Varsity Football: Middletown Looks To Increase Confidence Against Eastern Tech

By Ben Spector
Winning After MidKnight

 

Las t year when the Middletown High School Knights Football team took on the Eastern Tech Mavericks they were in the same spot as they were last year. The Knights had just come off a hug win in their first game of the season and were feeling confident as they took on the Mavericks, having a huge swell of momentum at their backs.

Last year, the Knights would fall to the Mavericks, not being able to convert as the Mavericks held in a goal-line stand to deny the Knights the win and take their record to 2-0. That loss, although not a loss that mathematically had an effect on the Knights’ season, would still have a massive impact on the Middletown team last year at created an air of doubt over the team one that would last all the way through the regular season.

That air of doubt  would essentially spoil the Knights’ season as Middletown could never overcome some of the inner strife that the loss created putting the Knights in a situation where their bond as a unit was in question.

That’s why when the Knights take on the Mavericks in Week #2 of the 2016-2017 campaign there will be a lot riding on it as a win or a loss could effectively change the trajectory of the Knights’ season and the goal to get the program back to where it was when it was winning multiple state championships.

For the Knights to win they will need to play typical Middletown football and wear down the Mavericks defense with a punishing rushing game that is one of the trademarks that the Knights have carried with them since their program began.

Middletown was able to do this and more in their Week #1 game against the Manchester Valley Mavericks as the Knights took it to a team that has the same name with the same powerful rushing attack that they hope to use against the other Mavericks tonight.

In that Week #1 game the Knights would rush for 283 yards as with a multiple running back attack, Middletown would dominate their will over Manchester Valley and breeze to a 43-0 win.

Exerting their will is something that Middletown could not do last year against Eastern Tech as the Knights were able to rush for 239 yards but hindered themselves with two turnovers, something that would spoil multiple of the Knights drives’ when they were in a position to score.

Eastern Tech will also feature a rushing attack that hopes to pin the Knights down as the Mavericks prefer to use fast, elusive running backs to speed by teams compared to the Knights who pride themselves on being a team that has powerful, strong runners who can blow by you but also wear you down from a physical standpoint.

What will surely be a help for the Knights is that tonight will be their home opener as the Knights boast one of the best atmosphere’s for Athletics in the state of Maryland and surely the crowd at the Middletown home opener will be no different.

All these factors combined lead to what will be a tense game for the Knights and one that could determine the trajectory of their season.