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Sports
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tennis falls just short of regional berth By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
The Midlothian tennis team made a strong district tournament run but fell just short of advancing to regionals. The team opened with a 10-0 win over Mansfield Timberview as the match was cut short short once the team clinched the win. Boys doubles team Tyler Honeycutt and
Hunter Enderle, Nolan Carr and James Dean, and AK Ved and Jacob Morgan all won their matches. The mixed doubles team of Brittany Boughton and Matt Kleinlauth also won while girls doubles teams of Lexi Hendrix and Haley Richards, and Lauren Behermann and Angie Reyes also won. Singles match wins went to Honeycutt, Enderle, Hendrix, Richards and Jacob Dromey.
The team advanced to play Duncanville last week with a trip to the regional tournament on the line. The two Panther programs played a close match earlier in the year with Duncanville getting the win. This time, Duncanville took care of business to advance winning a 10-1 bout with Julia Deloach and Kaylee Hullet’s doubles team win being the lone victory.
Big numbers
While it was a sour ending, the coaches are optimistic for the spring season ahead thanks to the strong start in 5A competition. Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Julia DeLoach, pictured, and doubles teammate Kaylee Hullet were the lone match winners against Duncanville in the district tournament.
Photo by Mike Sackett/Special to the Mirror
Midlothian wide receiver Phillip Smith tries to shake loose from a Grand Prairie defender during a 54-30 win. The Panthers had a season high in total yards.
Panthers hit 50-plus for just second time this decade in rout By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
GRAND PRAIRIE – Days before kickoff, Midlothian receiver Phillip Smith said he believed the Panther offense was going to have a big day throwing the football. It did. Of course, it had a big day running the ball as well. A balanced offensive attack helped the offense contribute 40 of the 54 points scored during Friday’s 54-30 victory over Grand Prairie. “It felt really good actually. I’m happy we’re throwing the ball and running it,” Smith said after the win. “There’s some mistakes we made but I think after we look at it, watch videos tomorrow, I think we’ll learn from it.” Facing a Gopher defense that was allowing 46.7 points per game, the Panthers took full advantage using all of their playmakers in seemingly every facet.
Inside
• Panthers get fifth victory to ensure .500 season • New faces fill in, step up Three runners totaled eight or more carries while five receivers notched a catch on the night. That led to 445 yards of total offense, a season-high, albeit by one yard. The Panthers had 444 yards of total offense in a win over Saginaw earlier this season. It’s also the third time this year, and second week in a row, Midlothian has cleared the 400 yards of total offense mark (402 last week against Cedar Hill). The biggest push came from the run game where the Panthers’
racked up a season high 319 yards rushing. That total equals the highest team rushing total in the past five seasons, with the previous high being 294 against Saginaw this season. Midlothian also got a 100-yard rushing game from Kalen Semper who used his team-high 14 carries to gain 114 yards. Semper was part of a fourth quarter game plan that ground out yardage while running down the clock to seal the win. The 100-yard game by Semper marks the fifth time this season a Midlothian runner has cleared that mark and the second time Semper has done it. He had 121 yards against Saginaw. It was also the second time Midlothian had backto-back weeks with 100-yard runners as Semper followed quarterback Dillion Fairbanks’ career high 121 yards in last week’s See OFFENSE, Page 2C
Turning the game By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
GRAND PRAIRIE – With the way the night had been going, Jarmon Jackson figured about the time he crossed the goal line he’d see a yellow flag somewhere on the field. With the officials throwing out a combined 14 penalties against Midlothian and Grand Prairie, the junior linebacker just knew someone had done something wrong on his interception return for a touchdown. Once he saw there were no flags, he wasn’t quite sure what to do. Jackson’s interception capped back-to-back snaps by the Gopher offense that resulted in defensive touchdowns for Midlothian to start the second half. The two scores helped ice a relaPhoto by MIke SackettSpecial to the Mirror tively ugly game and give Junior linebacker Jarmon Jackson the Panthers a fifth win. tracks down Devante Lacy for a Jackson credits good coachshort gain during Friday’s game. Jackson had one of the team’s See DEFENSE, Page 2C two interceptions in the game.
Overcoming changes Shoemaker, Houston battle back, return to top of standings By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
DALLAS – The rain poured, the lightning struck and officials sent players from Houston and Southern Methodist to the locker room. All Jordan Shoemaker could do was smile. After all he’d been through, all his team had been through, the nearly three hour rain delay in the game was just another bump in an already rocky season, one which has been challenging for a former Midlothian standout. So when Houston came away with a 45-20 win, it was a relief, a fitting ending to a day that was a microcosm of the season. “That was the longest football game I’ve ever thought about playing. It was good to see the team pick it up and finish the game,” Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Mirror Shoemaker said with a laugh. Former Midlothian standout Jordan Shoemaker (73) throws a block on an SMU To understand where Shoemaker and the Cougars (4-3, 3-1 C-USA) are coming from, player during a 45-20 win for Houston on Saturday.
you have to understand where both have been. Coming into the season, Houston was a preseason top 25 team, a squad being regarded as a dark horse for a berth in a potential BCS game. It had Case Keenum, who was on the verge of breaking most of the NCAA career passing records, specifically in yardage. And then, with one play against UCLA, Keenum was done. Moments later, the team’s backup quarterback, Cotton Turner, was out with a broken collar bone. That left the freshman duo of Terrence Broadway and David Pinland to pick up the pieces. The team that started 2-0 quickly fell to 3-3, including a two-game losing streak headed into Saturday’s game. And there at the center of it all, was ShoeSee SHOEMAKER, Page 6C
Sports
Williams’ buzzer-beater saves a win for hockey
quarter goals starting with McClain Williamson’s shot off assists by Brent Jones and Joseph Dancy. Williams broke the tie on a powerplay goal from a Jason Spencer assist to take a 2-1 lead. That set up the game-tying shot and eventual game-winner. As he stood in the hallway to the locker rooms talking, Keller coaches passed by and called Case the game’s MVP for his efforts in net. Midlothian coach Ryan Pfeiffer shared those sentiments and knows his team was lucky to get a win. “Our penalty kill was OK but their powerplay was a lot worse. I hope we would have scored on all those opportunities, no questions asked,” Pfeiffer said. “They have to be thinking that too. If they have that many opportunities, they should have won that game. We don’t deserve to win that. But we’ll take it.”
By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS – For the first 43:30 of the match, Midlothian goalie Jimmy Case played the game of his life. Teammate Trent Williams made sure no one would spoil that. A Keller goal with 1:31 left in the game tied the score at 2-2 but Williams fired off a shot as the horn sounded and time ran out to help preserve a 3-2 win for the Panthers. The team runs its win streak to two straight after falling in the first two games of the season. “(Teammate) Trent (Newman) saw me just coming back to the net and he told me in the locker room he turned around and saw me coming and I didn’t know we had 10, 15 seconds left on the clock so I just shot it and saw it go in. And then I heard the buzzer and just started to freak out,” Williams said of his game-winner as time ran out. The goal was credited as unassisted but a pass from teammate Trent Newman just past the net set up the winning shot that Williams pushed past the Keller goalie to spoil the Indians’ rally. The shot sparked a bench emptying celebration while Keller players watched in disbelief. From the other end of the ice, Case could do nothing but smile. “I was glad. Thank you, Williams,” Case said with a laugh. The only goalie on Midlothian’s roster for the night, Case got his first start since a tough 6-4 loss on Oct. 7 against Arlington Martin. He described his return as rusty at first.
Contact Alex at alex.riley@ wninews.com or at 469-517-1456. Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Midlothian goalie Jimmy Case turns back a Keller shot during Thursday’s 3-2 win. Case recorded 28 saves on the night as the team won on a Trent Williams’ shot as time expired. That didn’t last long. The Panthers (2-1-1) were hit with 11 penalties on the night for 22 minutes worth of time in the box. Numerous times, the team had to play with just three men on the ice, including the first five minutes of the third period. After giving up a powerplay goal in the first period, Case buckled down and allowed no scoring in the second period and just one goal in the third, although
Defense Continued from Page 1C
ing for the reason he had the opportunity. “I knew where (Grand Prairie receiver Devante Lacy) was going. Coach told me before that play he was about to throw it to No. 6 and that was who we were trying to stop all week. I cheated out there and got it,” Jackson said with a smile. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know if I had scored or not. I thought there was a flag. I didn’t know what to do.” After Grand Prairie trimmed the lead to 10 points at halftime with a defensive score of its own, Midlothian responded by scoring on the opening drive of the third quarter to put further distance on the board. On a night when the offense had its best performance of the season, the defense wasn’t far behind. Grand Prairie ran twice on the ensuing series before attempting a pass. That’s when junior Bryce Murphy stepped in front of a pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown to put Midlothian up 40-16. The kickoff that followed was a touchback which put the Gophers at their own 20-yard line. The next snap was also a pass on an out-route to Lacy, which Jackson read, caught and returned it for a 21yard score. The unit’s turnaround was due to some retooling at halftime, defensive coordinator Chris King said. Once the squad figured out what was going on, they proved they were ready to respond. “I felt like we were confused in the first half. They came out in some stuff we hadn’t seen. At halftime we just had to regroup, kind of get a plan for the second half. I thought our kids adjusted well,” King said. “When you’re confused you’re not going to make plays and when we finally got our heads together and made those two huge plays, which I thought really put the game back in our hands. It just felt like the game was real stagnant until that happened. That’s obviously great for our defense.” Midlothian also got a forced fumble by Eric Agbaroji with a recovery by Will Marks. That set up the final offensive touchdown of the game for the Panthers to cap the much needed victory. Along with the three turnovers, a sack (Slater Gravens ) and tackle for loss (Allan Jordan), the unit also held Grand Prairie to limited offense with just 224 total yards, the second lowest total allowed by the defense so far this season. The Gophers had just 97 yards rushing and 127 yards passing. The 93 yards rushing was the second lowest total allowed this season with 64 rushing yards against Justin Northwest being best. Prevent defense did lead to a pair of late
it wasn’t easy. Case saved 28 shots on the night including plenty during the powerplay opportunities. The Indians had 11 powerplay chances but scored on just one. “We just kept our eye on the prize when we were up and didn’t want to let it go,” Case said. “Skill-to-skill, this is our rival so we knew we had to just keep our eye on the prize and not worry about the penalties. I had
scoring drives by replacement quarterback
Midlothian receives honors after Cedar Hill victory
When Midlothian upset Cedar Hill last Friday, a few of the Panther players commented that the state of Texas would now have to take note of the team. How about the state’s authority on high school football? Dave Campbell’s Texas Football named the Panthers as the 5A Army Strong Team of the Week for the entire state. A press release from the magazine cited the reasoning for the honor was because of the squad’s teamwork, dedication, discipline, personal courage and integrity, the same values shared by the U.S. Army. “Midlothian got a strong performance from quarterback Dillon Fairbanks as the Panthers pulled off a stunning 27-20 upset of state-ranked Cedar Hill. Fairbanks ran for 115 yards on 26 carries, and he also threw three TD passes,” Adam Hochfelder, general manager of Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, said. The honor was presented to the team by a member of the Army late last week. In addition to the team honor, Midlothian head coach Lee Wiginton was recognized as the U.S. Army/Dallas Cowboys Coach of the Week for week seven of the high school season. The honor earns the football program a $2,000 grant from Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities and the Army. A pair of Dallas cheerleaders and Cowboys’ mascot Rowdy will present the honor at the school’s last football pep rally on Nov. 5. Wiginton will join all the coach of the week honorees at the Dallas home game against Washington on Dec. 19 to be honored for the accomplishment. – Alex Riley Jalen Grant. While the performance was not perfect, it was a big confidence builder heading into the final two games of the season, both of which have major bearing on the fate of Midlothian and a potential playoff berth. “We had a sloppy first half but went in the locker room, focused and they told us to come out in the second half and make a statement. We, as a defense, wanted to make a statement and we did,” Murphy said. “It was ugly but it still is a win. We want to improve for next week and be at our peak to make the playoffs.” Contact Alex at alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-517-1456.
Sports Happenings
Joey Cushman 5K run
The Joey Cushman 5K, presented by Special Olympics Texas, Greater Fort Worth area and the Law Enforcement Torch Run, will be held on Nov. 6 in Arlington. Joey Cushman was an Arlington Police Officer who was killed in a training exercise on June 7, 2001. Each year, the Arlington Police Department honors Cushman’s memory with the Joey Cushman 5K because of his commitment to SOTX. This year’s race starts with a fun run at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 5K at 9 a.m., at River Legacy Parks, located at 701 NW Green Oaks. Pre-registration for the 5K is $20. After Oct. 30, registration for the race is $25. To lace up, go to www.firstgiving.com/sotx, click
on “get started”, then select “Joey Cushman 5K Run.” To find out more about this event, contact the Greater Fort Worth area office at 817-332-3433.
Youth baseball instruction
Youth baseball players ages 4-11 of any skill level can learn from some of the area’s best in one-on-one lessons. For more information or to set up a lesson, contact Oscar Davila at 469-245-5539.
Powerhouse baseball
The 13U Powerhouse baseball team is looking for players for the fall and spring. Practices are held at 6 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call Oscar Davila at 469-245-5539.
to just keep my head in the game.” Keller appeared to have forced overtime when Braxton Mills scored with 1:31 left in the game to tie the match at 2-2. The goal frustrated Case, who was disappointed to have given up “an easy one.” Williams’ late heroics ensured that wouldn’t be the lasting memory of the match. The Panthers rallied back for an early 1-0 deficit with a pair of first
Box score
Oct. 21 vs. Keller W, 3-2 Goals: Trent Williams (2), McClain Williamson Assists: Joseph Dancy, Brent Jones Goalie: Jimmy Case 28 saves
Upcoming schedule Oct. 28 vs. Grapevine @Brahamas Arena, 7:50 p.m.
Offense Continued from Page 1C
game. Semper and Justin Seeton both have two 100yard games this year. While the always potent run game churned out its best performance of the season, Midlothian also got a solid game in the passing department. The 17 pass attempts and 126 yards were the most by the team since 27 attempts and 185 yards in a loss to Duncanville. Fairbanks, who was sidelined for the Duncanville game with a high ankle sprain, was held under 100 yards in each of the previous two games but found his groove this week. The senior signal caller did make one mistake on the night, throwing a screen pass that was picked off for a defensive score. Without hesitation, Fairbanks rallied the team back and drove into field goal range to end the half and then guided the team on a touchdown drive to start the second half for a 33-16 lead. On that drive, he had a 19-yard pass to Seeton and ran in from 14 yards out to score. “They did get us on that screen, I guess they watch film. That’s one of our key plays but it feels really good to answer back. When they got amped up, we just had to get amped up right back at them,” Fairbanks said. “It was kind of sloppy. We can do a lot better. We’ll be ready for next week.” The Panther offense got a lift from the defense, which scored a pair of touchdowns after that first scoring drive of the second half. A fumble recovery on Grand Prairie’s third possession of the second half set the Panthers up with for a game-sealing touchdown run by Chris Lampkins, his first of the season. Seeton totaled 100 yards
Photo by Mike Sackett/Special to the Mirror
Kalen Semper’s 114-yard rushing effort helped pace the offense to its biggest performance so far this season in a win over Grand Prairie. of total offense on the night the final two weeks to ensure with 74 yards rushing and 29 a playoff berth. The Panthers receiving. Lampkins had his hope they’re getting closer. best game of the year with “We really needed it. It’s eight rushes for 41 yards, all really good to see the offense in the second half. Fairbanks come out there and perform followed up his career high big time,” DuPont said. “We rushing performance with 11 really needed this win, we carries for 77 yards. Three didn’t take it lightly at all. receivers caught multiple We took it just like the Cedar passes, including Smith’s Hill game, just another game team-high four grabs for 55 we needed to win out to make yards. Both Brian DuPont the playoffs. Offense came up and Seeton had two grabs for big.” 29 yards each. While the outing left a lot Contact Alex at alex.riof positive feelings, there is ley@wninews.com or at 469still plenty of work to do in 517-1456.
Alex Riley, Sports Writer 469-517-1456 | alex.riley@wninews.com
Grand Prairie Game Notebook
Sports
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 Midlothian Mirror 3C
Welcome to Friday night lights By ALEX RILEY
Week 9 details
Mirror sports writer
GRAND PRAIRIE – Injuries and ailing players created plenty of opportunities for young players to step up and play during Friday’s game against Grand Prairie on both sides of the football. “It’s been the same all year. We’re not what we consider a deep team. We’ve lost key guys at multiple positions time and time again and guys just find a way to step up and play and that’s what you’re supposed to do,” Wiginton said. “You don’t come out in practice to watch, you come out to be prepared when it’s your time to go and I thought the guys did a good job of being ready. When they got their number called they went out there and competed.” The most notable addition were kickers Zach Carlberg and Jordan Diedrich who split duties for Dillon Wilson. Wilson, the team’s standout place kicker, was battling tightness in his lower body. He did dress for the game but was held out as a precaution. Carlberg hit all six point after attempts he tried while Diedrich just missed a lengthy field goal try just before the half. Diedrich did come in on kickoffs and fired off two shots for 96 yards with one touchback. Junior varsity call-up Bryce Fausett started last week but did not record a catch or rush. This week, he had started and finished with three carries for 13 yards. Defensive lineman Nick Mitchell also got his first start recording a career high four tackles. While the offense had a few players step up, the majority of players made their impact on defense where Jordan Allan recorded his first two career tackles and a tackle for loss. Noah Bourcierq also recorded his first tackle in the game. David Miller, Kerri Pauley and Quay Henderson all recorded their second tackles of the season in the game.
Perspective on the year’s success, record
It’s a reality Midlothian coach Lee Wiginton never really thought about going into the season and probably won’t put much thought into at all. The players probably won’t think much about it either. But for a program as starved for success as Midlothian is, Friday was a big victory. The 54-30 win over Grand Prairie not only keeps the Panthers firmly entrenched in the hunt for a playoff spot but it also ensures them of a .500 season at worst with two games remaining. Even if the team was to fall to Mansfield Timberview and Mansfield in the final two games of the season, it would finish at 5-5. The even record would be the first time since 2007 that the Panthers have finished with such a mark. For Wiginton, the win was nothing more than another step toward the ultimate goal – the playoffs. “I think it was just that, a win. When you’re in a district like this, a win is a win,” Wiginton said. “ I think it doesn’t matter to me if it’s 3-0, 6-3 or whatever. As long as you find a way to win it. And I thought our guys went out there and really, really competed and worked hard throughout the game.” A victory over Timberview on Friday would give Midlothian six wins on the year and ensure the team a winning record, the first since 2004. The Panthers have finished at .500 or better four times since 2000 and just seven times since
Photo by Mike Sackett/Special to the Mirror
After backing up usual starter Dillon Wilson, place kicker Zach Carlberg got the chance to shine against Grand Prairie, hitting all six point after attempts he tried.
For a preview of Friday’s Mansfield Timberview game, see 1A 1990. The team is aiming for a spot in the UIL playoffs, the program’s first postseason berth since the 2004 season when it went to the bi-district round and dropped a one-point heartbreaker to Brownwood 34-33. Should the team make the playoffs, it would match up with District 6-5A, which features current playoff contenders Hurst L.D. Bell, Colleyville Heritage, Richland, Grapevine and, the nation’s No. 1 high school team, Euless Trinity. The Panthers would not have to face Trinity in the playoffs as Midlothian would most likely go in to the Division II bracket and Trinity would be in the Division I bracket. The Panthers played Grapevine in the season opener, suffering a 30-27 overtime loss and hosted Richland in its only
Passing Dillon Fairbanks 10-of-17 for 126 yards with one touchdown and one interception
Man. Legacy 3 13 0 14 Midlothian 6 20 21 7 GP 224 12 4-45 48/319 126
Need to know info Mansfield Timberview High School Enrollment: 2,304 2009 record: 5-5, 3-4 district Coach: Mark Walker (third year)
scrimmage in the preseason. Midlothian is currently battling Cedar Hill, South Grand Prairie and Mansfield for one of three playoff spots. Duncanville clinched a berth on Friday with its win and is the only district team with five wins already.
Road warriors
With one game remaining on the road this season, Midlothian has a chance to finish with a strong record away from home. The Panthers are currently 3-1 on the road and with a win over Timberview would finish 4-1 in true road games. The last team to finish with four road wins was the 2004 team (4-1), which was the last team to advance to the playoffs.
Timberview location note
Be aware that Friday’s game against Mansfield Timberview is not at Vernon Newsom Stadium where the Panthers played Mansfield Legacy earlier this season. The game is at R.L. Anderson Stadium at 1015 E. Broad St. in Mansfield. Contact Alex at alex.riley@wninews. com or at 469-517-1456.
Box Score
Midlothian 54, Grand Prairie 30
Total yards First downs Penalty-yard Rushes/yds Passing yds
Who: Midlothian (5-3) vs. Grand Prairie (1-7) Where: R.L. Anderson Stadium When: Friday, Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Midlo 445 22 6-85 26/97 127
Rushing Kalen Semper 14 carries for 114 yards, Justin Seeton 12 carries for 74 yards and one touchdown, Dillon Fairbanks 11 carries for 77 yards and two touchdowns, Chris Lampkins eight carries for 41 yards and one touchdown
Receiving Phillip Smith four catches for 55 yards and a touchdown, Justin Seeton two catches for 29 yards, Brian DuPont two catches for 29 yards Defensive plays Interceptions: Bryce Murphy, Jarmon Jackson (both for TDs) Sacks: Slater Gravens Tackle for loss: Allan Jordan Fumble forced: Eric Agbaroji Fumble recovery: Will Marks Top tackler: Nathan Fisher (10)
Panther players of the week Scout player of the week Quindell Daniels
Offensive player of the week Kalen Semper, JR.
Defensive player of the week Jarmon Jackson, JR.
Special teams player of the week
Nathan Fisher, SR.
Teacher of the week Mrs. Prewitt
Notes: Predicted to finish as the fifth best team in the district, the 2010 season for Timberview has been nothing short of a nightmare. The Wolves were coming off a 5-5 season as a 4A team and expected to transition relatively well to life as a 5A school. Instead, they lost all three nondistrict bouts and picked up a lone win against hapless Grand Prairie two weeks ago to halt the losing streak. The problem is hard to find as quarterback Charles Taylor has put up solid numbers with 1,284 yards and 10 touchdowns. But a 46.67 completion percentage and 10 interceptions aren’t helping. (As a whole, the team has 13 interceptions) The running game has four backs with 20-plus carries but Taylor leads the group with 98 for 557 and four scores. Donielle Gillians, who is drawing interest from Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M among others, has the third most carries of the group but just 109 yards. Talo Pascal is second with 69 for 320 yards and three scores. The team does have a pair of standout wide receivers with Tulsa commitment Chaz Sampson being the most prominent. His 17 catches for 332 yards are both second best on the team but he does have six scores. Treydell Smith is first in catches (28) and yards (358) and second in touchdowns with three. Sean Roland is a solid third option with 16 grabs for 218 yards and a score. The offensive line is the biggest selling point of this team with guys like senior Nick Holsomback standing 6-foot-5 with 5.3 speed. Turnovers aside, the offense might not be the problem. Defensively, the Wolves are porous allowing 44 points per game for the season and 48.4 points in district. It’s hard to keep pace when your offense averages just 23.5 points per game. Other players to watch: Dion Stanford (DB), Spencer McNeil (DB), Steven Mobley (OL), Gerald Robertson (OL), Sarwar Mahamoudi (LB)
Three things to watch 1. With a 1-7 record and such high hopes coming into the season, is Timberview as bad as their record indicates? Midlothian coach Lee Wiginton calls the Wolves “the best 1-7 team in high school football history.” It would probably be a stretch to go that far but whatever is ailing Timberview is causing massive problems. The only easily apparent problem is interceptions but when you’ve thrown the ball 200-plus times in eight games that’s to be expected. The Wolves have weapons, size and some speed but just haven’t gotten much going this year. A tough game, yes. A winnable game, you bet. 2. Midlothian is 3-1 on the road this year. What does that say about the team? If the Panthers had to go back and do the South Grand Prairie game all over again, they’d probably be 4-0 heading into the regular season road finale. The record is a bit deceiving as some of the less impressive teams have been on the road but to win away from home is big no matter. The lessons learned should help the team if it earns a playoff berth. 3. With two games left and the playoffs still in the balance, how important is this game? There are so many scenarios out there it hurts a brain to mull over them. Winning solves everything, so if the Panthers win out, they’re in. After that, it gets complicated with this team losing, that team winning and who you beat. Only Duncanville has clinched a playoff spot while Cedar Hill is close. After that, South Grand Prairie, Midlothian and Mansfield are all fighting for the last two spots with 3-2 records.
– Alex Riley
4C Midlothian Mirror, Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Middle school cross country update
Sports
Alex Riley, Sports Writer 469-517-1456 | alex.riley@wninews.com
MISD Sports Roundup
Jacob Conde to also lead the defense to stop Coleman from scoring in the fourth quarter. The eighth-grade white team looked as if it was going to come back after the first touchdown by Coleman when Tommy Martinez ran for 33-yard score on a fourth down but the rally stopped there as Coleman won 316. The efforts of Austin Wells and Christian Espinoza’s passing game helped the Wildcats stay motivated even in the loss.
The Frank Seale cross country team took part in the district meet last week with several teams claiming district titles. The girls seventh-grade A team placed first overall with Alexa England taking the top individual spot. Hannah Roark (fifth), Danielle Davidson (sixth) and Madyson Braun (13th) were other top finishers. The seventh-grade B team took third as Caitlyn Harder, Paulette Herrera and Morgan Griffin finished in first, second and third respectively. The eighth-grade girls A team brough home first place with Kiley Martens setting the tone in fourth place. Kami Marten (sixth), Eron Nizio (eighth) and Reagan Black (20th) were other top runners. The eighth-grade B team placed second overall with Savannah Mapes placing third. Savannah Adams (eighth), Storri Williams (ninth) and Samantha Bland (14th) also ran well. The boys seventh-grade A team took home eighth overall with Ben Adkins (32nd) and Connor Rogers (39th) leading the way. The seventh-grade B team finished seventh as Tristan Perales (42nd) and Oscar Quinterro (44th) led the way. The boys eighth-grade A team finished in third as Grant Decker claimed a top 10 spot in seventh place. Hayden Dennington wasn’t far behind in 14th place. The B team took fourth as Lane Stanush placed eighth and Sam Litchtenwalter took 12th.
Freshman football report
Walnut Grove seventh-grade volleyball update
The Walnut Grove seventh-grade volleyball teams traveled to Coleman and came home with two great victories. The Lady Cats B team was victorious in two sets with a 25-10, 25-16 win. Great performances of the match included serving by Elisa Patzig, Alli Bernard and Emily Noah. The girls played fundamental volleyball with the intent to pass, set and hit every ball sent back over from the other team. The Lady Cats A team were offered a different challenge with three girls unavailable due to illness or school-related trips. The team stepped up and faced the challenge, winning 25-15, 25-16. Outstanding performances included serving by Tarin Mergener and Bailey Fisher. Strong passing by libero Joely Henderson and strong hitting by Hayle Heisroth aided the cause. Brittany Leake also showed outstanding poise having to step into a different role playing outside hitter.
Frank Seale eighth-grade volleyball update
Last week, the Frank Seale B team beat Jobe in two sets 25-15, 26-24. The Lady Cubs fought hard never giving up. They communicated and played as a team en route to the win.
Walnut Grove eighth-grade volleyball update
The Walnut Grove eighth-grade volleyball teams defeated Coleman in the last home match of the season. The B team won in two sets, 25-5, 25-10. Top servers in the match were Mariah Estrada and Reilly Bengston. The girls did a great job of working together as a team. The B team is 7-0 in district. The A team also won in two sets, 25-20, 25-7. Despite being down a player and having a slow start, the girls did a good job of pulling together and finishing the match well. Top servers in the match were Jordin Momberger, Bailey Fry and Lauren Paschall. This win makes the A team 7-0 in district.
Freshman volleyball update
The freshman A team knocked off South Grand Prairie last Tuesday with a 25-19, 2523 win. The freshman B team fell to the Lady Warriors in a close battle, 19-25, 22-25. On Friday, the freshman A team ran its overall record to 20-8 and 10-3 in district with a 25-22, 25-10 win at Grand Prairie. The B team also won in two sets, 25-15, 25-21, to earn its fifth win of the season, all five of which have come in district play.
Junior varsity volleyball update
The junior varsity volleyball team scored another win last Tuesday against South Grand Prairie with a 25-9, 25-17 victory. The win streak continued on Friday as the junior varsity squad was able to knock off Grand Prairie in two sets, 25-12, 25-16. The Lady Panthers improved to 27-3 overall and 11-2 in district play with the win.
Frank Seale seventh-grade football report
The Frank Seale seventh-grade blue team started out strong en route to a 33-25 win over Jobe. Ryan Braeud ran for 150-plus yards leading to three touchdowns on the night. Lance Tipton scored on a quarterback keeper. Ray Marshall had a great acrobatic touchdown catch. Keon Suttun also had a great kickoff return and great outside runs. Jake Ammerman had many strong plays in single coverage. Clayton Sahwani had several
Submitted photo
Both the seventh- and eighth-grade Frank Seale girls cross country teams won first at the district meet. Representing the girls teams above are, back row from left, Alexa England, Lindsay Paige, Morgan Griffin and Danielle Davidson. nice tackles and key blocks on offense. Ian Atcherson had many big time plays on the defensive line. All those players helped the Cubs pick up a big win. The seventh-grade white team posted a big shutout against Jobe, coming away with a 39-0 victory. Karstin Green led the offense with two touchdown passes, one to Robert Brueggmeyer the other to Hunter Harkrider. Wyatt Baker also scored two big touchdowns with hard running. Brice Griffin scored a 90yard touchdown. The offensive line helped create the ability to execute these big plays. The defense’s outstanding efforts led to a shutout. Santos Borundamade had several big hits in the back field. Wesely Wilcoxson made some key tackles too. J.B. Garrett made some good catches on offense and had some tackles. The seventh-grade black team started off slow but picked up the tempo as the game went on. But in the end it wasn’t enough in a 33-0 loss to cross-town rival Walnut Grove. The black team offense had several great drives but couldn’t find the end zone. Brock McLemore ran the ball well while the offensive line found ways to help move the ball. Defensively, the unit stopped Walnut Grove on several drives but it just wasn’t quite enough.
Walnut Grove seventh-grade football report
The Walnut Grove seventh-grade blue team came up with a big 34-7 win over Coleman last week. The game started off slow but the Wildcats scored on a pass from Zac Humphreys to Tyrik Ramirez covering 21 yards. The Longhorns came roaring back and made the score 7-6. The Wildcats responded in the second quarter and scored on a run around right end from 17 yards to put the team up for good at 12-7. The Cats dug their claws in and came up with a big play on a Cedric Whitaker interception. Walnut Grove failed to score but had set the tempo for the second half. The Wildcats went down the field adding another score on a 6-yard scamper around the right side for the touchdown. Karson Conrad kicked the extra point to extend the lead to 20-7. The blue team continued to set the tone of the game with a swarming defense led by Gabriel Andrade, Hunter Pustejovsky, Tristan Verhagan, Mason Starnes, Antonio Fiallos and Cody Wilkerson. Wilkerson came up with another big play with an interception that he ran to the Longhorn 22-yard line. Two plays later Grant Upchurch scored on an 18-yard touchdown. Upchurch added another touchdown later with a 5-yard bulldozing score. Conrad added the extra points on the kick to make the final 34-7. The offensive line of Colton Robinson, Blake Bauer, Dylan Byers, Garrett Hopgood, Brady Womack, and receivers Matt Robbins and Landon Chamberlin did a solid job as the Wildcats upped their record to 4-2 for the season. Walnut Grove’s seventh-grade white team traveled to Cedar Hill for an exciting game and came away with a 14-13 win over Coleman. The Cats scored first on a 2-yard run by Charles Hoard. Hoard tacked on the extra point to make the score 7-0. Coleman came back on a long pass to score and threw anoth-
er pass to a wide receiver for the extra point to tie the score. The Wildcat offense moved the ball up and down the field all night long but could not put the ball in the end zone. The line led by Kaleb Flores, Weston Grant, Ben Bryant, Cruz Houston, Keenan Jackson and Lynden Carter opened some good holes for Jabrelan Esparza, Ezekiel Brown and Alex Serna. The defense played well in the game led by James Monreal, Austin Ridgley, Marcos Coronado, Garrett Farr, Jordan Hinton, Chase Morgan and T.J. Rushing. Late in the game the Longhorns lofted a long pass that was batted around and then caught for the touchdown. The Longhorn point after was stopped short. That set up the exciting finish as the ensuing kickoff was sent deep to Jabrelan Esparza. There were some great blocks by the kick return team as Esparza darted and dashed 73 yards for a game tying touchdown with 1:32 left in the game. Hoard took the ball into the end zone on the extra point to put the Cats in the lead. The defense rose to the occasion and shut the Longhorns down in the closing seconds to get the win and improve the team’s record to 5-1. The Wildcat black team played a cross-town rivalry against the Frank Seale Cubs, coming away with a 33-0 win. The Wildcat offense hit stride with touchdowns by Stoy Ware, Tyrus Rudd, Blayne McDaniel and Chris Calvery. Highlights were a 70-yard score by Rudd in the first half and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown by Calvery. The Wildcat defense came up with three fumble recoveries, numerous sacks and multiple interceptions. They were able to keep the Cubs pinned back and out of the end zone for four quarters.
Frank Seale eighth-grade football update
The Frank Seale eighth-grade white team played an amazing game by coming from behind to win 14-13 against Jobe. Leading the Cub offense was Connor Chapman with two touchdowns while Jordan Flowers, Jake Tucker, Andrew Thompson and Blake Wilson all had big plays. Leading the stifling Cub defense were Nick Vila, Brandon Spense, Emilo Ramirez, C.J. Winkleman and Andrew Thompson, who had a huge interception. The eighth-grade blue team captured a 4214 win over Jobe providing a clean sweep at all levels for Frank Seale. Najee Mustaffa scored on two 50-plus yard touchdowns. Nick Quintero had an 80-yard run. Quarterback Jimmy Fouse hit Mason Quinn with a 30-yard scoring reception and Jonathon Rekoph with a 50-yard touchdown pass. Fouse also scored on a 5-yard run. Tyler Mannicci and Jared Sanderson played strong on the offensive line. The defense was led by Quintero, Quin, Tyler Gibson, Tyler Oxford and Garrett Wolf who also had two extra point kicks.
Walnut Grove eighth-grade football update
The Walnut Grove blue team battled a tough Coleman defense on Tuesday night falling 28-0. After an injury to quarterback Henri Seastrunk, Londyn Slaughter stepped in to move the football. Slaughter teamed with
Midlothian’s freshman white team had another hard fought game and came away with a 18-7 victory against Grand Prairie to improve to 6-2 overall. There were a few new faces on the white team for this game that really stepped up and played well. Daniel Gordon and Juston Lynch came up from the black team and had a huge contribution to the victory. The whole offensive line played a great game as well as opening up holes and protecting the quarterback. Mitchell Deerfoot and Joseph Sarabia were all over the field on defense. The defense held tight again only giving up seven points. The freshman blue team was hit hard this week by injuries and having their starting quarterback and safety moved up to junior varsity. The player loss forced the team to band together and push through using brotherhood. Taylor Rawlinson stepped in at quarterback and leader helping the Panthers to a 15-14 victory. The offense sputtered early thanks to what coach Sam Riley referred to as a “horrible call” in the game plan that led to an interception for a touchdown and a 7-0 halftime deficit. Luckily the Panthers responded for the coach as Alex Cazares intercepted a ball and took it all the way for a 7-7 tie. After giving up a fluke pass the Panthers took over, pounding the ball with a steady dose of Cody Samek and Brenden Cornell. Finally, with three minutes left Samek broke loose for a 15-yard touchdown run but he would not stop there. He also pounded his way through the line scoring on the two-point conversion while dragging three defenders in the end zone. With a 15-14 lead, the Panthers needed a stop but the Gophers were not about to go down without a fight. They took the Panthers to the edge by having a first and goal from the 10-yard line. Midlothian stood strong and blocked the game winning field goal with 11 seconds left to seal the victory.
Sophomore football report
The Midlothian sophomore football team put up a big night on Grand Prairie with an easy 33-14 win. The defense played outstanding the first half holding the visiting Gophers to a punt or stopping them on downs on each of their five series. The second half, the defense gave up a couple of touchdowns but continued to play the aggressive, swarming style it has played all year. Outstanding performers on defense included Anderson Brevik (interception), Jacob Mathis, Jordan Davis, Caleb Shaw, J.J. Johnson and Zach Young. Offensively the Panthers continued their smashing style offense with a great running performance by Dustin Martin who had 160 yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Jake Gorham had another nice day running and throwing the ball, scoring a rushing touchdown and throwing for three more. The offensive line did a good job of moving the line of scrimmage all night and creating running and passing lanes for their teammates. Other top performances on the night came from Brandyn Fredrick, Wyatt Berry and Adrian Adalpe. Special teams were very good, leading the way were Josh McCutcheon, Danny Gonzales and Bryant Avalos.
Junior varsity football
The Midlothian junior varsity football team had a hard fought contest with Grand Prairie but a late rally proved to be too much as the Gophers eked out a 27-22 win. After going up 14 points early, the Panthers entered the half tied 14-14. Grand Prairie went up in the third but the Panthers came back and held a lead late in the fourth quarter. After a turnover on downs, Midlothian had to punt and Grand Prairie moved the ball down to the 30 with time dwindling. Grand Prairie’s desperation pass from the 30 was caught for a Gopher touchdown with one second remaining. Offensively the Panthers moved the ball behind running back Jake Avery and quarterback Quindell Daniels. The pair accounted for the three Panther scores, two by Avery and one by Daniels. Daniels also ran in a twopoint conversion and threw for a two-point conversion to receiver Jake Windsor. Daniels also completed passes to Brad Brumley, Colin Hofstead and Blake Starnes on the night for more than 150 yards passing. Alfredo Padron also carried the ball for the Panthers and J.W. Grigsby provided some key blocks. The offensive line was led by Randy Wells and Hagan Stone. The special teams were led by Brandon Seck with an onside kick recovery. Brumley and Padron were also key contributors in the return game. The defense was lead by Kyle McCommas, Jordan Dismang and Grigsby. –Alex Riley and staff reports
Sports
Alex Riley, Sports Writer 469-517-1456 | alex.riley@wninews.com
Wednesday, October 27, 2010 Midlothian Mirror 5C
In this case, uncertainty isn’t a bad thing
B
y the time you read this column, the fate of the Midlothian volleyball team will have been decided by a good number of hours. The downfall of this newspaper is, despite being a weekly that comes out on Wednesday, it must be printed early Tuesday morning, before a Tuesday volleyball match. The details of Tuesday’s district finale at Duncanville are up in the air, meaning no one knows if the Lady Panthers won the district title or lost to finish second. Playoff seeding game? No idea when Alex Riley that’s happening or Mirror for which spot it’s being played for. Bi- Sports district opponent? No writer clue. Someone from District 6-5A. Maybe Hurst L.D. Bell, Colleyville Heritage or Richland but really it could be anyone. And truth be told, the Lady Panthers could win a district title, play a seeding game and be done in the playoffs before the next paper comes out (Tuesday’s game with Duncanville will create some sort of seeding game situation which would be played later in the week and the bi-district round is played Nov. 1-2). So at the end of the day, what you have is a column writer who has no idea what the outcome is, where the team is going to play, who they’re going to play and what lies ahead. While there are a plethora of unknowns, the one thing we do know about the 2010 edition of the Midlothian volleyball is it knows how to play, how to handle adversity. In a season that opened with more questions than answers, the Lady Panthers have been steady, filled with resolve. The result – the situation listed above. Though it’s not ideal for sports writers facing deadlines, Midlothian has played itself into a situation few, if any, thought could happen this season. Moving up to 5A, facing teams with bigger talent pools and all the elements we heard so much about that were supposed to hinder the squad were quickly put to rest. There were plenty of nights when the Lady Panthers were
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Midlothian coach Rhonda Currey has her team headed for a high seed in the upcoming volleyball playoffs. If the Lady Panthers can beat Duncanville, they’ll own a share of the District 5-5A championship.
outsized. They were never outskilled. There were occasions when the other team was probably strong individually. But these girls were a team and it showed. When non-district ended and the Lady Panthers were well below .500 for the season, no one panicked. Three tough tournaments, just like almost every season Rhonda Currey has been in charge, offered lessons. They might have been painful to learn but they proved to be invaluable. They beat county rival Waxahachie, a team battling for one of the top two spots in District 15-4A. They were the last set loss for Red Oak which has claimed its 20th straight district title. Both were key in building early confidence. When the team lost just two games in district play through the first round, it was a sign this group was ready to go. The leaders, like Tadam Mergener, Nicole Hulshouser, Destiny Berry, Caitlin Paschall
and Morgan Mobley, all stepped up and did what leaders do. The unknowns and new faces, like Octavia Golden, Paige Winningham, Lexa Corbin, Madi Wilkerson, Lauren Wilkerson and Morgan McBride, followed suit, learning, growing and thriving in their respective roles. That win over Mansfield two weeks ago set the table for this finish. Maybe it took one good look at who the elite competition in the district was to figure out if the Lady Panthers were truly “ready to hang.” When Duncanville lost on Friday night, it opened the door for a two-team split atop the district standings, instead of a threeteam battle royal to decide who enters the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. While the results are still in doubt as far as this publication goes, the Lady Panthers have no doubt that they can play. When the playoffs open, this team has a chance to go far. It has earned the right to at least be
respected by whoever lines up on the opposite court. The results aren’t in this paper. They simply don’t fit the deadline at the office. And that is a good thing. It’s a problem but one I don’t mind at all. Alex is sports writer covering Midlothian for Waxahachie Newspapers Inc. Contact him at alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-5171456.
Results from the season finale against Duncanville and the playoff picture will be avaliable in Wednesday’s edition of the Waxahachie Daily LIght.
Volleyball senior night
Savanna Scarlett
Ashley Kocian
Destiny Berry
Nicole Hulshouser
Morgan McNatt
Octavia Golden Photos by Kathryne Buckley/MISD Athletics
Sports Midlothian natives taking part in soccer fundraiser 6C Midlothian Mirror, Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Alex Riley, Sports Writer 469-517-1456 | alex.riley@wninews.com
From STAFF REPORTS
Players from the Sting Soccer Club are raising money to play in a soccer showcase tournament being held concurrently with the 2010 NCAA College Cup tournament, Dec. 3-5, in North Carolina. Through the generosity of Chuck Fairbanks Chevrolet in DeSoto, the players are offering sweepstakes tickets for a suggested donation of $5 each through Nov. 15. The players receive 100 percent of the proceeds from this event, which will Submitted Photo
Front row from left, Emily Lundberg (Midlothian), Eliza Carey (Midlothian), Molley Dondero (Arlington), Dominique O’Shea (Arlington) and Kaitlin Bush (Midlothian) are all soccer players taking part in a fundraising effort by selling raffle tickets. The winner receives a new Chevy
Champion
Shoemaker Continued from Page 1C
maker. Literally. After spending much of his career as a guard, Shoemaker was asked to make the move to center for his senior season. His veteran status was something the team was going to count on, especially with a relatively mixed cast around him. The other four members of the line include two seniors, a junior and a sophomore. Shoemaker is second in the group in terms of starts with 22. Saturday was his 11th straight start. If they were looking for leadership, they found the right man. “The move to center was good, a good transition. I’ve always practiced it and stuff,” Shoemaker said. “I’m proud of the guys up front and proud of the team.” When Keenum went down, the game plan for the Cougars changed. Instead of the normal gunslinger mentality that had dominated the playbook for so long, Houston began working to develop a run game. Juniors Bryce Beall and Michael Haynes went from role players to primary ball handlers while Shoemaker and his offensive cohorts were asked to create running lanes. All the offensive line has done is create running room for two of the top runners in Conference USA. Beall is averaging 89.9 yards per game, good enough for second place in the conference. The duo have a combined 19 rushing touchdowns. By comparison, the Cougar passing game has 15 scores with five of those belonging to Keenum. The run game is averaging 158 yards per game, the highest total by Houston since 2008 when the team averaged 161. “Right now our two running backs are as good a players as we have on this football team. Our line has got to accept that challenge but we’re not going to (force the passing game),” Houston coach Kevin Sumlin said after the SMU win. “We’ve got to have a mix and we’re at our best when we have a mix.” It all sounds topsy-turvy – a passing team establishing a run game, a move from one spot on the line to another, a season with so much promise that has been sidetracked – but in the end, Shoemaker and his teammates are right back where they’ve been the past few seasons – near the top of the conference standings. By virtue of its win over SMU on Saturday, Houston returns to contention in the C-USA race. In a season of change, the situation is all-too-familiar. Last fall, the Cougars beat the Mustangs in Houston and both teams went on to have the same conference record. Houston received a berth to the C-USA title game because of head-to-head results. With six games left in the season, Houston now controls its own destiny yet again. The Cougars are atop the Western Division standings with a shot to win yet another crown. Shoemaker was on the last C-USA title team in 2006 but sat out as a redshirt freshman. Going out on a conference championship? It might just be a fitting end to a winding road that still has a long way to go. “It’s a good feeling right now but we’ve got to keep it going. There were downfalls
make some lucky winner the owner of a new Chevrolet. The Sting Soccer Club, founded in 1973, is one of the oldest and most successful girls’ soccer club in the U.S. The club has enjoyed immense success, having accomplished many historic milestones in women’s soccer over the years. According to Sting coach, Corey Rose, some of the best college scholarships are available for women’s soccer. “It is my goal to help the players compete for these slots by being seen by as many college coaches as possible, which is the point of showcase tournaments, such as this one,” Rose said Anyone who would like to support these girls in their endeavors by supporting this fundraiser, may contact team manager, Laurie Lundberg at 972-877-8838. For more information about the sweepstakes, go to www. youthsportswired.com.
By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
The good fortune for local karate champion Christopher Tramell continued but this time in an overseas environment. Tramell, an Avalon native, traveled to Killarney, Ireland for the International Karate World Championship Tournament last month and competed in five events – musical weapons, musical kata, traditional kata, traditional weapons and sparring. In each event, Tramell brought home gold claiming the top spot in each category. The 9-year-old made the journey thanks to local sponsorship in the community. He split training time between Dale and Kristi’s American Karate Academy and Lone Star Martial Arts over the months leading up to the tournament. Along the way, Tramell and his family raised money through donations and benefit events from businesses like JHS Cattle Co., S&S Welding, Chili’s and Just for Kids Dental. The family also held a car wash at the Waxahachie location of Chicken Express, raffled gift cards from Tuscan Slice and Hard Back Cafe while also selling discount Ranger game tickets. In the end, it was enough to make the trip and bring home the gold. The youngster offers his thanks to everyone who helped make the experience possible, including Photos by Gary Puckett/Special to the Mirror the support of his family and (Top) Center Jordan Shoemaker snaps grandmother Charlotte Pless, the ball back to quarterback David better known as “Ganny.” Piland. Piland is the fourth different quarterback Shoemaker has snapped to this season. With their win over SMU on Saturday, Houston is atop the C-USA Western Division. Shoemaker is seeking his fifth-straight season in a bowl.
Submitted photo
After some long hours of fundraising, local karate champion Christopher Tramell got the chance to compete internationally, claiming five top honors. Tramell is an award-winning karate student who has already claimed more than 100 top three finishes at local, regional, national and now international tournaments. He
hopes to continue his training and continue his success on the mat, possibly heading to another international competition in the future.
but you’ve got to push through, ain’t nothing you can do about it. You’ve just got to keep looking for the future,” Shoemaker said. “It’s crazy. It’s just adversity. We’ve had to overcome it.”
Contact Alex at alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-517-1456.
Pantherette weekly honors
Tournament champions Pantherette of the week Brenna Boucher
Spirit girl of the week Sydney Smith
The Ellis County Warriors 11U baseball team finished first at the Burleson Super Series baseball tournament on Oct. 16-17. The Warriors defeated the Texas Gunners 11-1 in the tournament championship. Pictured bottom row are Geoffrey Cole, Bryse Salik, Parker Renfro, Major Mottla and Holden Tate. Pictured top row are D.J. Hollywood, Ryan Allen, Sage Hampton, Nathan Jones and Jordan Fay. The Warriors are coached by Skip Chancellor, Max Hampton, Darren Renfro and Travis Tate.