MIDDLETOWN BLUE RAIDERS
Weekly Athletic Department Newsletter 3.7.21
Weekly Schedule:
Monday:
First Day of High School Spring Sports!
Tuesday:
District III Boys Basketball Semi-Finals
Susquehanna @ MIddletown (7:00pm)#
Thursday:
District III Boys Basketball Finals
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:
3/4 v. Bishop McDevitt (W 78-71 2OT)
Register for Spring Sports
If you have any questions regarding sport specific questions, please reach out to our coaches and staff listed below.
Baseball - Coach Lupia - mlupia@raiderweb.org
Softball - Coach Thomas - mthomas@raiderweb.org
High School Track & Field - Coach Woodrow - jwoodrow@raiderweb.org
Middle School Track & Field - Coach Woodrow - jwoodrow@raiderweb.org
Middle School Girls Soccer - Coach Novak - jnovak@raiderweb.org
Middle School Boys Soccer - Coach Roberts - troberts@raiderweb.org
Boys Tennis - Coach Miller - lmiller@raiderweb.org
NEWS AND HEADLINES
Middletown’s Gavin Guckavan turns in ‘one of those great swims’ at District 3 2A meet
By Eric F. Epler | eepler@pennlive.com
Gavin Guckavan admitted to the nerves in what might have been his best chance to advance to the PIAA Swimming Championships.
So, Saturday was perfect timing for the Middletown standout to reach a little beyond even his own expectations.
Guckavan emerged as the District 3 2A gold medalist in the 200 IM Saturday, clocking a 1:54.87 to clip Boiling Springs’ Braelen Mowe (1:55.52).
It was Mowe who charged past Guckavan in the final, freestyle leg to win the 200 IM at the Mid-Penn Conference meet just weeks ago.
“I did feel a lot of pressure here today, but I just put the pressure aside and swam the best that I could,” Guckavan said.
Middletown’s ace also medaled in the 100 back, finishing fourth (54.16) behind Bishop McDevitt’s Patrick Hemingway (52.29), Donegal’s Ethan Shonk (52.36) and Northern’s Gavin Stuckey (53.75).
“I thought it went really good. I went into the 200 IM pretty nervous, but I saw that I was ahead and I didn’t want to lose it on the freestyle like at Mid-Penns. That felt good.”
Guckavan even suggested that he felt a bit faster than his winning time, but landing in 1:54.87 meant nearly a 4-second jump from his qualifying time (1:58.46).
“I definitely didn’t expect the 1:54, but it was one of those great swims,” he said. Guckavan’s next stop will be states, scheduled for March 19 at Cumberland Valley.
DISTRICT 3 2A TOP 3
200 Individual Medley
1. Gavin Guckavan, Middletown, 1:54.87
2. Braelen Mowe, Boiling Springs. 1:55.52
3. Matt Raudabaugh, Big Spring, 1:59.32
Middletown outlasts Bishop McDevitt in second overtime to advance in District 3 4A playoffs
MIDDLETOWN – Two young Mid-Penn Conference teams with not much experience playing District tournament basketball went head-to-head Thursday night and gave each other a postseason education.
Capital Division champion Middletown and a resilient Bishop McDevitt team played a fast and frenetic brand of basketball in a PIAA District 3, 4A semifinal that fittingly went to not just one, but two overtime sessions.
Second-seeded Middletown finally took command in the second overtime, limiting seventh-seeded McDevitt to four free throws while converting eight of its own and advanced to the semifinal round with a thrilling 78-71 victory.
“This is a team that’s devoid of District experience and they got it in spades tonight,” Middletown coach Chris Bradford said. “They’re learning on the fly. They fought like heck and they came through when it mattered. Tyson Leach stuck a 3 when we were down to tie it up and his brother (Tate) stuck one to get us up in the second overtime. It’s a whirlwind of everything, but I’m proud of these kids.”
The game was played at a fast and, at times, frenetic pace with numerous turnovers and brilliantly blocked shots on both sides.
The see-saw battle saw Middletown zoom to a 12-point lead midway through the second quarter before McDevitt whittled the edge down to four at halftime.
The Crusaders took command in the third quarter, drawing on a 16-6 rampage to take a 10-point lead late in the third. But a buzzer-beating bucket from Tajae Broadie whittled the lead to four after three quarters, setting the stage for the double overtime thriller.
“I think what happened was that our young team was so excited when we got up 10, that we had that mental breakdown when Broadie hit that one at the end of third. So we did little things that added up in an overtime game. As coaches, we try to be as stern and mean as we could, knowing that we were going to let them back in the game because the guys were so excited,” said Bishop McDevitt coach Mike Gaffey.
Middletown (13-4) advances to host third-seeded Susquehanna Township next Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Susquehanna Township (12-5) defeated Kennard Dale Thursday night.
Bishop McDevitt finishes with a 11-8 mark, coming back from a 2-4 start and going 8-3 in its final 11 regular-season games to qualify for the tournament.
THE STARS
Tymir Jackson was the game’s high scorer with 31 points and converted six crucial free throws in overtime periods. Broadie, held scoreless in the first, amassed most of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and overtimes by driving to the basket and drawing shooting fouls. Tony Powell was a first half force for the Raiders and tallied 18.
Kenyon Elliot connected for 20 for McDevitt, whose balanced scoring attack included Jacobi Tate (14) and Tristan Waters (13).
GAME-DECIDING MOMENTS
Bishop McDevitt sent the contest into overtime when Waters grabbed a rebound and sunk a put back as time expired in regulation.
The Crusaders earned an opportunity to win the game in the waning moments of the first overtime when Rico Scott intercepted an inbounds pass under the Middletown basket with 22 seconds left. McDevitt’s offense set up for a potential final play, but the Raiders defense didn’t allow an easy opportunity and a long, 3-point heave by Elliott at the buzzer missed the mark.
The second overtime was scoreless for two minutes until Middletown seized the lead for good on a 3-pointer from Tate Leach. The Raiders were able to drive the ball into the paint and draw free throws from Broadie and Jackson. McDevitt did not garner a field goal in the second extra session.
THEY SAID IT
“We knew it was going to be physical and going through the pain of everything we had to go through today. Sometimes we faced adversity and we didn’t let it get us down, and just kept going,” – Middletown’s Tymir Jackson.
“It was tough in the beginning. I didn’t expect them to come out and be that physical. They let us play. We came together as a team and are happy that I made free throws. We just thought ‘next play’ when we were down 10. Coach didn’t let us look that far ahead,” – Middletown’s Tajae Broadie.
“It was a fight. This one came down to the wire. A couple of times they stretched it to out 10 and we fought back and got it down to four coming to the end of third and we snatched momentum there. Some ill-advised shots here and there and couple of mistakes that experience will take care of. We got into the locker room and the only thing we said is ‘we know who is next.’ – Middletown head coach Chris Bradford
“We have a young team that made some mental errors. As long as our team left it all on the floor, I’m proud of them. I’m proud of Elliott and the game he played. Hopefully, we’ll grow up and learn some execution stuff that we faltered with, but our effort and our fight was unbelievable,” – Bishop McDevitt coach Mike Gaffey
(Read more on link below)
RAIDERS WIN IN DOUBLE OVERTIME MOVE ON TO DISTRICT III SEMIS BY LARRY ETTER
Regulation high school basketball games are scheduled for 32 minutes, with most contests being decided in that time frame. Middletown’s clash with visiting Bishop McDevitt in the quarterfinals of the District III-AAAA post-season playoffs took a bit longer. In fact, it took two overtimes before the outcome was finally settled.
In the end, it was the Blue Raiders who prevailed 78-71 in the season’s third meeting between the two Capital Division opponents. With the victory, the Blue Raiders earned another meeting with yet another division competitor, the Susquehanna Township Indians, in the semi-finals this week. While the Raiders and Crusaders had split their two games this season before meeting once again on Thursday, the Middletown team was victorious in both matchups with the Indians during the regular season. The winner will move on to the District championship game on Thursday.
Last week’s showdown with Bishop McDevitt turned out to be as exciting as anyone could hope for. Both teams went at each other with a lot of passion, talent and desire and it was no real surprise that it took the two, extra four-minute periods to settle the dispute. It was a game of lead changes and temporary advantages for both teams that ended in a 60-60 draw at the end of regulation. And, it was still knotted up at 67-67 at the close of the first overtime. The Blue Raiders, however, finally took control with an all-important four-point lead with 1:10 left in the second extra session that led to the winning effort.
McDevitt took a 10-8 lead by the end of the first period but the Raiders forged ahead with a dominating run in the second. Derek Wall’s two free throws tied the score just five seconds in but McDevitt went back on top on a goal by Lek Powell 20 seconds later. Tony Powell’s layup off a block by Tajae Broadie, however, jump started a 14-0 run that pushed the Middletown five up to a commanding 24-12 lead with 2:42 left. In that run the Raiders converted three McDevitt turnovers and a pair of misses into goals by Tymir Jackson, Powell and Tate Leach and the home team had a comfortable lead. But the lead did not hold up as the Crusaders came charging back. Closing out the first half with a 10-2 scoring advantage the visitors pulled to within four points, 26-22, at the break.
The Crusaders continued that surge into the second half and fought their way to a 33-30 lead with just over 4 minutes left in the third quarter. The Blue Raiders tried to get themselves back on track but McDevitt’s lead grew to 44-34 with 1:13 left. The Middletown side did pull itself together in the final minute and a running 3-point jumper by Jackson at the buzzer gave the home team a much-needed lift.
Down 47-43 heading into the final frame the Raiders fought back. A pair of free throws by Broadie with 5:31 left edged the Raiders back in front 51-49 before the Crusaders hit back-to-back treys and a pair of foul shots to retake the lead 57-51 at the midway point of the fourth quarter. Broadie made two more free throws to break the string and went back door off a dish by T.J. Daniels following a goal by Jackson that tied the score at 57-57 with 2:50 on the clock. Following a miss by the guests Broadie scored again to make it a 59-57 lead. Then with a 60-58 edge on the scoreboard the Raiders tried to hang on in the final seconds. But McDevitt’s Tristen Waters put back a miss with just one second left, sending the game into overtime, the score all knotted up at 60-60.
As luck would have it both teams scored 7 points in the first extra session to extend the game. Tyson Leach’s triple with 2:24 left gave the Raiders a temporary 65-62 lead but the Crusaders answered with a trey by Kenyon Elliott. Jackson made two free throws with 1:42 left, but Elliott made a pair of his own at 1:34 and the session ended in another tie at 67-67.
The second overtime went scoreless until Tate Leach drained a huge trey from the left corner off a Daniels pass with 2:02 left, a key goal that put the Raiders ahead for good. The Crusaders picked up two points from the foul line with 1:45 left but McDevitt would go scoreless following a string of misses and turnovers. Jackson made 3 of 4 foul shots and Broadie made 1 of 2 to extend the Middletown lead to 75-69 with 36 seconds left before Elliott broke the string with a pair of free throws 13 seconds later. The Blue Raiders locked up the thrilling victory as Tate Leach and Broadie made three foul shots in the final 20 seconds.
Jackson finished the contest with a game-high 31 points, Powell finished with 18 and Broadie added 15. The Leach brothers, Wall and Daniels chipped in the other points in the win. Elliott led the Crusaders with 20 points.
(Read more on link below)
Website: https://raiderweb.org/news/what_s_new/blue_raiders_weekly_highlights
Boys Basketball Week of February 21st by Larry Etter
Middletown 52, Trinity 28
Of course, the big news came from the Blue Raiders’ rout of visiting Trinity on Friday afternoon, the victory giving the Middletown Area High School team sole possession of the Capital Division crown. A loss would have dropped the Blue Raiders into a tie with Susquehanna Township for a shared title. But the determined Blue Raiders would have none of that.
The last division championship occurred in the 1992-1993 season and the win broke a 38-year drought as the Middletown squad put together a memorable season. Beating Trinity twice in the same season made the accomplishment even sweeter.
Back on January 22 the Blue Raiders pulled off a rare win on the Shamrocks’ home court in a 53-44 victory. And Trinity came to Middletown determined to exact a bit of revenge for that loss. But their plans fell apart early in the second period as the Raiders outscored their guests 18-10, and their woes were compounded by a 12-4 scoring advantage for the home team in the third. With the championship now within reach the Blue Raiders sealed the deal with a 14-8 fourth quarter to cap the rout.
In the low-scoring opening period the Raiders led 8-6, with both teams going scoreless in the final three minutes. Early in the second stanza Tajae Broadie’s block led to a goal by Tymir Jackson and, following a Trinity turnover, freshman Tyson Leach hit his first of three 3-pointers to get the Middletown team moving. Leach, Jackson and Broadie each scored 6 points in the frame and the defense limited the Shamrocks to 10 total, giving the home team a 26-16 lead at the break.
In the third the Shamrocks made just two of 9 shots while Jackson and Broadie put up a combined 12 points to stretch the Middletown lead to 38-20 heading into the game’s final 8 minutes. From there the home team controlled the game and was never threatened and the Blue Raiders cruised to the victory and the division championship. Jackson scored a game-high 17 points, Broadie added 11, Leach had 9, Derek Wall (filling in for Tony Powell) had 8 and T.J. Daniels and Julio Rodriguez added 7 for the winners.
Middletown 47, East Pennsboro 42
The championship winner was really set up earlier in the week in Middletown’s tense 47-42 decision over visiting East Pennsboro on Monday. One of the Blue Raiders’ four losses came against the Panthers (62-64) on February 12 and, for a while, it appeared as if the Panthers were heading for another win. But a fourth quarter rally by the Raiders turned the game around and propelled the home team to its important triumph.
Down 8-4 at the end of the first quarter and knotted up in a 20-20 tie at halftime, the Raiders trailed 34-32 at the end of the third period and set the stage for the exciting final 8 minutes. Broadie tied the score 20 seconds into the fourth but the Panthers ran off 6 straight points to take a 40-34 lead, putting a cloud of doubt for a Middletown win over the Raiders’ heads.
Powell came to the rescue, however, to reverse the Raiders’ fortunes. He started off with a trey off a Broadie assist at 5:59, went low post for a bucket at 5:01following a Panther miss and scored again after Tyson Leach tied up the ball for a possession change with 3:40 left. The run put the Raiders up 41-40 and Wall sank two foul shots following a Panther turnover for a 43-40 lead. The Raiders made just 1 of four free throws in 30 seconds and the Panthers scored with 54 seconds left to draw within two and keep the game in doubt. But Broadie scored off a Daniels assist and East Pennsboro came up empty after that. Tate Leach’s steal and free throw with 13 seconds left locked up the victory. Powell’s 23 points were a game high and Broadie finished with 15.
Middletown 59, Boiling Springs 54
Following their championship clinching win over Trinity on Friday the Blue Raiders had to get right back into action on Saturday morning against visiting Boiling Springs. And the Bubblers came to within three minutes of pulling off an upset. Once again, however, the Middletown team showed its mental toughness and togetherness with a strong finish to turn back the Bubblers’ effort.
With both Tony Powell and Tate Leach sitting out the game, the Raiders showed signs of an emotional hangover from the day before. Boiling Springs led 16-14 at the end of the first quarter, 27-25 at halftime and 44-38 heading into the fourth period to put pressure on the home team. And, with 4:40 left in the game the Bubblers led by five, 49-44. Jackson’s trey at 4:13 was big and his drive to the hoop with 2:22 left made it a one-point game, 52-51.
Broadie’s drive following a B.S. turnover and Wall’s single free throw following a miss edged the Raiders in front 54-52 with 1:43 on the clock. Jackson converted another Bubbler miscue into a 56-52 Middletown lead with a minute left. Broadie and Julio Rodriguez made two late foul shots to lock up the win. Jackson scored 15 of his game-high 27 points in the deciding fourth quarter and the Blue Raiders won their 12th game of the season, setting themselves up for the upcoming district playoffs.
(Read more on link below)
Website: https://raiderweb.org/news/what_s_new/blue_raiders_weekly_highlights
Girls Basketball Week of February 21st by Larry Etter
Middletown 53, Steelton-Highspire 46
The Middletown girls won their second game of the season in a 7-point victory at Steel-High on Wednesday. Junior Makayla Claggett scored a game-high 25 points and freshman Peyton Attivo collected 14 to lead the Lady Raiders to the win. The Raiders got off to a good start and outscored the host Rollers 19-13 in the first quarter and led 31-25 at the break as both teams collected 12 points in the second.
That 6-point advantage turned out to be a key in the win as the teams nearly matched each other point-for-point in the second half. Middletown collected 11 points in both the third and fourth quarters and the Rollers scored 21 after the halftime to keep it close. Messiah Cloud led Steel-High with 17 points in the loss.
Other Games
The two other games did not go well for the Lady Raiders. On Monday at East Pennsboro the host Panthers avenged an earlier loss to Middletown with a 57-43 decision. Claggett’s game-high 19 points were not enough to carry the youthful Middletown squad to a win. A 21-11 scoring advantage for the host team in the final period broke open a close game and keyed the Panthers’ win.
On Friday, the Lady Raiders were completely overwhelmed by Trinity, one of the top girls’ teams in both the Mid Penn Conference and District III. The Shamrocks blasted out to a crushing 36-7 lead in the first quarter and easily climbed to a 54-17 advantage by halftime. The Lady Raiders collected 20 second-half points but Trinity registered 38 in the same span to cruise to the one-sided victory. Ten Trinity players scored in the game, led by Anne Spila’s 21.
(Read more on link below)
Website: https://raiderweb.org/news/what_s_new/blue_raiders_weekly_highlights
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