Middletown Football Rolls Past Valley Central 48-15, Advances to Section IX Final

Photo Credit: Nick Elia

Middletown entered the postseason riding the momentum of its first undefeated regular season since 1965.

After months of dominant performances, dramatic comebacks, and historic rivalry victories, the Middie Bears had become one of Section IX's most formidable teams.

However, an undefeated regular season meant little without postseason success. Every possession carried greater significance. One disappointing performance could end their championship aspirations.

In the way of a championship game berth: the Valley Central Vikings, determined to spoil Middletown's remarkable season and keep their own championship hopes alive.

For the "UnBeataBears," the next chapter of their historic season was about to be written.

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Middletown Strikes First, but Valley Central Responds

Middletown wasted little time establishing its offense, marching downfield on the opening possession. Ryheem Tinsley Jr. capped the drive with a seven-yard rushing touchdown, and a successful two-point conversion gave the Middie Bears an early 8-0 lead.

However, Valley Central refused to be intimidated by the undefeated Middie Bears.

Vikings quarterback Andrew Waite quickly moved his offense downfield, connecting with Triston Wright for a first down that carried Valley Central past midfield. An offside penalty against Middletown turned a fourth-and-eight into a manageable 4th & , giving the Vikings another chance to extend their possession.

Waite capitalized, finding Austyn Robb for a crucial first down just before absorbing a hit from a Middletown defender. The Vikings continued advancing into the red zone, where Waite connected with Robb for a touchdown. Middletown blocked the ensuing extra-point attempt, preserving an 8-6 advantage.

The Middie Bears responded with another promising possession after Tinsley's powerful kickoff return, during which he dragged a defender for several yards before being forced out of bounds. Quarterback Jojo Royal later connected with Tinsley for a significant gain, moving Middletown to Valley Central's 29-yard line.

Despite Valley Central's early resistance, Middletown carried its narrow 8-6 lead into the second quarter.

Paraisy Powers Middletown'sFirst-Half Offense

Middletown continued its drive as Royal and Kervens Paraisy delivered consecutive rushing gains to move the offense inside the Vikings' 10-yard line. Paraisy eventually powered through the defense for a touchdown, extending the Middie Bears' lead to 15-6 with 9:15 remaining in the first half.

Kervens Paraisy celebrating after a touchdown.

Photo Credit: Nick Elia

Valley Central answered with another aggressive offensive possession as Waite connected with Wright and Jack Watson on consecutive passes, quickly moving the Vikings into Middletown territory.

However, Middletown’s responded. Led by defensive standout Andre Maragh who disrupted the drive with two crucial sacks, forcing Valley Central to settle for a field goal. The Vikings converted a 39-yard field goal attempt, trimming Middletown's advantage to 15-9 with 6:16 remaining before halftime.

With Valley Central remaining within striking distance, Middletown turned to its playmakers, who didn't disappoint.

Royal connected with Zayden Phillpotts for a 33-yard reception, moving the Middie Bears inside the Vikings' 20-yard line. Although a false start penalty briefly pushed Middletown backward, Tinsley and Paraisy responded with key rushing gains to move the offense inside the five.

Paraisy finished the possession with his second rushing touchdown, extending Middletown's lead to 21-9. The Middie Bears then converted a two-point attempt, but a holding penalty erased the play.

The field goal attempt was unsuccessful on the following play , leaving Middletown with a 12-point advantage entering halftime.

Middletown's Explosive Rushing Attack Takes Over

Valley Central received the opening kickoff of the second half, hoping to regain momentum. However, a mistimed snap nearly led to a turnover before the Vikings recovered.

Penalties continued to affect both teams as Valley Central attempted to sustain its possession. The Vikings appeared to convert a crucial 4th-and-7 on a fake punt, but a holding penalty negated the gain and eventually forced them to punt.

Middletown wasted little time making Valley Central pay.

Tinsley broke loose for a spectacular 62-yard rushing touchdown, zigzagging through the Vikings' defense and cutting back inside to leave defenders off balance. His explosive run extended Middletown's advantage to 28-9 midway through the third quarter.

The Middie Bears' defense continued applying pressure, intercepting Waite on Valley Central's next possession. Although an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed Middletown backward, the offense quickly regained momentum.

Aristhene burst through a gap in the Vikings' defense for a 58-yard rushing touchdown, further extending Middletown's lead to 35-9. What had been a competitive opening half transformed into another dominant performance by the undefeated Middie Bears.

Middletown entered the final quarter with a commanding lead, but its offense showed no signs of slowing down.

Despite an early penalty, Royal connected with Phillpotts for a 37-yard reception that moved Middletown to Valley Central's one-yard line. Paraisy finished the drive with his third rushing touchdown of the evening, extending the Middie Bears' lead to 41-9.

Valley Central would score another touchdown with 6:30 remaining, cutting the deficit to 41-15. However, it was too late.

Middletown's overwhelming advantage allowed the coaching staff to rest several starters and give younger players valuable postseason experience.

Among those players was junior varsity call up Maeson Bunch, who stepped in at quarterback. Bunch made the most of his opportunity, connecting with Samuel Odiri for his first varsity touchdown pass.

The successful extra point extended Middletown's lead to 48-15 as they finished with another commanding victory.

A Historic Season Sets Up Another Newburgh Showdown

Middletown's 48-15 victory secured its fifth consecutive Section IX Class AA championship appearance and sixth trip to the title game in the last seven seasons.

The Middie Bears entered the postseason with their first undefeated regular season since 1965, a remarkable achievement for a program that has continued establishing itself among Section IX's premier teams.

Now, the undefeated Middie Bears will face a familiar opponent in a championship game. Newburgh advanced to the title game after narrowly defeating Pine Bush 21-20, setting up another highly anticipated meeting between the Section IX rivals.

The teams last met on October 16, when Middletown delivered a dramatic 33-22 victory at Faller Field. The win marked the Middie Bears' first home triumph over the Goldbacks since 1995, adding another historic moment to their undefeated campaign.

This time, however, the stakes will be even higher.

Newburgh will have an opportunity to avenge its regular-season defeat, while Middletown looks to continue its unbeaten run and capture the Section IX Class AA championship. The two rivals will meet November 14 at Monroe-Woodbury High School, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.

After an undefeated regular season and another convincing playoff victory, the "UnBeataBears" are one win away from adding another chapter to their historic season.

It's the same rival that nearly ended its perfect record just weeks earlier. Now they'll have one last showdown for bragging rights to the Section IX championship.

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