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STATE PLAYOFFS

Change in attitude gets Middies going

Bitter taste of letting a playoff berth slip away  in 2008 has motivated  the team this season.

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By Skip Weaver, Staff Writer 1:16 AM Tuesday, November 3, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — At this time last year, the Middletown High School football players were turning in uniforms and preparing for a long offseason.

What a difference a year makes.

The majority of the players spent a long, hard offseason looking in the mirror after letting a potential playoff appearance slip away last year.

The Middies made a huge playoff push when they upset Colerain — the state’s then No. 1-ranked team in Division I — in a Week 7 contest at Barnitz Stadium, only to have back-to-back losses to Lakota West and Hamilton the following two weeks spoil the opportunity.

This year, players remembered that feeling and changed their attitude.

“Last year, we were just so happy to beat Colerain, we didn’t worry about the next couple of weeks,” senior wide receiver and defensive back Kevin Watts said on Monday, Nov. 2. “This year has been more of a take-care-of-business attitude. We’ve played every game like it was our last.”

Second-year Middies coach Jason Krause pointed to a season-ending win over Princeton last year as a difference maker.

“Two things happened last year,” Krause said. “There was the bitterness we had from losing those two games after beating Colerain, and then we recovered from those setbacks to beat Princeton in the last week which propelled us into the offseason.

“If we had not beat Princeton and instead lost three in a row to end the season, the attitude would not have been the same during the offseason,” he continued. “The kids’ attitude was to get better each day. It made a huge difference.”

Watts said he and his teammates were very determined during the offseason.

“We talked all summer about winning the Greater Miami Conference,” Watts said. “Even though we didn’t do that, we still made the playoffs. That feels great.

“But we don’t want to just be a team that was lucky to get in,” he continued. “We want to make some noise.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or sweaver@coxohio.com.

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What: Division I, Region 4 football quarterfinal

Who: Middletown Middies (9-1) vs. Moeller Crusaders (9-1)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7

Where: Lockland Stadium

Radio: WPFB-AM (910)

Series: Moeller leads 5-1

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Ok well none of that matters if you haven't gotten your ticket. Rumor is tickets are almost sold out so if you don't have one yet I would advise going to the schools to get them because there won't be gate sales if they sell out!

Middie Alum
1:32 PM, 11/5/2009

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To GCL Advantage: if u don't believe GCL schools recruit,ur clueless! Almost all schools with any athletic program recruit! (EVEN PUBLIC) They have been doing it forever! BUT,all deny it! I could give u a list starting back in 88 to present that i myself am aware of. Also,not everyones income allows them to pick & choose where their children go to school,but some get more help if they are athletes.(WAKE UP)

GET REAL
11:17 PM, 11/4/2009

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I went to the St Xavier vs Moeller game last week and have some advice....and it has nothing to do with the game. DON'T BUY 50/50 TICKETS!!! I bought $5 worth and NEVER HEARD THE WINNING TICKET NUMBER!! I've never heard of a 50/50 not being held after the 3rd quarter but when I left with about 1:30 in the 4th I still had not heard the winning ticket announced. Maybe they flashed it on the scoreboard for 15 seconds but nobody in my section saw it.....save your money. let the archdiocese pay!!

more advice for MiddieFan
10:43 PM, 11/4/2009

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I'm not a Moeller fan, per say, I'm a fan of the GCL. I can't tell you where the Moeller QB is from, but with that being said I'm pretty sure it was a Public school (North College Hill) who has drawn the most controversy over recruiting kids from other states, not the Catholic schools. Up until last year, you had to live within a "district" for the school you attended...or sit out and not play. "No Boundaries" has just increased competition between the Catholic schools.

Let's Go Moe
12:08 PM, 11/4/2009

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First, GCL schools don't "recruit"...not allowed to. The schools who have tried "recruiting" are some of the least successful as they go out and get "athletes" who aren't total students and end up hurting the team more. GCL schools compete against themselves for students, not the public schools. Parents know when they are going to pay to send their kid to a better school, its just a matter of which school (and sometimes sports WILL play a role in THAT). Man up, don't wimp out, Publics!

GCL Advantage
12:03 PM, 11/4/2009

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