The Midland Bulldogs (8-2, 3-2) were red hot most of the regular season, but for the second straight week they took a district loss, this time 21-14 to Permian (6-4, 3-2) fueled by a two touchdown effort by Juzstyce Lara.
Midland started the season undefeated, but the past two weeks have suffered tough losses to rival schools. Permian has been impressive the past two games and have now gotten to two games above .500 and above .500 in district play with back-to-back victories. The win secured a playoff berth for the Panthers and tied them for second with Midland in the District 2-6A standings.
Permian went up big in the first quarter, sending a message that the Panthers were coming out swinging. They used a 69-yard drive down the field that included a long QB keeper run by Jakob Garcia. Lara took it in for the one-yard score and Jacob Franco hit the extra point, and it was a 7-0 Panther lead with 4:32 left in the first quarter. Athen Dominguez had a big kickoff return on the next kickoff, but the Panther defense thwarted a scoring attempt after Midland had the ball deep in Permian territory.
Stroman Bridges
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After a big run by Lara, Garcia connected with a five-yard score to Luke Paradeaux who was wide open in the end zone, and Permian was up 14-0.
After a scoreless second quarter it was a two touchdown lead for the Panthers at halftime. Midland came out firing in the second half, with Stroman Bridges hitting Alex Gonzalez for a 50-yard pass play with 9:30 remaining in the third quarter. Levi Crowder nailed the extra point to make it a 14-7 game.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, with Permian able to stop a big Midland drive at the goal line. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Permian’s Jayson Cranfill recovered a fumble and had the Panthers starting at their own 37-yard line. With 6:46 left in the game the Panthers scored on another one-yard touchdown run by Lara. Franco was once again good on the extra point, and Permian was up 21-7.
There was 4:37 on the clock and Midland made things interesting with a touchdown to cut the lead to one score. Bridges took it in himself on a six-yard run, and Crowder knocked it through. But the Permian defense was able to fend off the Bulldog offense, with a Brian Pry sack late in the game and a tipped pass to secure the win by Caleb Cruz in the final minutes.
Lara has been a force this season and appears to be playing his best football at just the right time heading into the playoffs. This week he had 164 yards on 32 carries with a pair of touchdowns. He now has six touchdowns over his last two games.
Garcia was 9-for-13 passing for 135 yards and a touchdown. He also had five carries for 42 yards, for second on the team in the Panther rushing attack. They had 206 total rushing yards on 21 carries.
Benjamin Saldivar had two catches for 30 yards and Luke Paradeaux caught two passes for 16 yards and a score to lead the receiving core of Permian.
Midland had 32 carries for 122 yards as a team, and 138 passing yards with Bridges involved in both touchdowns (one pass, one run.)
Bridges was 7-for-12 for 138 yards and a touchdown in the air. He also ran for 42 yards on nine carries, with a touchdown. On defense, Athen Dominguez tallied 18 tackles and Blade Brandon had an interception. Julian Williams and Turner Squire had 15 and 11 tackles apiece.
Playoff football is coming up next week. Permian will be taking on El Paso Pebble Hills Spartans (8-2, 6-2) in the bi-district round of the Class 6A Division 1 playoffs on Friday at 7 p.m. at home. Midland faces Americas (6-4, 5-3) Trail-Blazers on Friday at 7 p.m.