Ellis County Sports Your source for Ellis County Sports News
By Travis M. Smith | KBEC Sports
Previews, score predictions, stats, standout players and recaps will be added throughout the weekend. All computer projections and rankings are compiled by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football.
As always, fans can catch a full recap of all things Ellis County athletics every Monday night from 6-7 p.m. on KBEC 1390AM/99.1FM and online at elliscosports.com during “The Press Box.”
CLASS 6A
(0-4, 0-1) Cedar Hill 21, (4-0, 1-0) No. 24 WAXAHACHIE 51 — FINAL
Ohio State-commit Calvin Harris-Simpson returned a Cedar Hill fumble 92 yards for a touchdown and set the tone for an absolute teeth-kicking by 6A No. 24 Waxahachie.
That score gave the Indians a 7-0 lead, which eventually ballooned into a 51-7 advantage as the game turned toward the fourth quarter…..check back Saturday for the full recap and photo gallery!
Last Time Out: Waxahachie completed its utter dominance of the non-district schedule by routing Grand Prairie, 49-7, inside the Gopher-Warrior Bowl. The Tribe released the throttle in the second quarter yet still limited the Gophers to just 204 yards of total offense. Grand Prairie finished the game with negative-11 rushing.
Up Next: Waxahachie continues its daunting stretch of District 7-6A with a road game against No. 12 (3-1, 1-0) DeSoto on Friday. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Eagle Stadium.
The Eagles thumped Dallas Skyline, 63-0, to open district play. The Indians have outscored their opponents 192-37 on the season, while the Eagles have outscored their opponents 147-80. Two of the Eagles’ foes were out-of-state.
CLASS 5A
(4-0, 2-0) MIDLOTHIAN 66, (1-3, 0-2) Waco 0 — FINAL (Thurs)
Midlothian continued its road start to District 4-5A with a Thursday handling of Waco.
The Panthers scored six first-half touchdowns, which included five in the second quarter. Waco dropped from Class 6A to 5A Division I following the bi-annual realignment.
Last Time Out: The Panthers used a big second half to squeak by Kileen Shoemaker, 32-27, in their district opener. Senior quarterback Chad Ragle completed 11-of-his-15 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns. One of those scores was an 80-yard pitch-and-catch to junior Bryant Wesco (8-143, 2 TDs). Jordon Richburg led the Panther rushing attack with 11 carries for 114 yards (10.4YPC) and two touchdowns.
Up Next: Midlothian will host (0-4, 0-2) Cleburne on Friday at Midlothian ISD Multipurpose Stadium. The Yellow Jackets fell to Granbury 29-26 in Week 4. They have previously fallen to Houston Heights (54-20), Midlothian Heritage (64-0) and Kileen (23-7).
(3-1, 1-1) RED OAK 28, (1-3, 0-2) Killeen Ellison 21 — FINAL
Kendall Brown rushed for a fourth-quarter touchdown to seal the Red Oak road victory against Killeen Ellison, 28-21.
Brown, the Hawks quarterback, ended the game 7-of-10 through the air for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Brayden Robinson led the Hawks’ receiving corps with three grabs for 112 yards. Davion Hampton caught the other Brown touchdown pass. Both teams committed two turnovers and neither rushed for more than 75 yards.
Last Time Out: The Hawks lost their 4-5A opener to Lake Belton, 48-47, on a blocked extra-point attempt in overtime. The Hawks outpaced the Broncos 536 total yards to 476, only to be outscored 27-14 in the second half.
Up Next: Red Oak will enjoy a bye week and then return home to host (3-1, 1-1) Killeen Shoemaker at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 at Billy Goodloe Stadium.
Shoemaker opened district play with a loss against Midlothian (32-27) and then defeated Lake Belton (34-33).
(1-3, 1-0) Ennis 45, (1-3, 0-1) Corsicana 7 — FINAL
Ennis picked up its first win in dominant fashion Friday against Corsicana in The Battle of Chambers Creek. The game was also the District 5-5A opener.
The Lions accumulated 555 yards of total offense to rout the host Tigers, 45-7, in the rivalry game.
Senior quarterback Jackson Gilkey turned in his best performance of the season, completing 22-of-his-35 passes for 364 yards and 4 touchdowns (1 INT).
Wide receivers Gracen Harris (12-173 yards, 2 TDs) and Wondame Davis Jr. (8-116, TD) each crossed the 100-yard plateau. Kalen Tisdale pulled in the other Gilkey touchdown pass and it came on his lone catch on the evening (76 yards).
The Lion defense limited Corsicana to 197 total yards, which included just 20 total rushing yards on 31 attempts for an abysmal 0.65 yard-per-carry average.
Last Time Out: The Ennis Lions fell to Colleyville Heritage, 23-20. At this point, your guess is as good as ours when looking for the last time the Lions started a season 0-3. It had never previously happened under head coach Sam Harrell. Ennis managed just 37 total rushing yards in the loss, while Gilkey completed 14-of-his-30 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown.
Up Next: Ennis will face (3-1, 1-0) Everman in week two of its 5-5A slate. The Bulldogs defeated Joshua, 48-7, on Friday.
(0-4, 0-1) Burleson 6, (3-1, 1-0) MIDLOTHIAN HERITAGE 33 — FINAL
Midlothian Heritage officially began its first season in Class 5A with a home rout of Burleson.
The Jaguars scored three touchdowns in the second quarter and never looked back in the 33-6 victory against the (0-4, 0-1) Elks to open District 5-5A Division II.
Heritage outgained Burleson 407 total yards to 226. That number included 263 passing yards by senior Kaden Brown (19-25, 4 TD, INT) to the 88 yards compiled by JT Kitna (11-25, TD, INT).
TJ Pride led all Jaguar receivers with seven grabs for 113 yards and a score. Xavier Moten (4-62, 2TDs) and Stetson Sarratt (4-54, TD) also joined in on the passing game party.
The Jon Kitna-led Elks have been outscored 167-74 on the season, having previously suffered losses to Burleson Centennial (42-13), Frisco Lone Star (38-3) and Weatherford (54-52).
Last Time Out: Heritage took out any frustrations on then-4A No. 9 Waco La Vega, 41-14. The Jaguars led their Homecoming game 27-0 at the half and eventually outpaced the Pirates 397 total yards to 197.
Brown completed 13-of-his-16 passes for 182 yards and 4 touchdowns to no interceptions. Moten (5-113) hauled in three of those touchdown passes. Pride (4-28) caught the fourth.
Mason O’Neal led the Jaguars with 15 carries for 92 yards and a score. Brown added a rushing touchdown on one of his nine carries for 47 yards.
The Jaguars’ lone loss came to 4A No. 1 Stephenville, 49-42, in week one.
Up Next: Heritage continues District 5-5A action Friday on the road against (1-3, 0-1) Joshua. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
CLASS 4A
(0-4, 0-0) Wills Point 20, (2-1, 0-0) LIFE WAXAHACHIE 46 — FINAL
Junior running back Kordell Berry nearly rushed for a new program-best in Life Waxahachie’s victory over Wills Point on Friday.
Berry carried the football 24 times for 322 yards and 5 touchdowns in the victory. He averaged 13.4 yards-per-carry, which comes one week after he set a new program record with 33 carries for 336 yards and 5 scores.
Life Waxahachie led 39-6 at the half, eventually picking up 521 total yards of offense.
Last Time Out: The Mustangs quite literally ran away from in-county-foe Ferris, 50-37, in the Jackets’ second game of the season.
Berry rushed for a then-program best 336 yards and five touchdowns to pace the offense.
Life Waxahachie used a bye in week one to better evaluate itself and its talent. Following a tough loss to Athens, it appears second-year head coach Micah Stanley made the right decision.
Up Next: Life Waxahachie faces (1-2, 0-0) Mabank in a non-district road game Friday. The Panthers have been outscored 71-104 on the season.
(0-4, 0-0) FERRIS 14, (2-2, 0-0) Sunnyvale 43 — FINAL
A 21-point third quarter spelled disaster for the Ferris Yellow Jackets against Sunnyvale on Friday.
The Raiders’ held Ferris to 244 total yards while amassing 523 total yards on their own.
Last Time Out: The Mustangs quite literally ran away from in-county-foe Ferris, 50-37, in the Jackets’ second game of the season.
Berry rushed for a then-program best 336 yards and five touchdowns to pace the offense.
Up Next: Ferris will play host to (4-0, 0-0) Caddo Mills in a non-district game Friday at 7 p.m.
CLASS 3A
(1-2, 1-0) MAYPEARL — BYE
Last Time Out: First-year head coach Adam Olson picked up his first career win by routing A+ Academy, 55-18, in week three. It just so happened that, following heartbreaking losses in the waning seconds of regulation and overtime, first-year head coach Adam Olson’s first victory came in that first District 7-3A game.
Up Next: The Panthers enjoyed a bye week on Friday, Sept. 15 and now head into a 7-3A showdown against perennial power (3-1, 2-0) Grandview. Kickoff for that game is slated for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23 in Maypearl.
(3-1, 0-0) No. 5 Rogers 23, (4-0, 0-0) PALMER 21 — FINAL
Palmer outscored No. 5 Rogers 22-8 over the final three quarters to pull off the upset victory in front of a standing-room-only crowd on Friday.
The game happened to fall on the Bulldogs’ Homecoming, which made the 36-23 victory even sweeter for head coach Don Waddle and the gang.
The matchup was one of 31 games featuring unbeaten teams across the state of Texas.
Last Time Out: Palmer previously defeated Venus (63-20), Grand Aline (30-0) and Palestine Westwood (21-12) to open the season.
Up Next: The Bulldogs open District 13-3A at home Friday against (1-3, 0-0) Trinity Leadership Academy out of Cedar Hill. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 2A
(1-3, 0-0) ITALY 49, (0-4, 0-0) Dallas Roosevelt 12 — FINAL (Thurs)
The Italy Gladiators received a police escort into a matchup against 4A Dallas Roosevelt.
They then exited with a 49-12 victory.
Roosevelt and Fort Worth Eastern Hills had their week three game called in the third quarter due to an on-the-field fight. According to multiple reports, fans had made their way from the stands and onto the field, prompting Italy ISD to request additional police presence on the field this past Friday.
Roosevelt suspended its entire varsity team for the first half of Friday’s game against Italy.
Last Time Out: Italy previously suffered losses to Scurry-Rosser (41-19), Chilton (28-27) and Mart (68-7).
Up Next: Italy will face (3-0, 0-1) Cross Roads at 7 p.m. Friday at home.
CLASS 1A
(3-1, 0-0) AVALON 76, (0-4, 0-0) Trinidad 31 — FINAL
Avalon mercy-ruled host Trinidad behind 588 total yards of offense.
Colby Ornelas rushed 10 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns in the 76-31 Eagle victory.
Freshman quarterback Josh Novak completed 10-of-his-15 passes for 225 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed eight times for 134 yards and two scores.
Trevor Rogers led the Eagle defense with 12 total tackles, while Jake Ozymy and Novak each recorded eight.
Last Time Out: Avalon previously defeated Methodist Children’s Home of Waco (66-20) and Bynum (55-6). To read the full recap or check out the stellar photo gallery from Week 1, click here!
The Eagles most recently fell to Coolidge, 48-41, in a week three heartbreaker.
Up Next: The Eagles face (4-0) Abbot in a non-district road game Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Panthers have outscored their opponents 244-34 on the season.
(4-0, 0-0) Union Hill 47, (2-2, 0-0) MILFORD 14— Final
The Milford Bulldogs fell to Union Hill in a non-district game, 47-14.
Last Time Out: The Bulldogs have previously defeated Keene (73-42) and Calvert (48-0) in weeks one and three. They also fell to Aquilla (52-40) in week two.
Up Next: Milford faces (4-0, 0-0) Gorman at home Friday at 7:30 p.m.
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Travis M. Smith, @Travis5mith
tsmith@kbec.com
