Bryan @ Midway: Wrap-Up

BY KEITH KANE

(Hewitt)—The Bryan Vikings showed improvement Friday night over their 2012 performance, but the result was much the same as last year as they were soundly beaten by Waco Midway in the 2013 season opener 38 to 7.

Miscues by the Vikings led to a big Midway lead when Bryan’s long snapper sent the ball over the punter Tyler Slaydon’s head in the first quarter to give the Panther’s a 2 to nothing lead.  Special teams would break down again later in the quarter when kick coverage allowed Midway’s Cayson Buchle to escape for a 66 yard punt return for a touchdown.  And, a Bobby Johnson fumble, his only miscue of the night, bounced directly into the hands of Dustin Vasek for a 19 yard return for a TD.

But, there were positives for the Vikings.  Sophomore quarterback B-J Ross ran the ball well and completed 8 passes for 71 yard in the air.  Keekee Johnson, coming in to give Bobby Johnson a breather, busted loose in the second quarter for a 61 yard run to give the Vikings their only score of the night.  And, the Bryan defense clamped down on Midway in the second half shutting out the Panthers until the final 2:17 of the game when defenders were beginning to run out of steam and pulling up with leg cramps.

Still, B-J Ross did make some sophomore mistakes sailing several passes to wide open receivers high and one that should have been lobbed softly was fired into the end zone on a frozen rope to V-J Banks resulting in the pass skipping off his hands.

The final stats were much closer than last year with the Vikings amassing 240 total yards to Midway’s 326.  Bobby Johnson again turned in a yeoman’s performance carrying the ball 19 times for 88 total yards.  And, the defense allowed the Midway offense only three touchdowns.

Next week the Vikings will try to build some momentum for the rest of the season when they host the Magnolia Bulldogs for the home opener at Merrill Green stadium.  The kick-off is at 7:30 pm Friday, September 6th, with the pre-game show on The Zone beginning at 7:00 pm with Keith Kane and Zach Taylor.