MIDDLETOWN BLUE RAIDERS
Weekly Athletic Department Newsletter 3.21.21
Weekly Schedule:
Monday:
PIAA State Boys Basketball Semi-Finals
Allentown Central Catholic v. Middletown 7:00pm *
JV/V Baseball @ Central Dauphin (4:00/4:00pm)^
Tennis @ East Pennsboro 4:00pm
Tuesday:
JH V/JV Boys Soccer v. Boiling Springs (4:00/5:15pm)^
Tennis v. Harrisburg Academy 4:00pm
JH V/JV Girls Soccer @ Boiling Springs (3:45/4:45pm)^
Wednesday:
JV/V Softball @ Donegal (4:15/4:15pm)^
Tennis v. Trinity 4:00pm
Thursday:
PIAA Boys Basketball State Championship
Friday:
V Baseball v. Bishop McDevitt 4:15pm
V Softball v. Bishop McDevitt 4:15pm
JV Baseball @ Bishop McDevitt 4:15pm
JV Softball @ Bishop McDevitt 4:15pm
Saturday:
V Softball v. Conestoga Valley 12:00pm
JV Baseball v. Wilson 12:00pm
Spectator Policy Revisited Bi-Weekly (3.16.21)
#District III Basketball Attendance Policy
^Scrimmage
^^Spectators asked to limit two per student
*Spectator Policy (Parents Only with pre-approved tickets/roster)
**No Spectators permitted
Blue Raiders Scoreboard:
SCOREBOARD
Boys Basketball:
3/19 v. Danville (W 52-49)
NEWS AND HEADLINES
Middletown’s second-half surge delivers Blue Raiders their first district title in nearly 30 years
By Eric F. Epler | eepler@pennlive.com
MIDDLETOWN — As the Middletown and Littlestown boys basketball teams went into the locker rooms a halftime, a visiting fan shouted toward the Thunderbolts, “We have them right where we want them.”
Littlestown had held Middletown to just one field goal in the second quarter of Thursday night’s District 3 4A boys basketball championship game, and showed more success shooting, even if the scoreboard remained close at 21-19.
It turned out, the Blue Raiders had the Thunderbolts right where they wanted them. The Blue Raiders instantly took control of the game, scoring four field goals and four free throws in the third quarter before Littlestown could muster a point. No. 2 Middletown (15-4) ran away the rest of the half, scoring 50 points in the final two quarters to power the Blue Raiders to the 69-53 win against No. 4 Littlestown (17-4) and claim the district title.
“You see us all the time, we come out slow every time,” Middletown senior guard Tymir Jackson said. “This time, we came out slow again and we just had to battle back like always, trust each other.”
(Read more on link below)
Middletown defeats District 4 champ Danville, qualifies for PIAA 4A semifinals
By Eric F. Epler | eepler@pennlive.com
You have to stretch 35 years in the past to find the last Middletown boys basketball team to qualify for the PIAA Final Four.
Well, The Blue Raiders ended their lengthy sabbatical Friday, running a little fast at times yet landing enough shots to outlast District 4 champion Danville 52-49 in a physical Class 4A quarterfinal.
Tymir Jackson posted a game-high 21 points and forward Tajae Broadie chipped in 13 points as the District 3 reps pressed through Danville’s third-quarter rally with one of its own in the tell-tale fourth.
The hosts trailed 36-33 following a KJ Riley 3-pointer from the top of the key with 7:25 to play. However, Jackson’s floater at the 7-minute mark started a 13-2 Middletown (16-4) run that stung the Ironmen (17-2).
(Read more on link below)
Middletown selects Red Land graduate and Susquenita coach Scott Acri to lead football program, pending school board approval
By Eric F. Epler | eepler@pennlive.com
It appears that Middletown, the last Mid-Penn Conference program in search of a new head football coach, has found its man.
Scott Acri, who has spent the last six seasons at Susquenita, will take over the Blue Raiders’ program pending approval. The Middletown Area School District is scheduled to vote on the position Tuesday, according to the meeting agenda.
Acri, a 2009 graduate of Red Land High School, where he played football, basketball and rugby, is one of the youngest head coaches in the area.
However, he has more than a decade of experience in the coaching ranks, which began as a football intern at West Chester University.
The Penn State-Harrisburg grad would double as an assistant under Frank Gay, and then Chad Weaver, at Red Land before accepting an assistant’s role at Millersville University for the 2014-15 season.
Susquenita eventually hired Acri in June, 2015, to replace Mark Kirk, who skippered the Blackhawks to 0-10 in the program’s return to the Tri-Valley League a year earlier.
With a promise to “build” a Susquenita program that experienced long years of turbulence, on and off the field, Acri led the Blackhawks to a 6-4 record in his first season.
Also serving as Susquenita’s athletic director since 2017, Acri went 24-33 over six seasons and 3-4 in 2020 as the Blackhawks’ football program returned as a member of the MPC.
BLUE RAIDERS SPORTS REPORT WEEK OF MARCH 15 BY LARRY ETTER
With a tense, 52-49 victory in their hands the Middletown boys basketball team moved another step closer to a wishful, state championship appearance in its sights. The win placed the Blue Raiders into the AAAA semi-final game against Alllentown Central Catholic, the first such accomplishment since the 1986 season.
So far this has been an historical season for the Raiders who earlier claimed the Capital Division crown and the District 3-AAAA title, both breaking long-standing droughts that have plagued the boys’ teams for many years. Now they have a chance to dream about a state title that has not been realized since 1968 when the Raiders laid claim to the Pennsylvania Class B championship in Pittsburgh.
Getting to this point has not necessarily been a cakewalk for the Blue Raiders and last Thursday’s clash with visiting Danville was proof of that. The Raiders got off to a good start but ran into some issues of focus in the second and third periods as the visiting Ironmen steadily pulled ahead on the scoreboard. That reversal once again, as in other past contests, forced the Middletown squad to dig deep within itself or face elimination in the state tournament. Fortunately, the Blue Raiders did just that, and rewarded themselves with the season-saving victory.
That aforementioned good start propelled the home team to a 17-8 lead by the end of the first quarter and sent good vibes through the Middletown fans. Tymir Jackson led the way on offense with 8 points and the defense forced the Ironmen into many missed shots. That good feeling grew when Tajae Broadie’s drive stretched the Raiders’ lead to 19-8 a minute and a half into the second quarter. But Danville’s Dante Harward’s trey broke a scoreless streak by the guests and his bucket a minute later made it a 19-13 game as the Raiders got a bit careless and hurt themselves with a number of turnovers. The Raiders recovered in time to pick up some key points later and held onto a 25-21 lead at the halftime break.
Neither team scored in the second half until Tony Powell made one of two free throws at 5:49, but more offensive issues by the Raiders gave the Ironmen some momentum. A goal by Jagger Dressler, a pair of treys by Harward and a bucket by Kayden Riley completed a 10-0 run and a 31-26 lead for the guests with 1:33 left in the third quarter. Broadie made a basket and foul shot to break the string and Jackson scored with 37 ticks left following a Danville goal to pull the Raiders to within two points, 31-33, to start the fourth period.
A steal and tying basket by T.J. Daniels off the inbounds pass to start the fourth was a good start, but the Ironmen forged ahead 38-35 with under 7 minutes to play. At that point the Blue Raiders and coach Chris Bradford knew they needed to step up their game. Powell’s two foul shots at 6:34 drew the home team to within a single point and a huge momentum-changing series set the stage for the Middletown rally.
Broadie’s block of a Danville shot started it. His pass to Jackson down court and Jackson’s toss to the left corner was rewarded when freshman Tyson Leach drained a monstrous three-pointer that put the Raiders ahead 40-38. Broadie then converted a Daniels steal into a 42-38 lead with 5:10 on the clock. Over the next tension-filled four minutes the teams exchanged points, but the Raiders were able to stay ahead. Broadie made two clutch foul shots with 2:48 left and Jackson made two more at 1:38 to push the home team to a 50-45 lead. Following a Danville turnover Jackson was back at the charity stripe. Visibly tired Jackson missed both shots, but Broadie grabbed the rebound on the second miss, keeping the ball in the Raiders’ hands.
Tate Leach made one of two free throws for a 51-45 Middletown lead and then made another one following a Danville goal to put the game out of reach at 52-47 with half a minute left. The lead was more than enough to absorb a late basket by Danville as the clock ran out. Jackson scored a game-high 21 points in the win.
(Read more on link below)
Website: https://raiderweb.org/news/what_s_new/blue_raiders_weekly_highlights
BLUE RAIDERS SPORTS REPORT WEEK OF MARCH 7 BY LARRY ETTER
DISTRICT CHAMPIONS!
The Middletown Area High School boys basketball team won the District 3-AAAA Championship last Thursday evening in a convincing 69-53 victory over Littlestown. The title is the first for the Blue Raiders since the 1992 season and goes along with the Capital Division crown the team claimed on February 26.
Getting to the championship game was not easy, however. The Blue Raiders had to go through league foes Bishop McDevitt (a 78-71 decision in double overtime in the first round) and Susquehanna Township (a tense 51-49 semi-final victory) to make it to the championship game. Fortunately, all three games were held on the Raiders’ home court, thanks to their number two ranking in the district and Littlestown’s upset of number one-ranked Wyomissing.
This championship season was accomplished by excellent coaching and the team’s ability to overcome some adversity that could have wrecked lesser teams. But the Blue Raiders, led by third-year head coach Chris Bradford and assistants Dan Polacheck, Chris Hughes, Andrew Placeres and Jamie Pugh, found ways to win, even when things looked less than ideal at times. Their “never say quit” attitude, along with total team concept and talent, made them champions.
Those attributes were put to the test again on Thursday when the team struggled in the first half against visiting Littlestown, the number 4 seeded team in the district. Having disappointing issues scoring points in the game’s first two periods the Raiders were down 19-21 at the end of the first half and the Thunderbolts were thinking another upset for them was in the making.
Those upset thoughts were quickly dispelled after the halftime break, however, as the Middletown squad erupted for 50, second-half points in a remarkable display of outstanding high school basketball. When the final horn sounded signifying the end of the third quarter the scoreboard accurately reflected just what had happened as the home team led by ten points. And, with a 25-19 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter, the Raiders subdued their guests in the 69-53 title-clinching triumph.
The game’s first quarter ended in a 13-13 deadlock as neither team was able to take control. Both teams shot less than 50% from the floor in the period and Littlestown’s late 13-11 lead was offset by Tymir Jackson’s jumper with 14 ticks left to tie the score. The Raiders struggled on offense again in the second stanza and scored just one basket, a late drive by Tate Leach with 31 seconds left. Four other points came from the free throw line. Littlestown’s rebounding kept the Raiders from getting second shots. The half ended with the visitors holding onto a 21-19 lead, and the Middletown fans were noticeably concerned.
But that all changed right from the start of the third quarter as the Blue Raiders finally got themselves into a solid offensive rhythm. With 4:55 left in the period the Raiders had blitzed their guests with a dominating 13-0 run that totally changed the game’s atmosphere. Jackson, Tate Leach, T.J. Daniels and Tony Powell collectively turned missed Littlestown shots and turnovers into the pivotal streak that ended with the Raiders well ahead at 32-21. Littlestown’s top player, Jayden Weishaar, broke the string with a pair of foul shots but the guests would get just 6 more points in the period while the home team collected 25. Half of the frame was played with Middletown’s Tajae Broadie on the bench with four fouls, but his teammates, including sub Derek Wall, never missed a beat. The 44-34 lead heading into the final frame set the stage for the winning effort.
The Blue Raiders recorded 13 of their 25, fourth quarter points from the foul line while the Middletown defensive pressure limited the Bolts to 13 total points in the stanza. Weishaar’s trey pulled the Bolts to within ten, 56-46, with 2:22 left but the Raiders followed with a 6-0 run that essentially put the game out of reach at 62-46 with 1:55 on the clock. When the final horn sounded the scoreboard showed the 69-53 final score and the players, coaches and limited number of fans in attendance celebrated the championship. Jackson led the scoring with 20 points, Powell finished with 19, Leach had 10, and Broadie, Daniels and Wall teamed for 20 in the victory.
With the win and the district championship ranking the Blue Raiders drew a bye in the first round of the state playoffs and were scheduled to host yet another home game this Friday.
Middletown 51, Susquehanna Township 49
In the District 3 semi-final contest the Blue Raiders and the visiting Indians from Susquehanna Township were set to face each other for the third time this season. The Raiders had won both of the earlier games, 69-55 at Susquehanna and 66-57 at home. Beating a team of Susquehanna’s caliber three times in the same season appeared to be nearly impossible task. And, as it turned out the third matchup came right down to the wire with the Blue Raiders putting up the winning points on a pair of free throws by Tate Leach with just 0.07 on the clock.
The Indians got off to a good start by showing a defensive look in a 2-3 zone that the Blue Raiders had not seen from them in the first two clashes. That defense gave the Raiders fits, mainly because the outside shooting was just not working and the bigger Indians kept the Middletown players from getting any inside looks. Because of it the guests led 15-8 at the end of the first quarter and held a 26-19 lead at the halftime break.
That 7-point spread held up through the close of the third period (36-29) and cast some doubts about a winning rally for the home team. But, sparked by a clutch trey by freshman Tyson Leach and another by Jackson, the rally did indeed happen. Tate Leach and Jackson hit another pair of treys around a pair of Indians’ goals that edged the Blue Raiders in front 41-40, with 4:36 left in the game. A free throw by Susquehanna’s Keein Ward tied the score 12 seconds later, but Jackson fired in his third triple of the stanza to edge the Raiders back in front, 44-41, with 3:51 on the clock.
The Indians drew to within one, 46-45, with 2:03 to go. Broadie scored from inside 30 seconds later, but the Indians kept answering. Two foul shots by Michael Marable again made it a one-point game at the 1:13 mark and Gavin Parson scored following a pair of missed free throws by the Raiders to push the guests ahead 49-48 with 25 seconds left. Jackson made one of two foul shots to tie the score with 6.2 ticks left setting the stage for the exciting finish. A potential game winning shot by the Indians missed the mark and Tate Leach was fouled grabbing the rebound. With just 7 tenths of a second left, Leach calmly sank both free throws, icing the victory for the Middletown side.
Jackson and Powell each scored 14 points in the win, Leach and Broadie each had 8. Marable scored a game-high 22 points in the loss.
Website: https://raiderweb.org/news/what_s_new/blue_raiders_weekly_highlights
Middletown’s physical brand delivered its first district title in nearly 30 years, and the Blue Raiders hope the best has yet to come this season
By Brian Linder | blinder@pennlive.com
Middletown’s top scorer played nose tackle in the fall.
That’s not a line you read much when it comes to hoops, but it’s a bit of a theme heading into the Blue Raiders’ 7 p.m. Friday 4A home playoff showdown against Danville (17-1).
The top rebounder is an FBS recruit at defensive end. The other front-court standout is a 6-foot-4 quarterback who might get some nice college looks on the gridiron before the end of next year, too. And one of the top front-court reserves is a lineman who will play in the Big 33 game.
Middletown has long been an established football power, but those guys showed up on the hardwood this season, rolled up their sleeves, and played a physical brand of ball that has them at 15-4 and a win away from playing to go to a state title game.
“You know our makeup,” third-year head coach Chris Bradford said. “We are a bunch of football guys playing basketball. So, we are talented and athletic for sure.
“And we are tough.”
It’s not a typical basketball bunch. Just some rugged guys, going all blue-collar, and doing whatever it takes to get the next ‘W.’
“Definitely, it is (sort of our identity),” junior point guard Tate Leach said. “We always preach defense and being the more physical team.”
So, about that nose tackle/running back who can fill it up. That’s Tymir Jackson, and even he isn’t typical and it’s a testament to his toughness. Nose tackles usually aren’t known for their ability to turn around and run the football, and they don’t often step onto the basketball court and score at will. Typically, they are 300-plus pound space eaters. But Jackson is built more like a fire-hydrant at 5-foot-10, 220 pounds.
“He’s mean like (a nose tackle), too,” Bradford said. “He ran the ball mean, too. I used to love watching him play football.”
That makeup allowed him to close out the regular season averaging 16.5 points per game.
(Read more on link below)
Scenes from Middletown’s District 3, 4A Championship
ONLINE STORE
RAIDERVILLE
Website: https://mtownathletics.bigteams.com/main/otherad?contentID=52920396
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Middletown Teammates of the Week
Week of February 14, 2021
JP Horetsky, JH Boys Basketball, 8th – Excellence
“JP has shown excellence both on the court and in the classroom this season. He works hard for good grades, and continues to get better with his low post game as the season moves on. He is a great example of what a student-athlete should be.” ~ Coach Vaughn
Each week, Student-Athletes, Coaches and Faculty can nominate someone they feel is a great teammate for the past week.
The week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday at midnight. The list will be collected Monday of the next week and published to all the coaches and faculty members at Middletown area High School each Tuesday.
What makes a good teammate? Multiple reasons!
Here is a great quote by Kobe Bryant that can help sum it up:
"I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot."
The Blue Raiders instill the following leadership qualities P,R,I,D,E. When nominating a fellow Blue Raider, please list one of these qualities in your description.
P-erseverance, R-espect, I-ntegrity, D-iscipline, E-xcellence
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A TEAMMATES NAME
Website: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffjXYjh0oVsjIN9SmEeQismTeOQKhileUb9AY7vU2PVSkruQ/viewform
Register Online to Participate
Website: https://www.familyid.com/organizations/middletown-area-school-district
WWW.MTOWNATHLETICS.ORG
Website: https://mtownathletics.bigteams.com
Schedule Alerts
Watch our Blue Raiders on the NFHS Network
The NFHS Network is the leader in streaming Live and On Demand high school sports.
The NFHS Network covers 27 different regular season and postseason sports, as well as other high school activities, celebrating the accomplishments of students-athletes, student broadcasters, and high schools across the country.
Partnered with the National Federation of State High School Associations, 44+ high school state athletic/activities associations, and PlayOn! Sports, the NFHS Network is a joint venture created to provide fans with the ability to stream high school sports on any device, from wherever they are.
All NFHS Network events are available to watch online at www.NFHSnetwork.com and through the NFHS Network Live App for iOS and Android. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Watching high school sports and events has never been easier.
Website: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/middletown-area-high-school-middletown-pa
Online Tickets via Ticket Spicket
Season passes will not be available for use at this time.
Website: https://events.ticketspicket.com/agency/ad39d468-d5ed-4cef-afee-4a054ebb200c
Share your Photos
Captured the action!? You can upload those amazing game photos directly to your team so that moment can be immortalized for all time!
Blue Raider Twitter Accounts
Here are the following Twitter accounts for each team and program:
@BlueRaidersMASD (Athletic Department)
@MASDFieldHockey (Field Hockey)
@MAMS_BlueRaider (Middletown Area Middle School)
@MiddletownGirl1 (Girls Basketball)
@MtownBoysSoccer (Boys Soccer)
@AndMiddletown (Track & Field)
@MWrestlin (Wrestling)
@M_TownGSoccer (Girls Soccer)
@MTownFBInfo (Football)
@MTownTennis (Tennis)
@MTownRaiderBall (Baseball)
@BlueRaiderCheer (Cheerleading)
@MTownHoops (Boys Basketball)
@middletownASD (MASD)
Please follow our accounts for the most updated news and alerts.
Twitter: @blueraidersmasd
Blue Raiders Championships and Awards
Middletown Blue Raiders
Championships and Awards
The lists provided have been researched through the PIAA, District III and Mid-Penn Conference websites.
If you know of any missing accolades or have any corrections, please complete our form to be sent to our Director of Athletics, Mr. Richard Reed.
GO RAIDERS!
Website: https://mtownathletics.bigteams.com/main/otherad/contentID/52671502
Sports Seasons
Fall Sports:
Boys & Girls Cross Country (Junior High / Varsity) AA
Cheerleading (Junior High / JV / Varsity)
Field Hockey (Junior High / JV) AA
Football (Freshman / JV / Varsity) AAA
Golf (Varsity) AA
Boys Soccer (JV / Varsity) AA
Girls Soccer (JV / Varsity) AA
Girls Tennis (Varsity) AA
Girls Volleyball (JV / Varsity) AAA
Winter Sports:
Boys Basketball (Junior High / JV / Varsity) AAAA
Girls Basketball (Junior High / JV / Varsity ) AAAA
Bowling*
Cheerleading (JV / Varsity)
Wrestling (Freshman / Varsity) AA
Spring Sports:
Baseball (JV / Varsity) AAAA
Boys Lacrosse** (Varsity)
Boys Soccer (Junior High)
Girls Soccer (Junior High)
Softball (JV / Varsity) AAAA
Boys Tennis (Varsity) AA
Boys Track & Field (Junior High / Varsity) AAA
Girls Track & Field (Junior High / Varsity) AAA
*Club
**Co-Op with Bishop McDevitt
Middletown Athletic Hall of Fame
The committee of the newly formed Middletown Athletic Hall of Fame has selected the inaugural class of inductees.
Congratulations to the following MAHS alumnae who have been inducted in the Class of 2020 Middletown Hall of Fame!
Earl Brown '74
Tony Colston '64
Dave Grabuloff '93
Ben Olsen '95
Missy Stewart '86
Dave Twardzik '68
Paula Wilkins '90
Coach Ed Brunner
Coach Dennis Iezzi
Coach John Rowan
1968 Boys Basketball Team
Website: https://mtownathletics.bigteams.com/main/otherad/contentID/52823349
NCAA Information
Website: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/
Technical Support Information & Department Apps
Mid Penn Conference
Website: https://www.midpennconference.org/
District III
Website: https://piaad3.org/
Middletown Blue Raiders Athletic Department
Email: rreed@raiderweb.org
Website: www.mtownathletics.org
Location: 1155 North Union Street, Middletown, PA, USA
Phone: 717.948.3300
Twitter: @BlueRaidersMASD