Colerain runs over Middletown

The scoreboard at Cris Carter Field at Barnitz Stadium lit up early and often Friday night. Unfortunately for the Middletown Middies, most of those points went to the unbeaten Colerain Cardinals, who won the Greater Miami Conference football matchup 49-10.

With all the rushing yards, it’s a wonder the field didn’t catch fire. Both teams chewed up yardage with effective ground attacks. The Middies combined smashmouth running with quarterback keepers while the Cardinals executed the option with their speedy backs and quarterback Kelvin Cook.

After the visitors scored first, it was a tough start for the Middies. Two lost fumbles, one on their first play from scrimmage and another in the red zone, turned into Colerain touchdowns. The home team trailed 21-0 as the first quarter ended.

Undaunted, the Middies responded. A 64-yard Y’vonte Glover run set up a short sTD camper by Allante Simmons. The quarterback finished with just under 100 yards and one score.

Despite the early miscues, Middletown added a field goal and kept the halftime deficit somewhat manageable at 28-10.

Middletown fought hard through a second half in which the tempo slowed considerably. Glover continued to run hard and well, totaling 144 yards on 23 carries. Simmons added 88 on 27 runs and cracked the 1,000-yard mark for the season.

But the Middies couldn’t overcome their own mistakes. Two more turnovers in the red zone, one an 85-yard pick-six, busted the game wide open.

It was a victory by committee for the Cardinals, headed by a talented platoon of rushers. The visitors racked up nearly 400 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Particularly impressive were De Tuan Smith and Jordan Asberry.

The 9-0 Cardinals face Oak Hills next week. Middletown (1-8) will close the season at Princeton.

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