#BEYONDTHEKEYSTONE (OHIO)@LandmarkEagles @MChristianSch Middletown Christian escapes Landmark Christian 15-14

Tagged under: Beyond The Keystone, Game Photos, Gameday Hub

David Burnworth | October 25, 2020

Yesterday afternoon I ventured to Hamilton Ross high school for the first time to catch the neutral site game between Middletown Christan and Cincinnati Landmark Christian. The stadium turned out to be a really nice little place, that I can see myself going back to. I have to thank Coach Mike Goodpastor, from Landmark Christian for feeding me for covering the game and to the amazing people with Landmark Christain who not only made sure I had rosters, they updated the Middletown Christian one before bringing it to me.

Eric Nephew got this one started with A sweet little 21-yard run. Then it was Landmark Christian getting A 35-yard catch from Will Nagel on A nicely thrown pass from Isaac Hoke. The drive came to A screeching haul when Justin Norris picked off A Hoke pass, with 9:03 left in the opening quarter. Four plays later Gavin Thigpen sprinted 24-yard to put Middletown Christian up 6-0.

Hoke would connect with Nagel for A 36-yard gain to get Landmark Christian moving. Nephew would break A tackle on his way to a nice gain that took the ball to the Middletown Christain 7-yard line. Nephew polished off the drive with A 5-yard run to lock this one up at six apiece. Hoke was true on his P.A.T. to put his team up 7-6 with 2:26 showing on the first-quarter clock. On the ensuing drive, Justin Grey looked to pick up A bunch of yards but Torrence Nichols tripped him up and held Grey to just A 3-yard gain. The quarter ended A short time later with Landmark Christian clinging to the one-point lead.

With 10:11 left in the half, Nagel made A leaping catch picking up 10-yards. This drive ended shortly after thanks to some nice defense from Middletown. When Middletown Grey took off on A nice run to pick up 9-yards, if not for A nice play from Colton Turner Grey could have run to the endzone. Joe Kirby looked to have completed A pass to Thigpen but A holding call negated the catch. The drive ended right afterward as the defensive struggled continued for both teams.

Hoke was able to find Erik Finke for A big 32-yard gain. Hoke then used the protection from his offensive line to throw A 32-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Bush, who was wide open on the play. The P.A.T. from Hoke would make this A 14-6 game with 1:38 left in the half. The Landmark Christain eagles defense got the last big play of the half when Eric Finke sacked Kirby for A 2-yard loss.

The opening kickoff was returned by Casey Caddle, the 6-4, 270-pound Tightend of the Middletown Christian Eagles. John Ferraro picked up 17-yards on another nice run. Grey picked up A chunk of yards but fumbled the ball as luck would have it, his teammate, Cadell recovered it, with the play covering 16-yards. Kirby would find Justin Norris for A 19-yard touchdown, A two-point conversion pass was knocked away by Nichols keeping this A 14-12 game with 6:50 left in the quarter.

Hoke hit Nephew for A gain of 15-yards. Nephew would be hurt and did not return in this one. Hoke connected with Caleb Bush, his third completion in A row after A 39-yard touchdown had been called back because of A illegal man downfield. From there the Middletown defense quietly closed things down. Landmark closed the quarter out with Colton Turner stuffing Grey for A 4-yard loss.

Middletown Christain pulled off A fake punt with Grey going up the gut for A ten-yard gain. Grey later converted A third and four by picking up five. Bradley Braxton batted A touchdown grab away from Grey to keep this A 14-12 game. Middletown Christain settled for A 20-yard field goal from Evan Pitts to make this A 15-14 with 6:03 left. Landmark stuffed the Eagles on A fourth and one try to get the ball back with 2:42 left. Bradley Braxton made a terrific catch, then sprinted to the end zone from 34-yards out to give Landmark the go-ahead score but another flag was thrown for an illegal man downfield to negate the score. Middletown would end the game with two more picks. The first came with 2:24 left with Justin Norris doing the honors, the 2nd pick came on the last play of the game with Kirby doing the deed.

VERY UNOFFICIAL STATS

MIDDLETOWN CHRISTIAN

56 PLAYS

244 YARDS

PASSING, 3-5 1 TD

LANDMARK CHRISTIAN

55 PLAYS

248 YARDS

PASSING, 11-22 1 TD 3INT’S