High school football: Middletown blanks Springfield 14-0 to advance to first regional final since 1990

Middletown High School quarterback Joseph Ward rolls out to pass during their game against Springfield on Friday, Nov. 14 at Barnitz Stadium. The Middies won 14-0 to advance to their first regional final since 1990. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF PHOTO

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Middletown High School quarterback Joseph Ward rolls out to pass during their game against Springfield on Friday, Nov. 14 at Barnitz Stadium. The Middies won 14-0 to advance to their first regional final since 1990. NICK GRAHAM / STAFF PHOTO

The Middletown High School football team is heading to a regional final for the first time since 1990.

After a scoreless first half, the top-seeded Middies found some life on the opening drive of the second half to get on the board with a bit of trickery. That set the tone for a 14-0 win over fifth-seeded Springfield (8-5) on Friday in a Division I, Region 2 semifinal at Barnitz Stadium.

Middletown (10-2) was coming off its first playoff win since 2011 and advanced to face No. 6 Dayton in the Region 2 final.

Middies quarterback Jojo Ward, who completed three passes for first downs to get into the red zone on the opening series of the half, completed the drive by catching a 5-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Julius Reed for a 7-0 lead with 6:28 left in the third quarter.

Reed then sealed it in the fourth quarter when he threw another touchdown pass, this time connecting with his brother, Zymir Reed, with 6:35 remaining after a roughing the kicker penalty put the Middies on the 4-yard line. Noah Nicholas had made a 25-yard field goal as he was hit, ending his night with a leg injury two weeks after he cracked a rib in the regular-season finale.

If Springfield had any hope left, Jordan Vann stripped it when he intercepted Springfield quarterback Christopher Wallace with 4:50 left.

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