Photo credits: Permian Press staff

What happened: Midland High began its football season on Friday, Aug. 28, with a 31-17 loss to the El Paso Pebble Hills Spartans. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 75 among all Texas 6A teams heading into the game against Pebble Hills’ No. 98 rank. The Bulldogs gave it their all during the game, bolstered by an active, thematic student section and a good halftime show.

The big picture: The Spartans scored on their first two possessions to take a 10-0 lead. Midland scored a field goal to bring it to 10-3 and forced Pebble Hills into a punt on a fourth-and-one at the 50-yard line in the early third quarter. The Spartans then ran a fake punt for 15 yards deep into Bulldog territory, eventually scoring a touchdown on that possession.

Midland scored on Junior Running Back Evan Taylor’s 18-yard run and Junior Quarterback Holt Howard’s four-yard run, but it was not enough to hold off Pebble Hills.

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Go deeper: Midland students kicked off the season in their “dress up days” with construction-themed spirit outfits, using the slogan “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

What’s next: The Bulldogs (now ranked No. 93 among Texas 6A teams) head to Keller to face the Indians (Texas Rank: 78 / Texas Division 6A Rank: 43) on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m.