Junior quarterback Jeremiah Landers threw for one touchdown and ran for two more as the Middies came from behind to beat the Cardinals, 20-3, and log a second consecutive win over Colerain for the first time in school history.
“We never shared that with the kids,” sixth-year Middletown coach Don Simpson said on the artificial turf of historic Barnitz Stadium. “It’s historic.”
Landers, a transfer from Northmont in his first year of playing high school football, gained 128 yards on 14 carries and was 15-of-22 for 110 yards as Middletown opened 2-0 for the first time since starting 4-0 in 2011.
The Middies, who edged the Cardinals, 20-18, at Colerain last season, limited Colerain to 40 yards of total offense while piling up 263.
“The big thing is we keep telling the kids that we’re a four-quarter team,” Simpson said. “We’re playing dominant defense.
“We just try to go 1-0 every week.”
Middletown had lost 10 straight against the Cardinals before last season, never allowing fewer than 21 points and giving up more than 40 seven times. They hadn’t beaten Colerain since a 42-39 win in 2008. Colerain was the first team to beat the Middies after that 4-0 start in 2011.
Turnovers plagued the Middies in the first half, costing them scoring opportunities. Senior running back Eric Schroeder fumbled on Middletown’s second offensive play of the game and Colerain junior Jaykel Huff converted with a 21-yard field for the only score of the first half.
Middletown also was hampered by an interception of a Landers pass by Colerain’s Mi’kell Dorn at the Middies’ 40-yard line in the first quarter and a fumble recovered at Colerain 14-yard line by Cardinals’ senior defensive back Corey Myrick.
Middletown senior A.J. King saw his 19-yard field-goal attempt blocked with 3:22 left before halftime.
Middletown’s defense limited Colerain to 38 yards before halftime while the offense was compiling 109 yards. Landers was 8-of-17 for 91 yards in the first half. Shields made three catches for 47 yards.
“We just try to stick together as a family,” Landers said. “That carried over into the second half.”
Middletown took the lead on Landers’ 22-yard pass to Shields with 3:52 left in the third quarter. Landers added fourth-quarter scoring runs of six and 20 yards.Shields finished with six catches for 67 yards.
Senior linebacker/tight end Gabe Terrell finished with 10 tackles to lead the spirited Middie defense. Senior linebacker Camarri Smith added nine tackles.
Senior Tyler Patterson’s fumble recovery and Terrell’s interception helped keep the Cardinals bottled up in the second half.
“I’m very happy,” Simpson said. “I’m happy with the kids and I’m happy with the staff.”
The Middies, who opened the season with a 31-16 win over Loveland, are scheduled to play a GMC game at Sycamore on Friday.
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