Since taking over as head football coach for Middletown High School last year, Kali Jones has taken in how different the city is from surrounding areas.
The athletic program often puts “Exit 32” as a tag on its social media accounts, referencing the exit number off Interstate 75 to get to the school, 32 miles from the Ohio river. The football team’s home field, Barnitz Stadium, is farther off the interstate. Middletown, in general, is far removed from other parts of Cincinnati and its foes in the Greater Miami Conference.
As Jones leads the Middies into their next playoff game this weekend, he feels the city pride.
“It’s good to see the community get behind us,” he said. “It’s something that the community hasn’t had in a long time. It hasn’t had this experience. So, it’s a phenomenal feeling. Just the community, the love, the support that we’re getting. It’s a different place here. It’s almost like you’re in your own little world. Middletown has its own flavors, different than Cincinnati, different from Dayton. It’s almost like you’re in a little Texas town.”
Middletown is preparing to drive north to Dayton as the football team takes on St. Xavier in the Division I state semifinals of the Ohio High School Athletic Association football tournament. Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, at Welcome Stadium.
“It means everything,” defensive back Virgil Coleman said. “Because that’s what we do for our community. They show up for us. It’s cold, raining, they stay outside cheering for us. We (have) no choice but to come through and put on a show for them.”
Middletown has never played in the state semifinals. St. Xavier has not been there since 2020, but has been to that round eight prior times, winning seven of them, with four state titles. The teams haven’t played each other since 2012.
“It’s just making sure we stay with our routine,” Jones said. “That’s all. That’s really what it’s about. We just want to stick with our routine and go about our business the way that we have been for the past 15 weeks.”
Both teams prosper on defense. Middletown allows only eight points per game, and on seven occasions has held the other team’s offense without a touchdown, and in 13 games have allowed only 171 yards per contest, 78 on the ground. A lot of those games have come in the rugged GMC.
The secondary is led by Coleman, seniors Jordan Vann, Laaren Cornwall and Wyman Carr. Vann set up all three Middies’ touchdowns last week in their 21-14 win over Wayne and had an interception at the end.
Senior linebacker C.J. Bryant leads the defense as its top tackler. He has three interceptions, 75 solo tackles and 18.5 tackles for loss. Senior lineman Derrick “J.D.” Singletary is the all-time leader in sacks for the program and has 17 this year. Coleman has five interceptions this year, Vann three and Carr two. As a team, the Middies average over three sacks per game and have 18 total picks.
Middletown’s offense has been up and down in recent weeks and has been impacted by injuries, but Jones expects them to execute as they face a blueblood power from the Greater Catholic League and their talented defense with several Division I commits.
“Just making sure that we’re disciplined, not getting behind the chains with silly penalties and taking care of football,” Jones said. “You just got to be disciplined and fundamentally sound because that’s not a program that’s going to beat itself. You can’t beat yourself when you’re playing them.”
The players are ready for the challenge.
“It’s a very great opportunity we got,” Cornwall said. “We go over all the stuff that they run. They got a lot of good schemes, but coach is putting us in a position to go ahead and stop that, so I feel like we got a real good chance.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: ‘It’s a phenomenal feeling.’ Middletown football ready for first state Final 4
Reporting by James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
