Midlothian leaves no doubt against Birdville during big victory in district opener
Midlothian had a bad taste in its mouth after losing out on the football playoffs a year ago due to COVID-19. The Panthers looked to have clinched the final playoff berth, but missed out on the post season by percentage points to Mansfield Summit.
However, the plan this season for Midlothian is to leave no doubt and that started on Friday night in the Star-Telegram Fan Game of the Week as the Panthers drubbed Birdville 31-7 in the District 4-5A Division 1 opener for both schools at the Birdville Fine Arts/Athletics Complex.
“Obviously being 1-0 in district is very important,” said Midlothian coach Doug Wendel. “Get off to a fast start in district and not be behind the chase the rest of the season.”
The game was close in the first half despite Midlothian (2-2 overall, 1-0 district) losing two of four fumbles in the opening two quarters. Midlothian senior linebacker Tylor Knighton blocked a 33-yard field goal try by the Hawks following a fumble on the Panthers’ first series.
The Panthers then marched 67 yards in 11 plays, capped by a L.J. Adeniran 3-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with 2:15 left in the first quarter.
Birdville (2-2, 0-1) answered immediately when Hawks’ quarterback Aiden Dollar raced up the middle for 64 yards and a score on the last play of the first quarter to tie the game at seven.
Following the kickoff, Adeniran darted off tackle for 41 yards to the Birdville 34. Three plays later he scored on another 3-yard run to up the lead to 13-7 at the 10:44 mark of the second quarter.
Adeniran finished with 72 yards rushing on eight carries.
Birdville could have taken the lead late in the first half after Jaiden Garcia pounced on a Panthers’ fumble at the Midlothian 17, but Xavionte Jackson ended the threat four plays later when he picked off a Hawks’ pass at the Panthers’ 1-yard line with 1:38 left before intermission.
“This win felt very, very good and was really important to us,” said Jackson, a junior. “We really needed it because we got screwed over last year and we’re coming back for it this year.”
Midlothian fumbled the ball away to Birdville on its first two possessions of the second half, and lost four of seven fumbles in the game, but the Panthers started to impose their will after that point. The Midlothian defense was solid all night, forced a punt and got the ball back on downs following the second gaffe of the third quarter.
The Panthers allowed 206 total yards with 123 coming on the ground on 28 carries and 83 through the air. If not for Dollar’s 64-yard scoring run, the Hawks would have had 59 yards rushing and 142 total.
Birdville had eight first downs, but only five before its final drive of the night that ended at the 1-yard line when Midlothian’s Austin Henderson-Lowe made a leaping interception with nine ticks remaining in the game.
“Positives tonight were that our defense was fantastic,” said Wendel. “Not only did they play really, really hard and really well. The thing that impressed me was the way they responded so many times after we fumbled.
“They kept getting put in a poor position and just kept rising to the occasion.”
Midlothian running back Jordon Richburg started rolling in the second half as well picking up 114 of his 175 yards rushing after intermission. Richburg carried 16 times in the game and put the game away with scoring runs of 9 yards (1:09 left 3Q) and 4 yards (7:37 left 4Q) to give the Panthers a 28-7 lead.
“I was just looking for some open gaps and the line did a really good job of getting me looks where I could make the cuts that I needed to make,” said Richburg. “It was very important for us to start out like this because we’re working to get to the playoffs.”
Midlothian rushed for 371 yards total with Kaden Smith adding 66 yards on eight totes. Dollar led Birdville with 107 yards rushing, but struggled through the air completing 13 of 26 for 83 yards and the two picks.
Tyson Williams booted a 27-yard field goal to close out the scoring with 3:30 left in the game.