NORTH CANTON, Ohio -- Nearly one year to the day since making their debut, the Midway sprint football team made history on Saturday, September 16, when they defeated Walsh (Ohio) for their first win in program history.
Midway – who suffered through a winless season in 2022 – fell behind in the opening moments of the game but scored 15 unanswered points and would take a 15-7 lead into the locker room before hanging on for a 29-26 victory.
Walsh, who was making their debut as a newcomer to the Midwest Sprint Football League, couldn't have asked for a better start after Jalen Gordon took the opening kickoff 85-yards to the endzone giving the Cavaliers the early 7-0 lead.
After the unsettling start, Midway immediately responded with a 9-play, 64-yard drive that lasted 5:02. Connor Baker (Hodgenville, Ky.) found Rudy Loomis (Maple Shade, N.J.) for 33 yards before connecting with Matthew Young (Owenton, Ky.) for 15.
A Walsh penalty took the ball to the 1-yardline, where Baker called his own number for his first score of the game, cutting the deficit to 7-6.
Following a Walsh fumble, the Eagles turned to Lucas Wilder (Goodlettsville, Tenn.), who nailed a 24-yard field goal giving his squad a 9-7 lead.
Another fumble by the Cavaliers early in the second quarter gave Midway the ball on their own 48-yardline. Young opened the drive with a 25-yard gain before Baker called his number once again for another one-yard touchdown, his second of the day, pushing the lead to 15-7.
The game remained that way until the 6:01 mark of the third quarter when Ja'Quavion Johnson (Springfield, Tenn.) made history when he returned a punt 77 yards to the house for the first punt return for a touchdown in program history making the score 22-7.
Walsh immediately answered to cut it to a 22-14 deficit, but Midway later responded in the fourth when their defense forced their sixth turnover of the day. This time it was Brady Bond (Burlington, Ky.), who returned an interception to the Walsh 1-yardline.
With the ball on the one, Baker once again called his number and snuck it in for his third score of the day pushing Midway's lead to 29-14.
Walsh, however, wouldn't go away. The home team got a 30-yard touchdown and a 26-yard touchdown cutting Midway's lead to 29-26 with 2:16 left in regulation.
Midway would return the kickoff to their own 45-yardline needing a couple of first downs to put the game away. Young, who had 24 carries for 140 yards, put the game on ice with a pair of long runs.
The first went for 13 yards, but it was the second that went for 16 yards on 3rd-and-15 where he hurdled a Cavalier and carried a couple more for possibly his most impressive rush of the day.
Two kneel downs later and history was made with Midway coming away with the 29-26 victory.
Baker, who rushed for three scores, went 11-of-20 through the air for 121 yards. Loomis made four catches for 78 yards, while Matthew Grady (Falcon, Colo) had six grab for 37 yards.
Midway's defense, which forced seven turnovers, was led by Camron McDonald (Buford, Ga.), who had four tackles, a forced fumble, and two interceptions. Noah Watson (Hendersonville, Tenn.) and Raysean Emrie (Waterbury, Conn.) each forced a fumble, while Ben Jones (Blountstown, Fla.) and Bond each added an interception.
Midway will look to carry the momentum into next week, when they travel to St. Louis, Mo. for a matchup against Fontbonne (Mo.). Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 23.
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