Winning After MidKnight
On the road
to capturing the 2015 Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association
(M.P.S.S.A.A.) 2A Boy’s Soccer State Championship, the Middletown High School
Knights Varsity Boy’s Soccer team played in a large number of thrilling games.
There was the nail-biter state semifinal against Fallston High School and the
run away state championship game against La Plata.
Right up
there with those two was the regional final between Middletown and the Century
High School Knights on a rainy night at Knights Field with a large crowd there
to cheer the Knights on as they looked to make it to the state semifinal round.
After the
game was over and the Knights had clinched the region title, players on both
teams lauded about the atmosphere surrounding the game and how it was one of
the most intense and exciting games that they had ever played in, as Middletown
dispatched Century by a 2-1 score.
Flash forward
almost nine months into the future and the memories of that night still ring
close as both teams have started up their 2016-2017 seasons with the hopes of
being back in that same spot again.
While, it
won’t be a playoff-type atmosphere or have the same deep importance as last
year’s game did when Middletown hosts Century on Thursday September 8th
at 7:00 p.m. some of the passion and fire that was seen in last year’s contest
will still be on display as both teams try to get an early season showcase win.
Middletown is
a very similar representation to that team that took the field last year
against Century, as Middletown lost barely any starters from that team and has
done an excellent job picking up right where they left off last year with the
offense and defense playing on all cylinders.
In the first
two games of the season, Middletown participated in the Sheffler-Ford
Tournament and flexed their muscles like only they know how, taking down
Governor Thomas Johnson and Linganore by scores of 5-2 and 4-0, respectively to
win the Sheffler-Ford Tournament without breaking a sweat.
This game
against Century will be a different story as this is not only the first game
that the Knights have played in that counts towards the playoff seedings for
the M.P.S.S.A.A. but also the first true test that Middletown has received as
the talent on Linganore and TJ are no where even close to the scope of talent
that Century had last year and has carried over into this year.
Century, on
the other hand has had a long transition period to start of the season as they
lost 12 players from last year’s team and are trying to put the pieces of what
they have back together as the season moves on. The one big piece that they did
not lose was junior midfielder Chris Yanchoris who was Century’s leading scorer
last year and provided most of the offense for the team in green and gold.
Century (1-0)
has only one game to their ledger so far this season so they are still in the
developmental stages of trying to get an understanding of what players are
going to play what rolls. So for Century, these early games have become a bit
of a baptism by fire as they try to figure out how this season is going to
break down while still being competitive in the early games and not mailing
things in.
Luckily,
Middletown has not been in that spot as the black and orange appear to be
solidly in the swing of things just two games into their season and with their
confidence at a high.
With that
confidence, Middletown will look to use the similar circumstances in today’s
game and deliver the same result as last year to Century.
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