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Middie's last playoff win a lasting memory

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By Skip Weaver, Staff Writer 10:40 PM Wednesday, November 4, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — For some Middletown High School football fans, the details of the last playoff game the Middies competed in might be a little hazy, but not for those who played the game.

The year was 1990 and the Middies, making their third appearance in four years in the state playoffs, had to face Moeller — a team they had not beaten in four previous meetings — in the first round.

None of them knew at the time that nearly 20 years would pass before another Middletown team would reach the postseason.

“It was exciting,” said Chris Wells, a senior linebacker who now is an assistant coach on the Hamilton High football staff working under Jim Place, who was the Middies coach in 1990. “We knew about Moeller because we had lost to them the year before in the playoffs, but we had dedicated ourselves to the weight room in the offseason.”

The Middies went on to win that playoff game 21-17 — the program’s only win against the Crusaders — but then lost to Princeton the following week.

“We never thought about being underdogs,” Wells said. “I remember being asked by a reporter after we beat Moeller if we thought coming into the game if we could win. I told him I had better have thought that.

“It was the best victory of my career. It’s one no one can take from us.”

Fellow Middie defender Scott Wills agreed.

“I remember that game to this day,” said Wills, who would go on to play at Morehead State University after high school. “It was the greatest time in my life.”

“It’s great to see them back on top,” Wills said. “Twenty years has been long enough. I hope they lay it all on the line.

“They are going to remember this for the rest of their lives. I wish them all luck. I hope it’s not another 20 years before the next one.”

Next game

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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your right moeller did snitch on us this is pay back and am tired of hearing this cin pretty boy city hard talk they may have money but we have heart the middies is all i care about sports wise and it gives our city hope am proud of you midies come hard and leave proud.. Go middletown 26-17 final middies. rolling like big shot !

tim allen
1:32 AM, 11/6/2009

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I believe Jim Place was the coach (as stated in this article). I believe it was played at Lakota (the old high school on Tylersville)...and I also believe this was the year that the Middies got DQ'd after the win over Moeller for playing an ineligible player earlier in the season....in a blowout game where the kid was put in at the end of it. Strangely enough, none of this came to light until the Middies beat Moeller. I always thought it was someone with Moeller who dug this crap up. Sore losers

Dawg Dan
8:41 AM, 11/5/2009

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Wasn't this game played at Lakota West? If so, I went to that game. Fantastic competitive game. Joe Tressey was the Middie coach, right? IMO, Joe Tressey was the best coach Middletown had in many years, until Jason came along. After the game (and probably because "lowly" Middletown beat "mighty" Moeller) didn't some Moeller fans report an ineligible Middletown player resulting in a request for Middletown to forfeit the game with Princeton? Middletown refused to do so and went on to lose.

Mercy!
7:01 AM, 11/5/2009

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Good Luck Middies!!!!

Melissa
6:59 AM, 11/5/2009

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