Two dominant backs in Jevalen Wade and Lathan Whisenton are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Bryan Vikings will welcome the Midway Panthers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Bryan has struggled recently with three defeats in a row, while Midway will arrive with three straight wins.
Bryan is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Temple on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Bryan came up short against Temple, falling 56-34. While losing is never fun, the Vikings can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Texas football rankings (they are ranked 318th, while the Wildcats are ranked 116th).
Despite their loss, Bryan saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Wade, who rushed for 148 yards while picking up 7.4 yards per carry, was perhaps the best of all. Another signal caller making a difference was Boone Turner, who threw for 327 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Midway really took it to Killeen for the full four quarters, racking up a 44-17 victory. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four matchups by 20 points or more this season.
Midway found their leader in sophomore Whisenton, who rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns on only 15 carries. Whisenton is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last three games he's played.
Bryan's defeat dropped their record down to 3-5. As for Midway, they pushed their record up to 6-2 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season.
Friday's contest might be decided in the on the ground. Bryan has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 266.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Midway struggles in that department as they've been averaging 190.2. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches.
Bryan was dealt a bruising 49-21 loss at the hands of Midway in their previous matchup back in October of 2023. Can Bryan avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
