HEWITT, Texas — Since Midway's rise to the state's largest classification, the Panthers and Waco High have frequently met in heavy-hitting showdowns.
That will be the case again Friday as the two schools continue in District 11-6A play.
For Week 10 of the Texas High School Football season, 6 News' Game of the Week heads to this cross-town showdown at Panther Stadium in Hewitt in what's as close to a "must-win" as an early district game can get.
With the district split into zones as a precaution, Friday night's game could potentially become a playoff elimination game. Midway and Waco High enter off losses in their district openers against Mansfield and No. 2 Duncanville, respectively.
The Panthers roll into Friday's game 0-3, overall, but with losses against three teams in the top 81 of Dave Campbell's Texas Football's computer rankings for the 245-school Class 6A, entering Week 9. Midway's season opener, a 56-0 loss to Austin Westlake, came against the top-ranked team in 6A according to the DCTF computer.
Waco High enters the game at 1-2, overall, with a season-opening win against former Mexia coach Frank Sandoval and West Mesquite 32-23, after jumping out to an early 19-point lead. Since then, the Lions fell at Hutto and lost their non-district finale against Killeen due to Waco ISD's shutdown of four secondary campuses.
Lion coach Kwame Cavil missed the team's practices entering Week 9's district opener against Duncanville due to exposure to COVID-19, which forced him to quarantine.
District 11-6A is playing a zone schedule in the event any team in the district is forced to shut down during district play. Should all eight teams play all seven district games, the zone schedules won't matter, and district playoff standings will be determined in traditional fashions.
The Zones are Midway, Waco High, Duncanville and Mansfield in one and DeSoto, Cedar Hill, Mansfield Lake Ridge and Waxahachie in the other.
If any school misses any games at all, the week after zone play, the two No. 1-seeds will play for first and second, the No. 2-seeds will host the opposite No. 3-seeds for playoff spots and the No. 4-seeds will play for seventh place. At that point, the district schedule would play out in its original order as far as possible.
Weekend Sports Anchor Kurtis Quillin will be live from Panther Stadium in Hewitt with Midway coach Jeff Hulme and with the winning team during Friday Night Lights.
In our "Flex" Game of the Week, Sports Reporter Niki Lattarulo will be live from McKamie Field in Gatesville at 6 p.m. as Luke Howard's Hornets can clinch a playoff spot with a win against Jarrell in their season finale. At 10 p.m. she will be at Bulldog Stadium in McGregor where the 'Dogs and Cameron Yoe will face off in the Yoemen's season finale. Both teams need a win to stay in the playoff race out of District 11-3A Div. I.
Sports Director Nick Canizales takes control of an all-new Friday Night Lights during 6 News at 10 on Friday.
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