Midland High School

Midland Bulldogs: District 2-5A

Purchase photos from Week 3, Midland vs Lubbock

Midland High School 2009

The Midland High Bulldogs may have been down two years ago, but somehow you knew they wouldn’t stay there, and they didn’t. After a 4-6 overall record and 1-4 district mark in 2007, Craig Yenzer and the Bulldogs righted the ship last season and put together an impressive 8-4 campaign that included a 7-2 record in district and a trip to the playoffs. Midland won its first seven district games before falling to Odessa High and Odessa Permian to round out the regular season, but the Bulldogs managed to beat El Paso Coronado 38-16 in the first round of the Division 2 playoffs before bowing out to Arlington Bowie 36-10 in the area round. “We had a great senior class that got us back in the playoffs after a year absence,” Yenzer said. “The seven-game win streak during district put us in a position to build on the successes of the year.”

Midland figures to have another strong team, although 44 players are gone from last year. But the cupboard isn’t totally bare as 23 letterwinners return, including four starters on offense and three on defense. “We have lots of returning skill players on both sides of the ball,” said Yenzer, who is 53-32 in seven years at Midland and, counting his six prior years in Midland, 96-56 overall. “We must develop on the O-line and D-line and in the area of team chemistry.”

The Bulldogs aren’t hurting when it comes to receivers as both Antwan Goodley and Kendahl Johnson return after impressive 2008 campaigns in which they both received post-season honors. Goodley (5-11, 190, 4.4) caught 30 passes for 761 yards and 11 touchdowns while also returning two punts and one kickoff for scores. A two-year starter, Goodley also plays free safety on defense. Meanwhile, Johnson (5-11, 175, 4.4), also a two-year starter who according to Yenzer has “great work ethic,” caught 15 balls for 197 yards and four TDs. Charged with getting the ball to Goodley and Johnson in Midland’s I/shotgun offense is senior quarterback Jack Bolger (6-1, 185, 4.7), who a year ago completed 65-of-100 passes for 971 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions. Another skill position veteran is senior fullback Jerome Ellis (5-10, 200, 4.6), who in ’08 ran for 296 yards on 47 attempts. He’ll be joined in the backfield by promising tailbacks Cory Street (5-9, 180, 4.4), a senior who got 25 touches last year for 154 yards and three TDs, and junior Tyler Middleton (6-0, 178, 4.4), up off the junior varsity.

Along the offensive front, the Bulldogs will be looking to guys like junior Kelton Woodard (6-3, 242, 5.2) and seniors Tim Jakel (6-3, 270, 5.6), Jesus Garcia (5-11, 258, 5.5) and Kendall Zunker (6-3, 277, 5.7).

Over on Midland’s 4-3 defense, the returning starters are seniors Michael Napoles (5-10, 175, 4.9) at linebacker, Ricky Pena (6-0, 250, 5.3) and Conner Wilbanks (5-11, 200, 5.2) in the trenches. Pena tallied 41 tackles with four sacks and four hurries last season while Napoles got 28 stops. They’ll get help from junior lineman Tyler Tatum (6-1, 265, 5.0).

Yenzer is looking to a handful of seniors to fill in the gaps. Among them are receivers Trevor Scurlark (5-8, 155, 4.6) and Andrew Williams (5-9, 150, 4.8); defensive backs Cody Wisniewski (5-10, 155, 4.9), Ethan Rogers (6-0, 175, 4.9), Greg Webster (5-11, 165, 4.6) and J.D. Hernandez (5-9, 160, 4.5); defensive end Joseph Mathis (6-0, 215, 4.9); defensive linemen Abner Godoy (5-9, 210, 5.1), Michael Villafranco (5-10, 220, 5.4) and Danny Aguilar (5-11, 235, 5.2); linebackers Charles Aleman (5-9, 195) and Jeremy Nettles (5-10, 185, 5.1); offensive linemen John Barto (5-11, 230, 5.4) and Malachi Nichols (6-2, 290, 6.0); and fullback Cody Alvarado (5-9, 202, 5.2).

Midland opens its season at home Aug. 28 against Rockwall for its lone non-district outing before taking on Midland Lee in the league opener. Then it’s home against San Angelo Central and at Lubbock High prior to an open week. After that it’s home against Lubbock Monterey, at Lubbock Coronado, home against Amarillo High, at Amarillo Tascosa, home against Odessa and at Permian. Yenzer thinks Permian and Midland Lee will be the Bulldogs’ toughest challenges, along with Odessa High and Monterey.