Dark Horses gallop in return to action against Raiders

by John Lucas | Oct 2, 2018 | Midway

Midway’s Dante Blue heads to the end zone on a 92-yard pass play.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)

Midway opened East Central 2-A Conference varsity football play Monday with a 50-8 loss to visiting Sampson County rival Clinton.

“Offensively, we had things in our scheme that were open,” said Midway coach Cory Barnes. “We just weren’t making the plays. I’m proud of how the defense came out and played. They played the best they’ve played since Union (a 25-18 season-opening win on Aug. 17). We changed some things and the defense improved.

“We’ve just got to be able to execute with our offense. We weren’t moving the chains and when you can’t move the chains, your defense stays on the field a long period of time and at a certain point, with the offense they run, you get worn out. It’s not the offense I’m used to seeing from these guys, but hopefully, we’ll bounce back Friday.”

The game was the first for both teams since Hurricane Florence. Midway (2-3, 0-1 ECC) had not played since Sept. 7. Clinton (3-1, 1-0) had a bye the week of Sept. 7, meaning the Dark Horses had not played since Aug. 31.

Carson Calcutt was 7-of-22 passing for 136 yards and a touchdown, with one interception and ran for 30 yards on six carries, and Dante Blue had three receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown to lead the Raiders.

Cameron Barefoot had four receptions for 35 yards. Wyatt Holland completed his lone pass attempt for 31 yards and had an eight-yard carry. Deantae Byrd ran for 25 yards on 10 carries. Carsse Lucas had two receptions for 28 yards. Cal Tyndall was 2-of-3 passing for 15 yards, with one interception. Jaden Covington had a 12-yard reception.

Knowlydge Evans ran for 89 yards and three touchdowns and completed his lone pass attempt for a 17-yard touchdown and J’daques Wallace ran for 73 yards and a touchdown on nine carries to lead the Dark Horses.

The momentum turned in Clinton’s favor on a pair of special teams miscues by Midway.

Late in the first, Midway forced a Clinton punt from its own 22-yard-line, but a fumble on the return gave it back to the Horses at the Midway 48, leading to Evans scoring on a one-yard run early in the second quarter (the conversion failed).

On the ensuing drive, Midway was forced to punt, but the snap was mishandled and Clinton got the ball on the Midway 22. One play later, Davion Smith ran for a touchdown and then ran for the two-point conversion.

“Our special teams have got to get better,” Barnes said. “That kind of swung the momentum of the game. With the fumble on the punt return, we three-and-out them and have a chance to get a good return and fumble the football. And then down here, we either fumble the snap or it wasn’t a good snap and we get stopped instead of flipping the field on them.”

Those two scores were part of Clinton scoring 38 unanswered points in the second and third quarters.

Midway’s lone score came halfway through the third quarter when Calcutt threw a screen to Blue, who raced 92 yards down the field. Calcutt threw to Barefoot for two.

Clinton added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Midway will have a short week to prepare for a Homecoming game against visiting James Kenan (1-2) on Friday