Middletown South's Dominant First Half Enough For 21-7 Win

MIDDLETOWN – The Eagles rode a dominant first half to a 21-7 win over crosstown rival Middletown North in Thursday’s annual Thanksgiving Day game at “The Swamp.”

Middletown South now holds a 32-12-1 advantage in the Thanksgiving Day series and has won three in a row after the Lions snapped a 16-game losing streak beating the Eagles 24-6 in 2016.

The Eagles, ranked eighth in the Shore Conference, evened their record at 5-5 while the Lions dropped to 4-7 on the season.

Coming off a tough 32-29 loss to top-seed Hammonton in the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group IV semifinals, Middletown South came out smoking. The Eagles scored touchdowns on their first three possessions of the first half and recorded two interceptions of Middletown North quarterback Nick Ferreira.

“We wanted to get off to a good start and that’s huge in these types of games, especially when your playing a rival.” Said Middletown South head coach Steve Antonucci. “We needed this, especially the seniors after battling that Hammonton team really tough in the three-point loss. They rallied themselves to come out here today and win and that shows a lot about their character.”

Senior Tyler Cuccia picked off Ferreira on the Lions first possession of the game at the Lions 40-yard line to set the tone for the half.

“It’s sad, I’ve been here four years,” said Cuccia of playing his final game. “We did a lot of good things here this year beating some tough teams. We were rolling today, I kept saying at halftime, ‘they can’t stop us, they can’t stop us,’ and we won the game; that’s all that matters.”

The Eagles then put together one of their patented ground-and-pound drives going 40 yards in 10 plays running the ball on nine of the 10 plays. Senior Vinny Condito finished off the drive with a 9-yard burst off of left tackle for the score. Cuccia picked up two yards and a first down on a fourth-and-1 play and senior Chris Lotito kept the drive rolling converting a fourth-and-inches at the 19 with a 4-yard run before Condito took it in two plays later.

“Hammonton hurt,” said Condito. “The seniors wanted a ring but we just came into this game saying, ‘we’re just going to have fun out here and play as a family’ and that’s what we did with all my brothers.”

On the Lions ensuing possession on third-and-3 from their own 37-yard line sophomore running back Brian Haddow was stopped after a 1-yard pickup by Eagles linebacker Shane Murphy forcing a Logan Halloran punt.

South took over at their own 32 and went 68-yards in nine plays, including seven running plays, to take a 14-0 lead with 10:19 left in the second quarter.

Cuccia picked up 24 yards on a keeper on second-and-9 and Lotito ran for 12 on the next play giving the Eagles a first down at the Lions 31. Three plays later on fourth-and-6 from the 27, Cuccia hit Lotito for 12 yards and a first down at the 15. Lotito capped off the drive taking a pitch from Cuccia, who delivered a perfect play-action fake on the play, before sprinting into the end zone from the 15.

“They’re a tough combo to stop, “ said Cuccia of Lotito and Condito. “Vinnie’s just an amazing player and Chris is outstanding – he’s just so good, a great athlete.”

With the score now 14-0, the defense again forced a Middletown North punt.

Facing a third-and-1 from the their own 48, Haddow was pulled down for a 2-yard loss by junior linebacker Charlie Honan and on fourth-and-3 senior Matt Krellin snuffed out a screen pass and dropped Quentin Soler for a 1-yard loss turning the ball over to the Lions in great field position at the Lions 45.

Nine plays later the Eagles expanded their lead to 21-0 when Lotito took a direct snap from center and scored from 5-yards out with 1:17 left in the half.

Lotito had a 11-yard run to set up his touchdown run and a huge 9-yard run on a third-and-6 play for a first down at the 20.

North got the ball back with 1:12 remaining in the half and moved to the Eagles 33 on a Ferreira to Soler 22-yard completion but Lotito picked off Ferreira at the 15 to end the half.

The South defense held North to 77 total yards in the first half, including just 38-yards rushing on 13 attempts for a 2.9 yard average.

South racked up 151 yards of total yardage in the half with 136 yards coming on the ground. Lotito had 68-yards rushing on 13 attempts and two touchdowns and Condito added 41 yards on 9 attempts and a touchdown.qw Cuccia completed 2-of-3 passes for 15 yards along with 27-yards rushing on four carries.

In a quick moving second half, the Eagles offense did absolutely nothing on their three possessions. They went three-and-out on all three and gained just 9-yards of offense on those three possessions.

North, meanwhile, was trying to make a game out of it and despite wind gusts up to 40 MPH the Lions went to the air in an attempt to get back in irt.

South’s defense, however, came up with the big plays when they needed it until North scored with 11 seconds on the clock.

On their first possession of the second half, the Lions marched to the Eagles 15 where they were looking at a third-and-10 when Lotito made a leaping interception in the endzone and took it out to the 18 for his second pick of the game.

Ferreira was 4-of-4 for 34 yards on the drive up until he was intercepted.

On their ensuing possession, the Lions had an 11-play drive going but on fourth-and-11 at the Eagles 21 junior linebacker Liam Murphy and senior defensive end Mielnikiewicz had the play read all the way and hauled down Soler for no gain on a screen play.

North got the ball back with 3:25 to play in the game and Ferreira found Travis Thompson for 38 yards to the 12. Then with 11 seconds remaining Rob Inzinna wrestled the ball away from a South defender in the end zone for the score.

Ferreira, despite the wind, completed 12-of-17 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown in the second half.

Lotito received the Nick Trezza Most Valuable Offensive Player award rushing for 70 yards on 17 attempts and two TD's along with two interceptions on defense.

“Words can’t describe it,” said Lotito, who will play baseball for Seton Hall University following graduation. “You work so hard for this your whole life and you look forward to this rivalry game and to win it my senior year with my family here is special. I just love these guys, they mean the world to me, honestly, and I’ll never forget this.”

Follow @getmready