WHITING, Ind. - A breakthrough season came to an unfortunate, soggy end for the Midway sprint team in the Midwest Sprint Football League playoff semifinals Saturday.

The Eagles held a halftime lead, but seven turnovers, 120 penalty yards and a driving rain storm that continued to get worse as the night progressed were too much to overcome, as two-time defending league champion Calumet topped Midway 19-7.

THIRD QUARTER WAVE

Despite accumulating 90 penalty yards in the first quarter alone, the Eagles were still able to build an early lead, thanks to a 58-yard touchdown pass from Christian Carter to Ayden Bauwens in the second quarter, when Bauwens adjusted to a back-shoulder throw and outraced two Calumet defenders to the end zone.

The Crimson Wave scored just before halftime on a 1-yard Jamall Warnell touchdown on 4th-and-goal, but the Eagles retained the lead 7-6 at the break after a botched snap on the extra-point try.

But whatever momentum the Eagles retained seemed to vanish on the opening kickoff of the third quarter, which Nino Barbosa returned 43 yards to the Midway 35. Four plays later, Calumet had a 12-7 lead on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Zayne Guthrie to Tre Simmons.

The next drive started at the Eagle 25, this time off an interception, and also ended with a touchdown, Warnell's second 1-yard score of the night.

MISTAKES

It almost felt fitting that Calumet's momentum shift not only started on a turnover, but a turnover on a turnover.

With just over four minutes to play in the second quarter, Keegan Hill recorded his second interception of the half, only to be stripped on the return, which was recovered by Calumet.

Even more costly were the penalties, which started early when an apparent Carter touchdown run in the first quarter was nullified by an illegal blindside block penalty.

Warnell's second touchdown run was also set up by a late hit penalty after the Midway defense made a stop that would have set up a 4th-and-1.

WILD WEATHER

A Midway passing game that was the most prolific in the history of the MSFL was rendered ineffective by a putrid, cold, wet night off of Lake Michigan. 

Not only did a steady rainstorm start early in the first half and never let up, the Eagles often had to throw into heavy winds against the league's best defense.

The loss, which ends the Eagles' season at 5-3, also dropped them to 0-9 in games played in the state of Indiana.

HISTORIC SUCCESS

Aside from being the first winning season in program history, the Eagles also established numerous league records in the process.

Christian Carter, who ran for 79 yards on Saturday, finished the year with 2,459 yards and 25 touchdown passes, while Bauwens had 928 yards receiving. All totals were MSFL records.

That unit was supported by the most opportunistic defense in MSFL history. Midway forced four more turnovers on Saturday, giving it 36 for the season, the most ever recorded by a Midwest Sprint Football League team.