The Middletown High School Knights Varsity Football team will start their season off with what might be their biggest test of the season when they head to Westminster to take on the Westminster High School Owls Varsity Football Team at 7 P.M. on Friday.
The Knights are the two-time defending state champions and will have a target on their back throughout every game this season but especially against the Owls and their high-paced spread offense.
Last year, the Owls destroyed pretty much everyone they played including regional powerhouse Martinsburg (WV) High School at home in a game in which then-senior Owls quarterback Deryk Kern completed 25 out of 49 passes ending up with 351 passing yards and five touchdowns, albeit giving up two interceptions during the game.
Kern was aided by three then-senior Owls receivers; Brad Metcalf, Garrett Bean and Darius Clifton, who over the course of the season combining for 157 receptions, 3,063 yards, and 48 touchdowns.
The Owls’ offensive fire-power led them to a berth in the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) 4A State Semifinal in which they fell a field goal short of the State Championship.
The four main Owls in the passing offense are gone but just because they are gone doesn’t mean they are bare on offense.
The Owls will now be led by McDonogh-transfer Duke Etchison, who is a gunslinger in his own regard. Etchison led McDonogh to a 1-4 record during his time in Owings Mills but found plenty of success offensively once moving with his family to Carroll County during workouts with his teammates during summer 7-on-7 games and the first practices.
The Owls will have to answer the question of how to replace Metcalf, Bean, and Clifton while only returning one receiver from last season, WHS senior Jesse Ryan Hursey and new receivers Jesse Uhlman, Patrick Fitzgerald, Eli Unger, and Shawn Johnson.
Westminster also has an undeniable home-field advantage going 37-16 at Ruby Field since 2004.
The home field advantage definitely played an effect when it came to big matchups with the atmosphere allowing the Owls to thrive in the high speed offensive that the coaches and the fan base craved to see.
The game should be tough for the Knights nonetheless, as the Owls have excelled in the areas in which Middletown has struggled to succeed in over the past couple of years.
Last year the Knights gave up an average of 145.9 yards per game and will rely heavily on the play of MHS seniors Mitch Sgrignoli, Bradley Rinehart, Justin Stonestreet, and Ricky Leonard defensively to shut down the Owls offense.
Offensively, the Knights success will fall heavily on the hands of MHS senior quarterback Tim Pirrone and the halfback Rinehart to attack a defense that intercepted 21 passes last year but only caused 10 fumbles.
Rinehart will lead an offense that intends to play the same type of Middletown football it has in the past but will be looking to replace the two main offensive departures from last season fullback Jess Powell and halfback Zach Welch.
Welch was a do-it-all offensively rushing for 2,359 yards while gaining 136 yards by way of receptions and overall averaging 206.2 yards per game. On top of that he scored 72 points during the season with his foot, kicking 51 extra points and seven field goals.
Powell was the Robin to Welch’s Batman as he ran for 971 yards last season, extremely respectable for someone who most of the time was out of the spotlight that was focused on Welch throughout the season.
On top of that Powell’s most important role was helping clear the way for Welch with some help from an offensive line that returns three starters from last year’s team including Clemson commit and MHS senior Justin Falcinelli.
The Knights appear to be looking forward though and are confident with the players they have for this season and with good reason, as the returning O-Line members continue to have proven themselves and MHS junior and fullback Pat Moore will hopefully clear the way for Rinehart.
“It is just like any team. You got to move on and we have players to fill the gaps,” said Leonard. “You can’t replace them but someone else has got to step up.”
The good news for Middletown is that Rinehart did get touches on the ball last year, 46 of them to be exact while gaining 343 yards, will be aided by his experience in big games last year including a crucial tackle during the Week 10 matchup against rival Walkersville.
Rinehart is aware that the Knights will have a target on their backs because of their recent success and knows that he will be under the spotlight although he would prefer to shift the spotlight to his teammates.
“I feel comfortable running in front of any of those guys (offensive line),” said Rinehart. “Whether it be (Ryan) Crompton, Justin (Falcinelli) or Ricky (Leonard), I know I will be safe behind them.”
Whatever the result of this game is the Knights know that games against teams like Westminster will only improve the team as it goes for a third straight MPSSAA 2A Football State Championship.
“Having a tough schedule helps in the long run,” said MHS assistant coach Lorne Ridenour. “You may lose a game or too but it helps you advance further during playoffs.”
Other Frederick County Football Games: Winters Mill v. Tuscarora, South Carroll v. Linganore, Brunswick v. Francis Scott Key, Walkersville v. Boonsboro, Watkins Mill v. Frederick, Dover (DE) v. Urbana, Catoctin v. Oakdale, Catonsville v. Governor Thomas Johnson
Other 2A West Football Games: South Carroll (2AW) v. Linganore, Northwood v. Poolesville (2AW), Century (2AW) v. South Hagerstown, Winters Mill (2AW) v. Tuscarora, Walkersville (2AW) v. Boonsboro, Catoctin (2AW) v. Oakdale (2AW), Brunswick v. Francis Scott Key (2AW), Williamsport (2AW) v. Liberty (2AW), Mountain Ridge (2AW) v. Jefferson (WV)
