Woodlawn Run Game Helps Bears Overcome Midland, 50-20

  • BIG GAME FOR CULLIFORD - Woodlawn running back Ace Culliford (second from left) take as handoff from quarterback Ethan Saeler while tight end Beau Watson (right) sets a block. With Saeler off limits for the run game in the second half, Culliford proved valuable down the stretch as he churned out 54 yards on eight carries to help the Bears hold onto the ball and melt the clock in the fourth quarter.
    BIG GAME FOR CULLIFORD - Woodlawn running back Ace Culliford (second from left) take as handoff from quarterback Ethan Saeler while tight end Beau Watson (right) sets a block. With Saeler off limits for the run game in the second half, Culliford proved valuable down the stretch as he churned out 54 yards on eight carries to help the Bears hold onto the ball and melt the clock in the fourth quarter.
  • BUSTING THROUGH - Woodlawn quarterback Ethan Saeler breaks through the line of scrimmage on a quarterback sneak to rip off a 42-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of the Bears’ playoff opener against Midland. It ended up being his final run of the game as he injured his ankle and did not see any run plays the rest of the game. Saeler also had a hot hand in the passing game, completing four of his first five passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half.
    BUSTING THROUGH - Woodlawn quarterback Ethan Saeler breaks through the line of scrimmage on a quarterback sneak to rip off a 42-yard touchdown run in the second quarter of the Bears’ playoff opener against Midland. It ended up being his final run of the game as he injured his ankle and did not see any run plays the rest of the game. Saeler also had a hot hand in the passing game, completing four of his first five passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half.
    WOODLAWN - Woodlawn got more of a test than it was probably expecting from the fourth-seeded Midland Mustangs in the opening round of the playoffs Friday night, but the Bears’ got their running game going in the second half as they pulled away for a 50-20 victory.The Bears will now host the Rector Cougars in the eight-man semifinals at 7 p.m. Friday night at the Carl Jones Sports Complex to determine who will advance to the state finals set for Thursday, Dec. 4, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.  This was the second time for Woodlawn and Midland to tangle this season after the Bears rallied from an 18-point halftime deficit to pull out a 42-32 win over the Mustangs on Sept. 12.That was a turning point for both teams as Midland’s senior quarterback, Chascoe Rascoe, suffered an injury in that game that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season. Rascoe had led the Mustangs to an 11-1 record and the state championship game last year.Midland went on to lose its next three games after its trip to Woodlawn, and had to knock off winless Guy-Perkins in the season finale to earn the no. 4 seed from the North Conference.Woodlawn Coach Doug Means said the conversations he had with Midland Coach T.J. Pugh leading up to Friday night’s game indicated that Rascoe would not play quarterback.That changed, however, with the start of the Mustangs’ third series.After both teams fumbled the ball away on their opening series, Woodlawn’s Matthew Green turned back the Mustangs with an interception of starting quarterback Jayce Adams at the Bears’ 27.Woodlawn quarterback Ethan Saeler marched the Bears down field from there, hitting tight end Beau Watson for a 24-yard reception to move the Bears into Midland territory and then finding Green for 13 more. Eventually, Griffin Manes’ scored on a 31-yard run to cap the seven-play drive with 3:30 left in the first quarter. Saeler threw to Watson on the conver...

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