Hamilton pulls away from Middies, eyes showdown with Fairfield

It was a game the Hamilton High School football team had to have to keep its Division I, Region 4 playoff hopes alive.

Courtesy of a 34-10 romp over Middletown on Senior Night at Virgil Schwarm Stadium, the Big Blue now have a possible play-in game next week at Fairfield.

Friday’s win also marked back-to-back wins over the Middies, enabling the Big Blue to hang onto the traveling Butler Bowl trophy.

“We’ll take it,” Hamilton coach Chad Murphy said. “We want to hang onto that trophy. That trophy sat in the middle of our practice field all week. We like it right here.”

Hamilton trailed 10-7 late in the third quarter, but Maleek Jarrett scored from 4 yards out to give the Big Blue the lead.

HHS blew it open in the final quarter courtesy of the big play. Eric Jackson scored from a yard out after hitting Myles Howard for a 43-yard gain to put Big Blue up 21-10.

Johnny Jones returned a punt 38 yards for a score to give Hamilton a 28-10 lead before Domonick Johnson had a 46-yard pick-6 to end the scoring.

“Hats off to Middletown, we had to battle,” Murphy said before turning his thoughts to Week 10 at Fairfield. “That chance is all we can ask for. The opportunity is all we wanted, and we get it. We get to take a trip to Fairfield and see what happens.”

Middletown trailed 7-3 at half and gained the lead 10-7 on a Diondre Cooper 10-yard run, but couldn’t sustain enough offense in falling to 0-9 overall and 0-6 in the Greater Miami Conference.

Zach Reese had a big game for HHS, rushing 10 times for 145 yards and a score. Jackson had 104 yards rushing on 15 carries.

Quarterback Blake Marshall led the Middies with 98 yards rushing and 97 through the air. Cooper finished with 58 yards on the ground.

The teams combined for 23 penalties and over 200 penalty yards.

HHS (5-4, 2-4), finished with 383 yards while Middletown had 277.

The Middies will end the season at home against Princeton next Friday.

Middletown 0-3-7-0—10

Hamilton 0-7-7-20—34

H: Zach Reese 77 run (Alex Oseguera kick)

M: Cole Smith 27 field goal

M: Diondre Cooper 10 run (Smith kick)

H: Maleek Jarrett 4 run (Oseguera kick)

H: Eric Jackson 1 run (Oseguera kick)

H: Johnny Jones 38 punt return (Kick failed)

H: Domonick Johnson 46 interception return (Oseguera kick)

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