VIDEO, PHOTOS: Middle falls in defensive struggle in season finale

Posted: October 30th 2026

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – The Middle Township High School football team played excellent defense but couldn’t muster enough offense in its season finale Thursday afternoon.

Lacey Township scored touchdowns on its opening drive and late in the fourth quarter to send the Panthers to a 14-0 loss in an NJSIAA consolation game.

Trailing 6-0 early in the fourth quarter, Middle gained a pair of first downs and moved the ball inside Lacy territory but was eventually forced to punt.

Lacey went on to seal its victory on a 39-yard touchdown run by Hunter Stillwell with 4:05 remaining. Stillwell’s 27-yard run on a third-and-10 situation was one of the key plays of the seven-play, 76-yard drive.

Freshman quarterback Julian Broughton went on to complete five passes on Middle’s next possession as the Panthers desperately tried to move quickly down the field. But Middle’s fate was sealed when the Panthers were stopped inches short on a fourth-down run with a little more than two minutes to play.

Lacey’s first touchdown came on a 15-yard scoring pass from Joe Geiger to Chase Meredith.

Middle, champions of the West Jersey Football League’s United Division, finished the season at 5-5 overall.