Hamilton-Middletown rivalry important to both sides

Well, at least Hamilton and Middletown can agree that their prep football teams have played each other 67 times, that three encounters have ended with the score tied — and that the Middies lead the series.

Where they differ is by how much. Middletown says 36-28-3. The Big Blue have settled on 35-29-3.

Regardless, that these two schools, representing cities that share the Great Miami River, have a history is not in question.

“There’s no doubt,” third-year Hamilton coach Chad Murphy said Wednesday night. “I believe the first meeting was in 1912 (a 6-6 tie), so they’ve been playing this game a long time. There’s a lot of history involved. We know, despite whatever our record is or their record is, both teams are going to play their tails off.”

Murphy agreed with the suggestion that this is one of those games for which records can be, sorry, “thrown out the window.” His Middletown counterpart, first-year Middies coach Lance Engleka, wasn’t so sure.

“Um, sure, if that’s what you want to call it,” he said earlier on Wednesday. “I don’t know if I would call it that. No offense to you guys, but I think that’s one of those things media guys make up. You can’t throw the records out the window. The records are what they are.

“Is this a big game from a historical perspective? Absolutely. Hamilton and Middletown have a history and a tradition that goes back decades and generations. Any time they get together in any sport, it’s going to be competitive.”

Engleka hopes his Middies can maintain that tradition against a Big Blue team that, despite being 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the Greater Miami Conference, remains in the hunt to be one of the eight teams representing Division I, Region 4 in the Ohio High School Athletic Association playoffs.

HHS, which hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2010, goes into the game ranked ninth in the region’s Harbin computer ratings. Engleka knows motivation when he sees it.

“It’s been a while since Hamilton went to the playoffs,” he said. “They’re trying to accumulate enough wins to get into the postseason.”

The Big Blue haven’t made their road easy, losing four of their last five games, including a 42-32 GMC loss last week at Oak Hills.

Senior quarterback Eric Jackson ranks fifth among GMC passers with 1,251 passing yards and second among rushers with 1,066 rushing yards. Senior defensive back Brian Lampkin is tied for second in the conference with three interceptions.

“They have a pretty special player at quarterback,” Engleka said. “He does a lot for them, and their defensive secondary is pretty athletic.”

Coaches have used the same word this season to describe Middletown, but Engleka pointed out that the trait isn’t the only similarity shared with Hamilton.

“If you look at Hamilton and Middletown and you see the cities and the communities and the residents and the schools and the athletic programs — I’m sure we’re very, very similar along those lines,” he said.

The Middies (0-8, 0-5) have been unable to turn their athleticism into wins. They rank last in the GMC in total offense and total defense, rushing offense and rushing defense and average points per game — scored and allowed.

The Middies may have some wrinkles to show Hamilton, Engleka said

“Obviously, we’ve had difficulty scoring points recently, and we’ve made some changes in our offense,” he said. “We’re going to try to some new things to put some points on the scoreboard.”

Despite Middletown’s record, the rivalry has Murphy concerned. Middletown has won seven of the last nine games in the series, including four straight before Hamilton prevailed 34-22 last season.

“It’s a big game for the two cities and the two high schools,” he said. “We know we’re going to get their best.”

Murphy understands the rivalry and the playoff push could create some focus issues.

“We talk to the kids all the time about how there are so many superficial things to play for,” he said. “We’ve got ourselves to play for, and our teammates and our high school and our families. We tell them that this is a huge opportunity for us because of the opportunity to just play.”

Besides staying alive for a playoff berth, Hamilton also will be celebrating Senior Night as part of its regular-season home finale.

“Like all senior classes, this one has a special place in my heart,” Murphy said. “I’ve seen these kids grow and mature from their freshman year on. You almost always never have enough time with kids, but this has been a very special class. I would love to see them win their last game at Virgil Schwarm.”

Friday’s game

What: Middletown (0-8, 0-5 GMC) at Hamilton (4-4, 1-4 GMC), 7 p.m.

Where: Virgil Schwarm Stadium, 1165 Eaton Ave., Hamilton

Last meeting: Hamilton won 34-22 in 2015

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