Waco Midway Looks To Finish Off Unbeaten Regular Season Against Killeen Ellison

WACO, Tex.-​ ​The​ No. 4 Waco ​Midway​ ​Panthers​ ​(9-0,5-0)​ (TexasHSFootball.com Power Rankings) will look to cap off their fourth undefeated regular season in the last eight years when they host Killeen Ellison (5-4,3-2)​ on Thursday night at Panther Stadium.

​Midway​ ​has​ ​clinched​ ​a​t least a ​share​ ​of​ ​the​ ​District​ ​8-6A​ ​title​ ​and will​ ​host​ ​the​ ​Grand​ ​Prairie​ ​Gophers​ ​in​ ​the​ ​bi-district​ ​round​ ​of​ ​the​ ​playoffs.​ ​Ellison​ has clinched a playoff spot and ​currently​ sit ​in third​ ​place​ ​of​ ​District​ ​8-6A​ ​and​ ​will​ ​face​ ​either​ ​Duncanville​ ​or​ ​DeSoto in the Class 6A Division 1 bracket.

The​ ​Ellison​ ​defense​ ​will​ ​have​ ​their​ ​hands​ ​full​ ​with​ ​Midway​ ​quarterback​ ​Tanner​ ​Mordecai.​ ​The Panthers​ ​drubbed​ ​Shoemaker​ ​last​ ​week​ ​63-21​ ​and​ ​Mordecai​ ​only​ ​played​ ​two​ ​and​ ​a​ ​half quarters,​ ​but​ ​was​ ​16/31​ ​for​ ​280​ ​yards​ ​and​ ​7​ ​touchdowns.​ ​The​ ​Eagles​ ​defense​ ​is​ ​allowing​ ​24 points​ ​per​ ​game,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​Panthers​ ​offense​ ​is​ ​averaging​ ​43.7​ ​points​ ​per​ ​game.

Photo: 247 Sports

The​ ​Panthers​ ​potent​ ​offense​ ​also​ ​features​ ​running​ ​back​ ​James​ ​Fullbright,​ ​who​ ​has​ ​rushed​ ​for 1,096​ ​yards​ ​and​ ​13​ ​touchdowns​ ​on​ ​the​ ​season.​ ​The​ ​Panthers​ ​receiving​ ​corps​ ​are​ ​lead​ ​by Clayton​ ​Williams,​ ​DeMarcus​ ​Degrate,​ ​and​ ​D’ante​ ​Thomas.​ ​These​ ​three​ ​have​ ​combined​ ​for 1,776​ ​receiving​ ​yards​ ​and​ ​23​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Panthers​ ​31​ ​receiving​ ​touchdowns.

The​ ​Ellison​ ​offense​ ​will​ ​need​ ​to​ ​find​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to​ ​put​ ​more​ ​points​ ​of​ ​the​ ​board​ ​than​ ​usual.​ ​The Eagles​ ​are​ ​currently​ ​averaging​ ​19.3​ ​points​ ​per​ ​game​ ​and​ ​they​ ​haven’t​ ​faced​ ​a​ ​defense​ ​as talented​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Panthers.

Senior​ ​quarterback​ ​Tavon​ ​Gwynn​ ​is​ ​the​ ​Eagles​ ​key​ ​playmaker,​ ​Gwynn​ ​has​ ​passed​ ​for​ ​880 yards,​ ​rushed​ ​for​ ​469​ ​yards​ ​and​ ​6​ ​touchdowns​ ​and​ ​added​ ​294​ ​receiving​ ​yards​ ​and​ ​4 touchdowns​ ​this​ ​season.​ ​Ellison​ ​is​ ​very​ ​balanced​ ​in​ ​their​ ​offensive​ ​attack​ ​throwing​ ​for​ ​1,616 yards​ ​and​ ​using​ ​a​ ​stable​ ​of​ ​ball​ ​carriers​ ​to​ ​rush​ ​for​ ​1,665​ ​yards.​ ​Breezion​ ​Spiller​ ​is​ ​just​ ​a sophomore,​ ​but​ ​this​ ​young​ ​star​ ​has​ ​passed​ ​for​ ​688​ ​yards​ ​and​ ​8​ ​touchdowns,​ ​rushed​ ​for​ ​184 yards​ ​and​ ​3​ ​touchdowns​ ​and​ ​has​ ​112​ ​receiving​ ​yards​ ​for​ ​2​ ​touchdowns.

The​ ​last​ ​time​ ​these​ ​two​ ​teams​ ​faced​ ​Midway​ ​came​ ​away​ ​victorious​ ​55-42.​ ​The​ ​Panthers​ ​are going​ ​to​ ​score​ ​and​ ​score​ ​big,​ ​and​ ​if​ ​Ellison​ ​can’t​ ​find​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to​ ​break​ ​some​ ​big​ ​plays​ ​and​ ​slow down​ ​Mordecai,​ ​the​ ​Eagles​ ​will​ ​have​ ​a​ ​long​ ​night.

Brought to you by: