Shoemaker is 0-6 against Midway since October of 2015 but things could change on Friday. The Wolves will be playing in front of their home fans against the Panthers at 7:00 p.m. One thing working in Shoemaker's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points every time they've taken the field this season.
Shoemaker will bounce into Friday's matchup after beating Temple, who they had gone 0-5 against in their five prior meetings. The Wolves narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Wildcats 31-28. The 31-point effort marked the Wolves' lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Brandon Brown Jr produced another solid performance rushing for 122 yards and three TDs on only 14 carries, while also picking up 38 receiving yards. De'Mani Dail-Addison was another key player, throwing for 218 yards and one touchdown on only 17 passes.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Shoemaker was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 261 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 192 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, while it was all tied up 7-7 at halftime, Midway was not quite Harker Heights' equal in the second half on Friday. They fell just short of the Knights by a score of 24-21. The loss continues a trend for the Panthers in their meetings with the Knights: they've now lost five in a row.
Shoemaker will need to focus on slowing down Lathan Whisenton, one of several Midway players who made an impact when they last played. He rushed for 79 yards and a pair of scores. Whisenton has been hot recently, having also posted two or more rushing touchdowns the last four times he's played. Another player making a difference was Andrew McNair, who threw for 127 yards and one TD.
Having lost for the first time this season, Midway fell to 4-1. As for Shoemaker, their win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-0.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Shoemaker has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 282 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Midway struggles in that department as they've been averaging 236.4 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Shoemaker might still be hurting after the 27-7 defeat they got from Midway when the teams last played back in October of 2024. Will the Wolves have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.