Waco Midway Runs Away From Waco High In Central Texas Showdown

WACO-Local​ ​radio​ ​stations​ ​opened​ ​up​ ​the​ ​debate​ ​on​ ​if​ ​Waco​ ​High​ ​vs​ ​Midway​ ​was​ ​a​ ​rivalry.​ ​Mixed opinions​ ​by​ ​old​ ​players​ ​and​ ​random​ ​community​ ​members​ ​left​ ​some​ ​people​ ​unsure,​ ​but​ ​the players​ ​in​ ​tonight’s​ ​game​ ​left​ ​no​ ​doubt​ ​that​ ​they​ ​know​ ​this​ ​is​ ​a​ ​rivalry. In the end, the Midway Panthers pulled away from the Lions for a 42-7 victory.

Both teams got off to a slow start with each team punting on their first possession.The​ ​Lions​ ​were ​able​ ​to​ ​establish​ ​the running game on the next drive,​ ​but​ ​a​ ​fumble​ ​that​ ​killed​ ​their​ ​momentum. Neither​ ​team​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​pass​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​successfully​ ​early​ ​on,​ ​as​ ​defensive​ ​backs​ ​from​ ​both sides​ ​were​ ​blowing​ ​up​ ​the​ ​quick​ ​throws.​ ​Midway​ ​finally​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​get​ ​a​ ​drive​ ​going​ ​late​ ​in​ ​the first​ ​quarter,​ ​but​ ​a​ ​pride​ ​of​ ​Lions​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​force​ ​and​ ​recover​ ​a​ ​fumble​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Panthers sideline.

Photo via Garrett Ross, TexasHSFootball.com

It wasn’t until the second quarter when the​ ​Lions​ ​were​ ​able​ ​to​ ​capitalize​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Midway mistake. Quarterback Jaylen ​Harris​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​break​ ​a​ ​tackle​ ​and​ ​put​ ​the​ ​first​ ​points​ ​of​ ​the​ ​game​ ​on​ ​the board,​ ​with​ ​9:43​ ​in​ ​the​ ​second​ ​quarter.​ ​The​ ​Lions​ ​defense​ ​fed​ ​off​ ​the​ ​offense’s​ ​success​ ​and​ ​was able​ ​sack​ ​Midway quarterback Tanner ​Mordecai​ ​and​ ​force​ ​a​ ​punt.

Mordecai was able to turn it​ ​on​ ​late​ ​in​ ​the​ ​second​ ​quarter​ ​throwing​ ​a​ ​strike​ ​for​ ​a​ ​touchdown​ ​with 4:10​ ​left​ ​in​ ​the​ ​quarter to get the first points.​ ​On​ ​the​ ​next​ ​Waco​ ​High​ ​possession​ ​RB​ ​Hamilton​ ​coughed​ ​up​ ​the​ ​ball and​ ​Mordecai​ ​only​ ​needed​ ​one​ ​play​ ​to​ ​find​ ​CJ​ ​Williams​ ​on​ ​a​ ​27​ ​yard​ ​touchdown​ ​pass​ ​taking​ ​the lead​ ​14-7.

​Harris​ ​was​ ​picked​ ​off​ ​on​ ​the​ ​next​ ​possession​ ​by​ ​Midway​ ​DB​ ​Parker​ ​Null​ ​on​ ​the Lions​ ​30​ ​yard​ ​line.​ ​Mordecai​ ​found​ ​Dart​ ​Smith​ ​for​ ​a​ ​29​ ​yard​ ​touchdown​ ​pass​ ​increasing​ ​the Panthers​ ​lead​ ​21-7.​ ​After​ ​a​ ​brief​ ​scuffle​ ​the​ ​Lions​ ​took​ ​a​ ​knee​ ​with​ ​44​ ​seconds​ ​on​ ​the​ ​clock​ ​and went​ ​to​ ​halftime​ ​after​ ​giving​ ​up​ ​21​ ​unanswered​ ​points.

Photo via Garrett Ross, TexasHSFootball.com

The​ ​Panthers​ ​were​ ​forced​ ​to​ ​punt​ ​on​ ​their​ ​first​ ​possession​ ​after​ ​the​ ​half,​ ​but​ ​Waco​ ​High​ ​muffed the​ ​punt​ ​and​ ​Midway​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​recover,​ ​which​ ​was​ ​the​ ​Panthers​ ​3rd​ ​forced​ ​turnover​ ​in​ ​5 minutes​ ​of​ ​game​ ​time.​ ​Midway​ ​didn’t​ ​let​ ​off​ ​the​ ​gas,​ ​as​ ​Tanner​ ​Mordecai​ ​found​ ​Demarcus Degrate​ ​on​ ​27​ ​yard​ ​touchdown​ ​pass.​ ​The​ ​Panthers​ ​defense​ ​began​ ​to​ ​dominate​ ​the​ ​Lions rushing​ ​attack,​ ​deflating​ ​all​ ​hope​ ​out​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Waco​ ​High​ ​offense.

Mordecai​ ​showed​ ​no​ ​mercy​ ​as​ ​he​ ​hit​ ​Dart​ ​Smith​ ​for​ ​a​ ​24​ ​yard​ ​touchdown,​ ​large​ ​in​ ​part​ ​to​ ​blown coverage​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Lions​ ​secondary.​ ​Tanner​ ​Mordecai​ ​capped​ ​off​ ​the​ ​night​ ​with​ ​a​ ​3​ ​yard touchdown​ ​run​ ​bringing​ ​the​ ​final​ ​score​ ​to​ ​42-7​ ​Midway. The Oklahoma commit​ ​finished​ ​the​ ​game​ ​22-32,​ ​307​ ​passing,​ ​5​ ​passing touchdowns,​ ​and​ ​1​ ​rushing​ ​touchdown.

Both​ ​teams​ ​start​ ​district​ ​play​ ​next​ ​week,​ ​as​ ​Midway​ ​heads​ ​to​ ​Copperas​ ​Cove​ ​and​ ​Waco​ ​High travels​ ​to​ ​A&M​ ​Consolidated.

Feature Photo by Garrett Ross, TexasHSFootball.com

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