VIDEO: Not for Long Media Game of the Week - Middle romps, now set for division title game showdown

Posted: October 14th 2023

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – The John Roberson Athletic Complex at Memorial Field was the site of a celebration for the Middle Township High School community and its football program Friday evening.

The school district inducted six new members to its Hall of Fame, seniors from the football, cheerleading and color guard teams were honored and the Panthers dominated from start to finish in a 48-6 victory over Bridgeton in a West Jersey Football League crossover game played on a perfect fall evening in Cape May County.

Now, after two straight weeks of running past overmatched opponents, the Panthers will face a much more difficult task when they host Pleasantville next Friday at 6 p.m. The winner of that contest not only will win the WJFL’s Patriot Division but will also most likely secure home-field advantage for a first-round state playoff game the following week. Middle has never hosted a state playoff game in its program’s history.

Next week’s contest will feature two of the best small-school teams in South Jersey, with Middle (7-1 overall, 3-0 WJFL Patriot) and Pleasantville (6-1 overall, 3-0 WJFL Patriot) having combined to go 13-2 so far this season.

The game will be broadcast live on CapeAtlanticLive.com, the Middle Township High School Athletics YouTube channel and the CapeAtlanticLive social media pages.

Middle had no trouble with a rebuilding Bridgeton team that went into the contest without a victory this season. The Panthers scored on each of their six first-half possessions and raced out to a 42-0 lead at the break. Many of the varsity starters didn’t play at all in the second half, and those that did saw action for just a few plays.

Shaun Watkins and Remi Rodriguez ran roughshod through the Bulldog defense. Watkins needed just four carries to amass 141 rushing yards. He scored touchdowns on runs of 35, 60 and 27 yards. Rodriguez carried just eight times for 142 yards and two touchdowns. Rodriguez will enter the Pleasantville game needing just 23 yards to eclipse 1,000 on the season for the second straight year.

Watkins and Rodriguez did not have a carry after halftime.

Michael Zarfati opened the scoring by catching a 15-yard touchdown pass on a beautifully thrown ball by Mark Oliver. And Troy Murray finished the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. Murray finished with 90 yards on just nine carries.

Watkins added a two-point conversion reception from Oliver and Just Verity made four of his five extra-point kicks.

Bridgeton scored on a long pass play late in the game. But while Middle missed out on what would have been its fourth shutout of the season, the Panthers held its sixth opponent in eight games to two touchdowns or less.

Middle has outscored its opponents 274-73 so far this season.

The school’s district’s Hall of Fame ceremony, which was held at halftime, saw six people inducted, including former football stars Damon Troy, Dr. PD Moore and Markal Ginyard. Also inducted were former baseball standout Steve Seymour and former longtime educators Gloria Hodges and Bob Metz.

(Video highlight package courtesy Mike Frankel/Middle Township High School Athletics).