Many of the high school football fans who weathered a cold and steady rain to watch Middletown’s final game will remember Jalin Marshall’s electrifying 76-yard touchdown that was pure speed.

Marshall sprinted through Princeton’s defense for 168 yards and three touchdowns — he threw for two more — in a 41-14 win. Leaving his footprints all over the Middies’ home field was the easy part. The hard part? Stepping off it.

Middletown’s seniors concluded their high school careers with a victory, using special teams play and a stout defense to finish with a modest two-game winning streak.

“Everybody played together tonight and we came out with a victory. We got our last one,” said Marshall, an Ohio State recruit who along with his teammates celebrated their final season with the slow Senior Walk from goal line to goal line. “It feels great. It’s sad, but everybody moves on in life. I enjoyed playing with these guys.”

Perhaps never more so than Friday night.

Princeton led 7-0 on quarterback Tyrell Gilbert’s 43-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter. Middletown (4-6, 3-4 Greater Miami Conference) responded with 41 unanswered points, including 28 in the decisive second quarter.

“It epitomizes what we’ve done all year. We kept fighting,” Middletown coach Troy Everhart said. “We’re excited about getting to the offseason and all these young guys that got an opportunity to play, now we have to get them ready for next year.”

Sophomore Yvonte Glover rushed for 106 yards and a score, seniors Antonio Oatis and Drey Lewis caught touchdown passes and the Middies racked up a 355-200 advantage in total offense. Senior Marquise Burks blocked a punt that led to a TD and Lewis halted a Vikings’ drive with an interception.

“Great way to finish up,” Everhart said. “The kids played hard and that’s how you know you’re doing the right things because they continued to fight.”

Both teams combined for 11 fumbles in the slippery conditions. Middletown lost three of theirs and Princeton (1-9, 1-6) one.

“A lot of fumbles, lot of bobbled balls. Just a tough night,” Princeton coach Gary Croley Jr. said. “Part of the problem this year is we had a lot of young guys in the mix early. The good thing to that is they have some experience and they’ll be ready for next season.”