The Midlo Trojans varsity football team played its first post-COVID-19 home game against the Clover Hill Cavaliers on September 10, 2021. Coming off a 41-40 victory over Prince George, fans were ecstatic to see the Trojans compete on their own lawn for the first time in over 18 months. The Cavaliers have had a sturdy reputation in years past, which only fueled the Trojan spirit as they awaited kickoff.

As the sun began to fade over F.W. Poates Stadium, the Trojan kicker, junior Maxx Lawton, launched the ball into Clover Hill territory to start off the event. Midlo started off hot with a rushing touchdown to the right courtesy of junior Connor Harrington. Lawton made the PAT, making the score seven to zero. The Cavaliers responded with an eloquent drive down the field and a rushing touchdown of their own, tying the game up, seven to seven. The Trojans marched their way down the field, leading to a touchdown pass from junior quarterback Cooper Meads over the middle to Harrington, who walked in for the touchdown. Harrington had two touchdowns in the first quarter, one rushing and one receiving.

The battle picked up following the start of the second quarter. The Trojans used the momentum of their fiery first quarter to score another touchdown, as Meads threw a perfect spiral to freshman Drew Kleski to extend their lead against Clover Hill. “The atmosphere was crazy. I had never played in front of that many people before, so I was happy to score my first varsity touchdown on my home field,” explained Kleski. Junior Makhi Jackson then made a rushing touchdown to bring the Trojans to a 28-7 lead.

Red, white and blue were the colors of the night, which blended nicely with the Veteran appreciation halftime show. Since the game took place on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, all four branches of the military were represented and honored during the half. Veterans also brought out and held the freedom flag, as each symbol was explained from the commentator’s booth. Then followed a moment of silence where the fans reflected on the sacrifices made by the brave men and women in the armed forces for our freedom. The display brought all fans together as the buzzer sounded for the start of the second half.

As the game resumed, the Trojans had full momentum coming out of halftime with a commanding 28-7 lead over the Cavaliers. The Trojans maintained a balanced attack, accompanied by consistent defense. As the third quarter progressed, the Trojans took a more conservative approach and started running the ball less frequently. As a result, they killed time of possession and successfully scored a 50+ yard rushing touchdown, to extend the lead 34-7. Their game plan in the third quarter worked to perfection and alleviated any pressure going into the final quarter.

The last quarter emphasized the importance of a conservative offense. With Midlo’s strong lead, the new objective was to run out the clock at whatever cost. Out of desperation, the Cavaliers hurled a 50-yard passing touchdown to bring the game to 34-14. Midlo then scored on their next possession in the final moments of the game. “Every time there was a successful play done by our football team, our student section would erupt in cheers,” junior Scarlett South said. With a 41-14 victory over Clover Hill and a total of 438 yards, Midlo rejoiced as the game came to an end.