4 turnovers the difference in Middies' loss to Colerain

Middies mistakes help the Cardinals extend their home winning streak to 53 games in a row.

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By Skip Weaver, Staff Writer Updated 5:39 AM Saturday, October 24, 2009

COLERAIN TWP. — Middletown High School football coach Jason Krause talked all week to his team about valuing the football.

The Middies couldn’t turn the ball over if they expected to win on the road Friday night, Oct. 23, at Colerain.

But turnovers — four of them — is what doomed the Middies as the host Cardinals won a 10-7 thriller to extend their home-field winning streak to 53 games in a row.

The Middies (8-1, 5-1 Greater Miami Conference) opened the game with a 75-yard drive on 16 plays that ended in a 5-yard touchdown run by quarterback Caleb Watkins.

The Middie offense maintained a huge yardage advantage at halftime, but a fumble with 1:49 remaining in the half set up Colerain’s tying touchdown.

Middletown was driving toward another score at the Colerain 37 when Darius Godfrey scooped up a fumble and returned it 46 yards to the Middies’ 29. Two plays later, Chris Davis punched it in to put the Cardinals on the board.

“The fumble was a huge turning point,” said Krause, whose team now needs to win at Princeton at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, and hope for a lot of help to make the playoffs. “We knew turnovers would kills us. We threw it away a few times and had a fumble at a crucial time when we could have gone up 14-0. Instead, they scored.

“We made some plays on that first drive, but it wasn’t easy,” he continued. “We didn’t punch them in the mouth. They put five in the box and dropped six to cover our four wide receivers. We had trouble beating them. They were more physical upfront than we were.”

Colerain defensive coordinator Shawn Cutright said his team simply changed its approach after Middletown’s scoring drive.

“We were playing on our heels on that first drive,” Cutright said of his defense. “We were playing to stop their big plays instead of making our own. That’s what we did the rest of the game, and I thought we played with a lot of heart and desire.”

Colerain coach Tom Bolden agreed.

“I think our defense responded well after that first drive,” said Bolden, whose team improved to 7-2, 6-0 in the GMC. “We showed why we are the best defense in the league.”

Junior linebacker Jarrett Grace had two of the three Colerain interceptions, both of them coming in the fourth quarter that stifled Middletown drives.

The first one came with just under six minutes to play as the Middies had the ball at midfield after a huge punt return by Jerry Gates. The Middies stopped the Cardinals on the 11 and began their final possession with 2:54 to play.

Once again, Middletown got to midfield, but Grace stepped in front of another Watkins pass to seal the win.

Colerain outrushed the Middies 242-125. Trayion Durham led the Cards with 113 yards on 18 carries.

Antonio Banks, who left the game with a knee injury in the third quarter, but did return, led the Middies with 73 yards on 18 carries.

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