WHITING, Ind. - After rallying to defeat the two-time defending league champions in the last game of the regular season, the Midway sprint football team looks to do the same on a bigger stage this weekend.

The Eagles (5-2) will make the five-and-a-half hour trip to Whiting, Ind. to face Calumet (5-1) in the semifinals of the Midwest Sprint Football League playoffs.

Midway comes in on a bit of a momentum wave after scoring 16 fourth-quarter points to take down the Crimson Wave 22-19 in the regular season finale last weekend. Prior to that fourth period, the Calumet defense had allowed just 16 points in 23 quarters of action this season.

LAST WEEK: MIDWAY 22, CALUMET 19

Midway's prospects looked grim when a 1-yard Nino Barbosa touchdown run gave the Crimson Wave a 19-9 lead with 12:52 to play.

But on a day in which he achieved the first 2,000-yard passing season in MSFL history, Eagle quarterback Christian Carter orchestrated two touchdown drives against the league's top defense. The first went for 69 yards in just 2:36 and was capped on a 12-yard Carter-to-Charles Adams touchdown pass.

Then, after the Eagle defense got a stop, the offense put together a go-ahead 65-yard touchdown drive. One play after Ayden Bauwens got the exact needed yardage to convert a 4th-and-2, Carter called his own number, plowing across the goal line for a 2-yard, game-winning touchdown with 1:19 remaining.

The effort was the most resilient of the year for the Eagles, who won despite the game not being played at their normal, ultra-fast pace.

Known for its more methodical style, Calumet won the time-of-possession battle by over 13 minutes (36:50 to 23:10) and at one point, held the ball for all but 17 seconds of a 15:51 stretch between the second and third quarters.

A major catalyst for Midway's win was holding the Crimson Wave to just three points in that time. The Eagles allowed a field goal at the end of a nearly eight-and-a-half minute drive, then took the ball away on a 1st-and-goal play when Keegan Hill forced and recovered a Barbosa fumble, ending a seven-plus minute drive with no points.

The Eagles took the ball away three times Saturday, with Preston Moore recording a third-consecutive two-interception game, and a third-consecutive MSFL Defensive Player of the Week award.

On the season, Midway has forced 32 turnovers. No one else in the MSFL has more than 21.

SCOUTING THE MATCHUP

A battle that clearly jumps out when looking at the stats is that of Midway's No. 1 offense against Calumet's No. 1 defense.

The Eagles lead the MSFL in passing (322) and rushing (187.9) yards per-game and have gained over 1,100 yards more than any offense in the league. Meanwhile, the Crimson Wave were tops against the run (40.7) and pass (124.7) while allowing over 100 yards less per-game than anyone in the MSFL.

However, the Calumet offense against the Midway defense could also prove to be a heavyweight battle.

The Crimson Wave score at a 32.8 per-game clip and are right behind the Eagles in rushing at 185.2 yards.

Meanwhile, the Eagles defense is not just opportunistic, supplementing its turnovers by allowing the second fewest total yards (287 per-game), rushing yards (94.6) and points (18.9) in the MSFL.

HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT

Already facing the challenge of trying to earn its first ever playoff win against a team looking for a third-straight league title, the Eagles will also have to battle the elements Saturday.

With the game being played right off of Lake Michigan at Whiting High School, the forecast is calling for the possibility of both rain and snow with temperatures dipping into the mid 30s.

Playing at Calumet has been an excruciating experience for the Eagles in the past, as three previous trips have produced three losses by the combined score of 122-10.

Saturday's game kicks off at 6 p.m. EST and can be streamed here.