Kingston dealt 6th straight defeat
Middie Bears run for 293 yards to rout (0-6) Tigers in Section 9, Class AA contest
KINGSTON >> The rushing of Middletown’s Reggie Steed and Shane Rosa proved too much for Kingston High’s football team Friday night.
Steed ran for 126 yards and three touchdowns and Rosa, the quarterback, had 103 yards and one TD on 13 carries to lead the
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Middie Bears to a 31-7 victory over the winless Tigers in a Section 9, Class AA Division I contest at Dietz Stadium.
Middletown (1-3 division, 3-3 overall) had 293 yards on the ground and was in control soon after snapping a 7-7 tie in the second quarter. The Bears led 19-7 at halftime.
Kingston’s defense held Middletown in check until with eight minutes remaining.
The Tiger offense, however, could never get on track.
With Chuck Robinson (torn ligaments in left ankle during last week’s loss to Roosevelt) sidelined, Kingston’s options were limited. Manny Wilson, who was back at quarterback, ran 21 times for 108 yards and JaVar Tinsley had 11 carries for 20 hard yards plus one touchdown to lead a team that managed just five first downs.
Kingston fell to 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the division.
“The first half we played great. Obviously the offense is going to struggle. We know that and Chuckie’s out. We knew that was going to happen,” Kingston
coach Nick Badalato said.
“We played good ball. That was frustrating, because they really played them well. And then it self destructed.”
Steed put Middletown ahead midway through the first quarter with a 4-yard TD run.
A pair of shanked Middie punts gave Kingston possession at the Middletown 40 on back-to-back possessions. The Tigers couldn’t capitalize on the first bid, but cashed in on the second. Wilson’s 31yard fourth-down scramble had Kingston on the Middletown 2 and Tinsley scored on the next play to tie with 7:01 left in the half.
A pair of face mask and an unsportsmanlike penalties against the Tigers accounted for more than half of a 66-yard answering drive. Steed weaved 11 yards to snap the tie with 5:23 remaining before halftime. He made it 19-7 when he scored on a 4-yard run up the middle with 28 seconds left.
The score remained that way until a Steed block sprung Rosa for a 55-yard TD sprint midway through the fourth quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Steed punched the ball loose, Jeniel Foster recovered and Taj Ali later capitalized with an 11-yard touchdown run.
Losing the versatile Robinson — who is wide receiver/ backup quarterback/defensive back/kick returner — hurt Kingston in all aspects of the game.
“He’s a big piece of our defense and our offense. We got TQ (junior Tyquan Watson) going both ways. We got these young kids who are subbing in,” noted Badalato, whose players have literally become a small band of brothers. They wear a “30” on the side of their helmets to signify just how many are on the varsity roster.
“We’re just going to keep on working,” Badalato said. “That’s all we can do.”
Things don’t get any easier. Next Friday’s last scheduled home game is against (42) Newburgh Free Academy, which beat previously unbeaten Monroe-Woodbury 28-7 Friday to clinch the Division I title. Middletown Kingston First Quarter M—Steed 4 run (Ali kick) Second Quarter K—Tinsley 2 run (McDonough kick) M—Steed 11 run (kick failed) M—Steed 4 run (run failed) Fourth Quarter M—Rosa 55 run (kick failed) M—Ali 11 run (kick failed) —— Rushing M—Steed 18-126, Rosa 13-103, Ali 6-48, Keyshawn 2-8, Kornegay 3-8, Moreno 1-(-)2; K—Wilson 21-108, Tinsley 11-20. Passing M—Rosa 1-4-0, 27 yards; K—Wilson 0-5-0. Receiving M—Galarza 1-27. Team records: Middletown 1-3 Class AA Division I, 3-3 overall; Kingston 0-3 Class AA Division I, 0-6 overall. 7 12 0 12—31 0 7 0 0— 7