VIDEO: Middle solidifies playoff status after shutting out St. Joseph

Posted: October 26th 2024

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

The Middle Township High School football team appears to have qualified for the Group II playoffs for the fourth straight year.

The Panthers put themselves in position thanks to a 17-0 shutout victory over St. Joseph in Hammonton Friday evening.

The victory improved Middle to 5-3 through eight games. Playoff qualification and seeding, based on a complex power-point system, is determined after results from this weekend are complete. The top 16 teams in each section qualify.

Middle appears to be holding the 14th position in South Group II, meaning it will almost certainly have to go on the road for a first-round game. Official qualifiers will be released on Sunday, with official seedings published shortly thereafter.

Middle, which won for the fourth time in five games, held a 10-0 lead at halftime over St. Joe after a 25-yard field goal by Justin Verity and a nine-yard touchdown pass from Tommy Gontz to Aydan Howell. Both scores came in the first quarter. The Panthers also had a big defensive stop in the first half, preventing St. Joe from scoring on a fourth-down play from the 3-yard line.

Middle put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter when Shawn Watkins ran in from a yard out to set the final score.

Remi Rodriguez ran 17 times for 136 yards and Watkins added 52 yards on 12 carries to lead a Panther ground attack that amassed 203 yards. 

Gontz was 5-for-12 passing for another 77 yards.

Watkins was also a difference maker on defense with a game-high 12 tackles. Micah McAnaney added 10 tackles and an interception and Howell also posted an interception.

Middle controlled much of the flow of the contest but allowed the Wildcats (2-7) to stay in the game due to losing two fumbles and throwing two interceptions.

But the Panthers were more than good enough, and now they’ll await their playoff fate.

The win over St. Joe also allowed Middle to clinch second place in the West Jersey Football League’s Liberty Division.

(Video clips courtesy Josh McCarty/Middle Township High School Athletics)