The Lakota West football program (1-2) will be showcased live on Fox Sports Ohio this Thursday, Sept. 16, when it faces Middletown (3-0) at 7:00 p.m. The game will be played at Lakota West High School. It will be the first game against a Greater Miami Conference (GMC) opponent for both teams this season.
“It is big for everybody,” Lakota West head coach Larry Cox said. “They are very good and we will probably be a heavy underdog, but at the same time that is why you put the uniform on and play.”
Middletown has been playing well this season, defeating its three previous opponents in 2010 by a combined score of 121 to 21.
Offensively, the Middies are led by sophomore quarterback Jalin Marshall. In Middletown’s three contests in 2010, Marshall has thrown for 217 yards and rushed for 391 yards. He has totaled nine touchdowns.
Marshall’s top target this season has been junior wide receiver Zach Edwards, who has 140 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 receptions (46.7 yards per catch).
Middletown also has featured three capable running backs this season in sophomore William Peters (146 yards and 1 TD on 27 carries), senior Wayne Gregory (149 yards and 2 TDs on 25 carries) and junior Shaitan Wright (155 yards and 4 TDs on 23 carries).
While the Middletown offense has been impressive (averaging 358 yards per game), the defense has limited opponents to 156 yards per game.
Senior linebacker Kyle Schwarber (1 sack, 2 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries in 2010) and junior defensive back Cody Quinn (2 interceptions in 2010), who were both named to the All-GMC Second Team in 2009, lead the Middletown defense.
Meanwhile, Lakota West struggled offensively in its first two games, losing 28-6 to LaSalle and 27-7 at Lancaster. The Firebirds offense averaged only 167 of total offense per game and the defense allowed an average of 350 yards per game during those first two weeks.
However, last Friday, Lakota West’s offensive totaled 406 yards in a 37-7 victory against Fairmont. Defensively, Lakota West limited the Fairmont Firebirds to 145 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers.
“It is a complete momentum swing (winning last week),” Cox said. “It validates what we are doing. It is easier to come in the morning, knowing that you have that ‘W.’”
Junior Marcus Davis (72 yards and 2 TDs on 20 carries last week) and sophomore Alfred Ramsby (115 yards and 1 TD on 10 carries last week) led the Lakota West rushing attack against Fairmont.
Sophomore quarterback Jordan Darling started his first game of the season and completed 10-of-16 passes for 170 yards in the win. He also rushed for a touchdown and was honored by the school as its Athlete of the Week.
WestChesterBuzz.com will cover the game live and feature a photo gallery from the event. For photo galleries of past Lakota West football games visit our “photos page“
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