Central Faces Pivotal Test at Home Against Midland High

SAN ANGELO, TX — The Central Bobcats (5-3, 1-1 in district) host the Midland High Bulldogs (4-4, 1-1 in district) for a District 2-6A matchup on Friday night with potential playoff seeding and district championship implications on the line.

Last time out, the Bobcats played a tough contest in the first half on the road against Odessa High before eventually dominating the Bronchos in the second half thanks to five takeaways by the Central defense. Central claimed victory, 38-14. Central's Zey Johnson had another monster rushing performance against the Bronchos. He rushed the football 26 times for 235 yards and four touchdowns. Johnson currently sits right over 250 rushing yards from Central's single season rushing record, and has a chance to break that record against Midland High.

"Just great," head coach Mark Smith said at his weekly press conference on Tuesday. "We took the ball away five times, and four different guys did it. It was great seeing a variety of our players doing it, being in the right position, breaking on the ball and understanding the concepts. It was spectacular to see."

With the win, Central claimed its first district win in 2026.

Next up, the Bobcats face off with the Midland High Bulldogs at San Angelo Stadium. If Central wins on Friday, a potential share of the district title will be on the line when the Bobcats travel back to Ratliff to play the Permian Panthers on Nov. 6. Added to that, Central will likely represent the small school division in the 6A playoffs this year along with Midland High or Odessa High. A win against Midland would gurantee a higher seed in that bracket.

The Bulldogs currently sport a 4-4 overall record and are 1-1 in District 2-6A play. After starting off the season on a rough stretch, three straight non-district losses, Midland High turned things around and rattled off four wins. In district play, the Bulldogs beat Odessa High 47-14 before falling to Odessa Permian 42-17 last week. After such a volatile win/loss record, it is difficult to get an accurate read on how good Midland High actually is, but one thing is clear, the Bulldogs can play some football.

Central will have to deal with a revamped offense that changed over from a triple-option-style attack a year ago to a more traditional spread this season. While they still run the ball effectively with both quarterback and running back, Midland High's passing attack is incredibly potent compared to years in the past. 

Jr. quarterback Holt Howard leads the Bulldogs under center this season. He is effective in both the passing and running game, compiling 1940 yards of total offense for the Bulldogs. He has thrown for 1390 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions through the air. On the ground, he's rushed for 550 yards and five touchdowns. 

Evan Taylor represents the other half of the Bulldogs' dual rushing threat. He has 511 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground this season. Together, Howard and Taylor present a significant threat if the Bobcats are not sound on defense. However, Central has certainly stepped up on defense recently, but Midland High will be another tough test for the Bobcats on Friday night.

Kickoff in Friday night's matchup is scheduled