This matchup is for pride on both sides of the ball.  Permian has locked in at least a share of the district title, boasting the #1 spot in district as they hold the tie breaker against Midland Legacy.  The Bulldogs have been eliminated from playoff contention.  This district matchup kicks off Friday, November 7th at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa, TX.  Kick off will be at 7:30 PM. The game will be streamed on “https://www.midlandisdsports-bulldogs.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 visiting Midland High Bulldogs (2-7, 1-2) and the San Angelo Central Bobcats (4-4,1-2) had to wait another day due to weather in the area.  The one day delay led to a back and forth thriller that the Bobcats ended up winning 34-27.  This snaps a 2 game losing streak to Midland High.  

The Bulldogs started out hot, opening up a 17-7 lead in the beginning of the 2nd quarter, courtesy of senior RB #45 Izaiah Miller and sophomore QB #10 Holt Howard each plowing in a touchdown.  Unfortunately, the Bulldogs only managed another 10 points for the rest of the game.  

Howard started in place of injured starting QB, #11 Tristan Love.  More than making up for Love’s absence, Howard ran the ball 12 times for 114 yards and the aforementioned touchdown.  He also completed 6 passes out of 11 tries for 76 yards.  Senior RB #2 Jordan McGowan owns 5 of those catches.  

The Bulldogs’ wrecking crew was suppressed outside of Howard’s success.  Senior slotback #14 Keondra Garrett led the crew with 3 carries for 57 yards, while senior RB #4 Wyatt King added 8 carries for 52 yards.  Miller and Garrett added touchdowns to the fray as well.  

Midland tied the game in the 3rd quarter at 24-24 with Garrett’s touchdown, but that was the last time they caught the Bobcats. The home team missed a field goal in the fourth quarter, but an MHS penalty gave them another chance.  Central’s senior K #84 Caleb Holbert knocked down the second chance kick bringing the score to 27-24.  

The nail in the coffin was the Bobcats punching in a 1 yard TD by sophomore RB #21 Zeyvion Johnson.  Johnson ended up with 20 carries for 133 yards and 2 touchdowns, leading the game statistically on both sides.  This is his second highest running total for the season as he achieved 138 yards against Permian.  

The Bulldogs edged a tad closer with a 37 yard FG with 1:22 to play by senior K #36 Edgar Ramos.  This cut the lead to 34-27, but an onsides kick attempt failed.  

Bobcats’ signal caller, junior QB #4 Micah Smith was uncharacteristically quiet on the night with 13 passes on 21 attempts for 113 yards.  Smith, who normally averages 226 yards passing, will load up on either senior WR #12 Colton Hill or senior WR #18 Jimmy Edwards.  However, both had very little impact as the running game was heavily utilized.  

San Angelo Central inks their first district win of the season.  They rise to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in district.  The win also puts them in line for a playoff spot, being tied with Midland High for the 4th spot and owning the tiebreaker.  They will head to Ratliff next week to face the Odessa High Bronchos (0-8,0-3).  The Bronchos are in the midst of a tough stretch, losing the past 15 games dating back to 2024.  Last week, they lost to Frenship 47-6 at home.  Their matchup kicks off at 7:30 PM at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa on October 24th, 2025.

Midland High drops to 2-6 on the 2025 campaign and 1-2 in district.  They return home for a crosstown matchup with Midland Legacy (3-5, 2-1).  Legacy dropped a heartbreaker to Permian this week 51-48 on a last second field goal.  Their record is a tad deceiving as they faced the toughest pre-district schedule in the state of Texas this season.  They played state championship hopefuls Allen, Lake Travis, and Louisiana power Ruston, all on the road.  This matchup will kick off at 7:30 PM in Astound Broadband Stadium.  The game will be streamed on “https://www.midlandisdsports-bulldogs.com/broadcasts”.  

By Jonathan Conners

10/24/2025

Midland, TX

The MHS Bulldogs (2-5,1-1) head out for a rare road game this weekend with a trip to San Angelo. Last week, Midland had a closer than expected encounter with the Odessa High Bronchos.  However, they pulled ahead with a 22-0 fourth quarter to secure victory 45-21.  Midland High’s other win on the season came against Montwood High (El Paso). Their losses include Frenship, #1 Southlake Carroll, Inglewood (CA), #21 Amarillo, and Pebble Hills (El Paso).  

San Angelo Central (3-4,0-2) began the season with two straight losses to 5A playoff hopefuls, #16 Abilene and #22 Amarillo.  However, they pulled off 3 wins in a row to end non-district play.  Those wins came against Cooper (Abilene), Belton, and Waco.  Last week, they were defeated in a close game against Permian, 35-27.

Like most of District 2-6A, MHS and SAC have a close history.  Going head-to-head 17 times since 2004, the Bobcats own a slight advantage with 9 wins to the Bulldogs’ 8.  Midland High, however, has won the past 2 of the series — 56-47 in 2024 and 45-27 in 2023.  Prior to that, San Angelo had an 8 game win streak dating back to 2013.

The Bobcats carry out a spread offense, with all their plays coming from the shotgun.  Their main offensive weapon is senior WR #12 Colton Hill whose stat line features 9 touchdown receptions, 43 catches, and 641 receiving yards.  His partner in receptions is senior WR #18 Jimmy Edwards with 41 catches for 599 yards and 5 touchdowns.  Last week it was the Edwards' show with 140 yards, while Hill was limited to 59 yards against Permian’s stingy secondary.  

Tossing the pigskin to Hill and Edwards is junior QB #4 Micah Smith.  He struggled last week against Permian with only 191 passing yards, slightly below his 226 per game average.  He also threw 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  On the season, he has 1,588 yards with 18 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.  

Their ground game is centered around sophomore RB #21 Zeyvion Johnson.  Even though he missed the 2nd game of the season against Amarillo, he has still racked up 9 touchdowns on 91 carries.  Last week, he ripped off 138 yards rushing from 26 carries, adding a touchdown, as well.  

The Bulldogs’ triple option attack will have to contend with Central’s rushing defense that is allowing an average of 142 yards per game.  Last week, the Bobcats held Permian to just 54 yards rushing.  However, Midland’s versatility with multiple rushing options taking turns helps beat defenses.  Last week it featured senior RB #45 Izaiah Miller with 26 carries, 126 yards, and 2 rushing touchdowns.  But the Bulldogs rotation in the backfield can see a number of guys show out, including senior #2 RB Jordan McGowan, senior slotback #14 Keondre Garrett, sophomore RB #34 Evan Taylor, and senior RB #4 Wyatt King.  

Defensively, the Bulldogs have struggled more against the pass than the run, which could be a factor in this game.  They’ve yielded an average of 257 yards per game passing, with only 147 on the ground.  Junior Carson Ham #16 is ranked 3rd in Texas with 7 interceptions.  He has logged an interception in every game except the most recent.  Leading the defense alongside Ham has been senior DB #7 Jayden Guzman, who boasts 64 total tackles, averaging 12.8/game.  He has also defended 2 passes and caused a fumble.  

This is a pivotal matchup for playoff stakes as MHS currently holds the 4th spot.  San Angelo Central is at a juncture if they want to contend for a spot.  This district matchup kicks off Friday, October 24th at San Angelo Stadium in San Angelo, TX.  Kick off will be at 7:30 PM. The game will be streamed on “https://www.midlandisdsports-bulldogs.com/broadcasts”.  

By Jonathan Conners

10/16/2025

- Sports -

- Midland, TX -

District play continues for Midland High (1-5,0-1) as district nemesis Odessa (0-6,0-1) comes to town.  Last week, the Bulldogs led Frenship going into the final quarter but couldn’t hold on, losing 42-31.  Midland’s record is a tough pill to swallow as they experienced several other close losses including Inglewood (CA), #21 Amarillo, and Pebble Hills (El Paso).  They also fell victim to #1 Southlake Carroll in their season opener.  Their lone victory came against winless Montwood High (El Paso).

Odessa High has had a difficult start to the 2025 season, currently without a win and in the midst of the toughest part of their schedule.  The Bronchos are sitting at 0-5 and consistently losing by an average of 30.5 points.  Their losses include Amarillo, Bell (Hurst), Eastwood (El Paso), Monterey (Lubbock), Ellison (Killeen), and rival Permian.

Midland and Odessa are quite accustomed to each other, playing every season since 2015.  From 2004-2014, they only met a total of 6 times due to the district being so large they were forced to rotate scheduling.  In their head to heads since 2004, MHS leads 14-2, and is in the midst of a 11 game win streak. 

Offensively, the Bronchos will roll out a read-option style offense.  Sophomore QB #26 Phillip Carrasco leads the charge after taking over 4 games into the season.  He has completed 47 passes for 721 yards, 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.  The leading receiver is senior WR #13 Aramis Rodriguez with 28 receptions, 460 yards, and 4 touchdowns.

OHS has struggled with their running game, only banking 453 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns on the season.  They have 2 running backs that carry the bulk of the work: Senior RB #23 Abel Avila with 53 carries for 243 yards and 1 touchdown, and junior RB #7 Ayden Garcia with 47 carries for 205 yards and 1 touchdown.

The rotation of the Bulldog running pack is hard for any defense to defend.  Any of their running backs can cause problems, including senior RB #4 Wyatt King, senior RB #45 Izaiah Miller, sophomore RB  #34 Evan Taylor, senior RB #15 Carter Anderson, and senior RB #2 Jordan McGowan.  Senior QB #11 Tristan Love is a threat to hand off, run, pass, or pitch.

Last week was McGowan’s turn for a career night.  The senior took 9 carries for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He also caught 5 passes for 45 yards and another touchdown.  He was platooned by surprise upstart senior slotback #14 Keondra Garrett, who added 66 yards on 3 carries.

Junior DB #16 Carson Ham leads the Bulldogs’ defense with 7 interceptions on the season, ranking him 4th in Texas and 1st in 6A.  He also boasts 36 tackles, averaging 6 per game. Leading the unit in tackles is ballshark Jojo Lievens with 56 total, averaging 9.3 per game, and 4 for a loss.

The Battle for Midessa kicks off Friday, October 17th in Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland.  Kick off will be at 7:30 PM. The game will be streamed on “https://www.midlandisdsports-bulldogs.com/broadcasts”. 

Other Games of Note

Friday 10/17

Midland Legacy @ Frenship

San Angelo Central @ Permian

Please note:

Rankings are based off MaxPreps Classification Rankings

#midlandbulldogs #MidlandHigh #midlandtexas #midlandtx #chroniclesofreason #TexasHSFootball #highschoolfootball #midlandisd #odessatx #ECISD #odessahighbronchos

By Jonathan Conners

10/12/2025

Midland, TX-

This season could be dubbed Heartbreak Hotel by the Midland High Bulldogs.  That’s where they have been living, dropping another close matchup.  This time to district nemesis, Frenship High.  Entering the 4th quarter Frenship held a slim lead at 28-24.  Despite best efforts from the Bulldogs, the Tigers held on for a 42-31 victory

This district 2-6A opener for both squads was back and forth in the first half, going into half time the game stood at 14-10 in favor of the Tigers.  Texas Tech committee senior WR # 7 Chase Campbell accounted for both opening half FHS scores.  MHS senior QB # 11 Tristan Love ran in a touchdown for their lone score of the first half for the home team.

Campbell completed a trifecta of a running touchdown, pass completion, and receiving touchdown.  He finished with 11 catches for 143 yards and 4 touchdowns (3 receiving and 1 rushing).  The future Red Raider also completed one pass for 40 yards.

The Bulldogs scored their 2nd passing touchdown of the season to begin the second half.  Love found senior RB # 2 Jordan McGowan for a 78 yard touchdown to take the lead 28-24.  It was McGowan’s turn to lead the Bulldog pack as he took 9 carries for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He also caught 5 passes for 45 yards and another touchdown.

All three of McGowan’s scores came in the 2nd half but it wasn’t enough.  The Tigers’ signal caller, senior QB # 2 Quaid Ferris threw 3 of his 4 touchdowns in the second half.  He finished the game with 21 completions out of 31 attempts, 4 touchdowns, and 307 yards.  The yardage was good enough for Ferris to climb to # 9 in passing yards for 6A.  

Ferris found Campbell for 2 touchdown receptions in the latter half.  Also getting in the action was senior WR # 3 Graham Stephens caught a touchdown.  To finish out the scoring was a fumble recovery by the Tigers’ defense.  Junior LB # 25 Rylan Baker recovered a fumble and scored on a 58 yard return to confirm victory.  

Defensively the Bulldogs intercepted Ferris 2x, both by junior DB #16 Carson Ham.  His 7 interceptions on the season is the best in 6A and tied for # 2 in the state across all classifications.  

McGowan and Love accounted for all of the Bulldogs’ offensive scoring.  However, senior slotback # 14 Keondra Garrett jumped into the rotation with 66 yards rushing on 3 carries.  Senior RB # 4 Wyatt King added 52 yards rushing.  The rest of the Bulldog running back pack was quiet on the night.  

Frenship evens their record at 3-3 on the season and 1-0 in the district.  They head back home to face off against Midland Legacy (2-4/1-0).  The Rebels finished off San Angelo Central on the road this week, 58-42.  Their record is deceiving, playing the hardest schedule in the state of Texas this season.  Their four losses consistent of # 2 Allen, # 6 Lake Travis, Euless-Trinity, and # 2 Ruston (LA).  Their other win came against 5A hopeful, # 17 Abilene High.  Their matchup kicks off at 7:30 PM at People’s Bank Stadium in Wolfforth on October 17th, 2025.

Bulldogs fall to 1-5 on the 2025 campaign.  Their next matchup will feature a home game against the Odessa High Bronchos (0-6).  While their records are similar, their seasons have been two different stories.  OHS has dropped their games by an average of 30.5 points while MHS is averaging 13.8 points.  Removing the loss against the # 1 team in the state, Southlake Carroll then the Bulldogs’ number drops to 5 points.  The Bronchos lost to crosstown rival Permian this past week, 49-7.  They have also dropped games to Amarillo, Bell (Hurst), Eastwood (El Paso), Monterey (Lubbock), and Ellison (Killeen).  The game will be streamed on “https://www.midlandisdsports-bulldogs.com/broadcasts”.  

Please note: 

Rankings are based off MaxPreps Classification Rankings

By Jonathan Conners

10/3/2025

Midland, TX -

Like the Rebels, the Bulldogs have also had a rough go of their early schedule.  Midland’s schedule is ranked fairly high as well.  Starting off with a visit from the # 1 Southlake Carroll, who ended up blanking the Bulldogs.  The Dragons have outscored opponents 235 to 29 and have yet to trail in a game this season.  They have also humbled Hebron (Carrollton), # 21 Byron Nelson (Trophy Club), Trinity (Euless), and Timber Creek.

The following week Pebble Hills (El Paso) came to town and edged the Bulldogs out.  The Spartans are currently 3-1 with their only loss coming at the hands of #1 Cleveland High from Rio Rancho, NM.  The Storm are currently the #1 team in New Mexico.  Their other victories came against El Paso area competitors Canutillo and Americas.

# 23 Amarillo High blew into town the following week and took a victory back north.  The Sandies are ranked 23rd in 5A with a 4-1 record.  Their season highlights a 3-0 record against 2-6A opponents, defeating Odessa, San Angelo Central, and MHS.  

Their first road contest came in El Paso against Montwood.  Despite a 2-hour lightning delay the Bulldogs blew out the Rams 70-35.  The Rams are currently 0-5 and searching for their first victory.  They’ve also lost to (all El Paso schools) Del Valle, Canutillo, El Dorado, and Eastlake.

Lastly, Inglewood (2-3) made their first trip to Texas and left with a narrow victory.  The Sentinels record is not impressive but features losses against several powerhouse teams.  Their losses include # 8 Los Alamitos, # 2 Central East, and # 18 Downey.  Their other win came against St Bonaventure.

Also similar to their crosstown rivals, the Bulldogs won’t have to face this level of competition in district play.  Permian and Legacy are the only teams ranked higher.  The Bulldogs offense has returned starting QB, senior # 11 Tristan Love, who missed the entire 2024 season and the first two games of 2025. They’ve also featured a revolving door of backs who can punish defenses including: senior # 4 Wyatt King, sophomore # 34 Evan Taylor, senior # 45 Izaiah Miller, and senior # 2 Jordan Mcgowan.  

Defensively the Bulldogs have shown prowess in spurts.  Junior # 16 Carson Ham has been the leader on defense.  His 5 interceptions is tied for 4th in Texas and tied for 1st in 6A.  His leadership partner on defense has been senior #7 Jayden Guzman.  Guzman has 51 tackles, averaging 12.8 per game.   

The Bulldogs begin district hosting the Frenship Tigers on October 10th, 2025 at Astound Broadband Stadium.  Kick off is at 7 PM.  Since 2016 Frenship leads the series 5-4.  Last season the Tigers won 48-47 in Wolfforth.  The last Bulldog victory came in 2023.

By Jonathan Conners

9/26/2025

Midland, TX -

Midland High carried a 28-8 lead into halftime, but could not hang on as the Inglewood (CA) Sentinels took home a 43-42 victory.  Following the defeat of their first Texas opponent ever, Inglewood improves to 2-3 on the season as Midland High drops to 1-4.

The interstate battle was largely fought on the ground, featuring 80 carries and 529 rushing yards between the two teams.  Players of note include Inglewood’s junior RB #4 Semaj Welch with 15 carries for 132 yards and 4 touchdowns and  Midland’s #4, senior RB Wyatt King with 18 carries for 135 yards and 1 touchdown. 

The air attack was deflated for both clubs.  While Midland High is not typically a passing team, senior QB #11 Tristan Love completed 4 passes out of 10 tries with 60 yards.  His back-up, sophomore #26 Holt Howard, added 1 completion for a touchdown. 

The Sentinels’ 3-star TE and SMU commit, senior TE #1 Andre Nickerson, was quiet on the night with only 2 catches for 15 yards.  However, he did add a 63 yard kick off return to set up a scoring play.  His QB, sophomore #11 Lincoln Jahn, threw 16 passes with 9 completions for 164 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. 

Bulldogs defensive back, junior #16 Carson Ham, added another interception to his repertoire.  His 5 interceptions for the season are #1 in 6A and tied for #3 in Texas across all classifications. 

Inglewood struggled to stop the Bulldogs rushing attack.  However, 3-star prospect senior DE #1 Sarrel Howard added a sack at the end of the game, sealing victory.

The Inglewood Sentinels begin Bay League play next Friday against Leuzinger High (Lawndale) at home.  This opponent, who is 2-1 with victories over Long Beach Poly and Palmdale and a loss to JSerra Catholic, plays the Hawthorne Cougars tonight for their 4th game of the season. 

The Bulldogs will take a week off for their bye week.  They will return with the start of district play against Frenship (1-3).  The Tigers have a victory over Legacy (Wichita Falls) and losses from Memorial (Wichita Falls), Byron Nelson (Trophy Club), and Cooper (Lubbock). Their week 5 match up is tonight at home against Midland Christian.  The Dawgs will meet Frenship on October 10th at 7 PM.  The game will be streamed on “https://www.midlandisdsports-bulldogs.com/broadcasts”.

By Jonathan Conners

9/19/2025

Midland, TX-

Despite bad weather rolling in around half time Friday night, the Bulldogs stomped the El Paso Montwood Rams 70-35 at Socorro ISD SAC #1. This is the first victory of the season for Midland High as they improve to 1-3. The Rams are still searching for a notch in the win column as they fall to 0-4.

Midland High took a 28-21 lead as they headed into the locker room at half time. This half time break was extended when bad weather moved into the region and both teams were bunkered down for a total of 2 hours. However, this did not dampen the Bulldogs bite. The Dawgs loaded their bowls with Wheaties during the weather delay and scored 6 of their 9 TDs in the second half -- a substantial improvement over a total of 3 touchdowns in their first three games combined.

Midland High’s backfield was busy dominating the Rams defense as senior SB #2 Jordan McGowan led the offense with 3 touchdowns. He accumulated 96 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD, as well as made 2 receptions for 66 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. His battery mate, sophomore RB #34 Evan Taylor, had 8 carries for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior RB #4 Wyatt King got in the act with 13 rushes for 106 yards and 1 touchdown. Lastly, senior RB #45 Izaiah Miller added 11 rushes for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Defensively, the Bulldogs held the Rams under their season average of 273 yards passing by only allowing 256. MHS senior DB #7 Jayden Guzman sparked the defense with 12 total tackles. His efforts were matched by senior LB #39 Chris Bowers as he added an interception to the state column.

The Rams highlight tape features senior QB #1 Damian Briano who had 18 of 35 completions for 256 yards and 4 touchdowns, as well as 1 interception. On the ground, Briano added 11 rushes for 92 yards and 1 touchdown. His main target was junior WR #11 Miguel Esqueda who had 6 receptions for 113 yards and 1 touchdown. Senior WR #13 Adrian Cortinas added 3 touchdowns on 4 receptions.

Montwood enters district 1-6A play Friday night against Socorro ISD rival Eastlake High. The Falcons are 2-2 with victories against El Paso Bel Air and Rio Rancho (NM). Their 2 losses were handed to them by Permian and Liberty Hill. Kickoff between the two El Paso teams will be at 7 PM at Socorro ISD SAC Friday night.

The Bulldogs move on to challenge California adversary Inglewood High this week. The Sentinels are 1-3, losing to #17 Downey, #8 Los Alamitos, #1 Central East. (Rankings for Downey and Los Alamitos are for the Southern Section of CA, Central East for the Central Section). Their lone victory came against St. Bonaventure. Kick off at Astound Broadband Stadium will be at 7 PM on Thursday, September 25th. The game will be streamed on “https://www.midlandisdsports-bulldogs.com/broadcasts”. 

BULLDOGS FACE FIRST ROAD TEST

By Jonathan Conners

Midland, TX -

Midland High (0-3) is packing their bags for the first time this season as they hit the road to face off with the Montwood Rams (0-3) in El Paso.  Their matchup kicks off at 7 PM Friday at Socorro ISD SAC #1.  Previously, the Bulldogs dropped games to #1 Southlake Carroll, Pebble Hills (El Paso), and #17 Amarillo.  Montwood had a similar experience, losing to Del Valle, Canutillo, and El Dorado (all El Paso).

The two teams have competed each season since 2021 and also had a scheduling stretch from 2014-2017.  The Rams ended the Bulldogs' season in 2017, defeating them in the playoffs as well as the regular season.  Since 2014 Midland High leads the series 6-3. 

Despite the Rams’ record, they can put up yardage.  They run a spread offense out of the shotgun focusing on the read option and a balanced run vs pass.  They center their attack around their dual threat QB, #1 Damian Briano.  He has amassed 836 yards passing with 8 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.  Briano can also run the ball with 80 yards on 22 carries. 

Briano's main rushing weapon is junior RB #25 Gene Palmer who has 36 carries for 203 yards and 1 TD.  The main receiver is junior WR #11 Miguel Esqueda with 27 receptions for 303 yards and 6 touchdowns. 

The Midland High defense will have their hands full with the Rams' offensive arsenal and will need to continue their impressive play.  Senior DB #7 Jayden Guzman leads the defensive unit with 39 tackles, averaging 13 per game.  Junior DB #16 Carson Ham is #2 in 6A for interceptions with 3, and junior DB #25 Colton Adams has 2 interceptions.

Offensively the Dawgs will be led by senior QB #11 Tristan Love.  Love missed the entire 2023 campaign as well as the first 2 games of this season.  Against Amarillo, he ran the ball 19 times for 37 yards. Leading the team in rushing is sophomore RB #34 Evan Taylor with 8 rushes for 47 yards and a touchdown.  MHS had 141 yards rushing on the day.

Bulldogs will kick off on the road in El Paso at Socorro ISD SAC #1 at 7 PM on Friday, September 19th.  The game will be streamed on “https://www.midlandisdsports-bulldogs.com/broadcasts”. 

Please note:

Rankings are based off MaxPreps Classification Rankings

Abilene is a 5A ranking