The Midway Raiders picked up a pair of wins on the road Thursday night, taking the JV boys contest 55-51 before closing the evening with a 65-57 victory in the varsity boys matchup over the Lakewood Leopards.
In between, the Lady Leopards defended their home floor, earning a 43-32 win in the varsity girls game. The inter-county non-conference matchup delivered what every rivalry game does: grit, competitiveness, and passionate supporters rooting loudly for their respective programs.
JV
The night opened with a tightly contested JV boys matchup between the Lakewood Leopards and the Midway Raiders, a game defined by momentum swings and decided in the closing minutes.
The early stages saw both teams trade baskets before Lakewood began capitalizing on Midway misses, stringing together a run that pushed the Leopards ahead 16-9 entering the second quarter. Foul trouble soon became a major factor, as Lakewood reached the bonus with five minutes remaining in the half. Midway took advantage at the free throw line and off turnovers, eventually pulling in front 26-25 with 1:45 left.
Chance Sessoms settled the Leopards by knocking down two free throws to regain the lead, then followed with a corner three from the right side to extend the margin. Midway answered just before the buzzer when Holden Carter finished inside, sending Lakewood into halftime with a 30-28 advantage. Sessoms led the Leopards at the break with 11 points, while Ian Zaragoza paced the Raiders with eight.
Midway opened the third quarter with a free throw, but Sessoms again responded with a corner triple. Zymier Small jumped a passing lane for an uncontested layup, and the Raiders continued to benefit from Lakewood mistakes, building a 39-35 lead. Midway pushed the margin to ten before a late Leopard basket trimmed it to 47-39 entering the fourth.
Sessoms stayed hot to begin the final quarter, connecting on yet another corner three. Jaimir Rich followed with a steal and coast-to-coast layup, cutting the deficit to three. After another Lakewood bucket, Midway turned to a full court press. Rich answered again on an inbound play to put the Leopards back on top at the five-minute mark.
The Raiders countered when Tyler Bentley buried a deep elbow three to tie the game at 50-50 with 2:36 remaining, forcing a Lakewood timeout. Rich broke the tie with a split trip to the line, but Midway closed strong by forcing turnovers and converting late opportunities. TJ Murphy, returning to face his former school, sparked the final surge and finished with eight points. Sam Scott led the Raiders with 14, while Rich topped Lakewood with 12.
Midway JV coach Jody Ellis praised his team’s resilience afterward.
“It’s all about integrity at the end and not giving up,” Ellis said. “This was our first win on the road, so we exercised some demons. The kids made smart plays late and probably shot our best free throws of the season.”
Ellis added that the county rivalry carried extra meaning due to a former Lakewood player now wearing Midway colors.
“The boys really rallied around him and played hard for him,” he noted. “That helped us a whole lot.”
Lakewood JV coach Marcus Graham pointed to foul trouble as a deciding factor.
“We came out hot and played well, but two of our main guys got in foul trouble,” Graham explained. “We’re not very deep on the bench, and that hurt us.”
Graham added that county matchups always carry weight.
“Once we step on that floor, it’s all about us,” he said. “There was definitely some friendly rivalry going on.”
Varsity girls
The varsity girls contest unfolded as a defensive battle early, with Areona McKoy opening the scoring for Lakewood with a field goal and two free throws. Kyleigh Stonerrock answered in the paint for Midway, and physical defense on both ends led to an 8-6 Midway edge after the first quarter.
Peyton Herring sparked the offense in the second period, while Trinity Bell responded on the other end. Senior Lindsey Royal drilled a corner three to push Midway ahead 14-9 before Jasmine Crumpler snapped Lakewood’s scoring drought. Herring caught fire late in the quarter, pouring in 10 points to give Midway a 22-13 halftime lead. McKoy paced Lakewood with nine at the break.
Lakewood responded with urgency after halftime, opening on a 10-3 run. McKoy scored through contact as part of a personal surge that swung the momentum, allowing the Leopards to take a 28-26 lead into the fourth quarter. McKoy was assessed a technical foul early in the period, but Midway failed to convert at the stripe.
The teams traded baskets until Midway cut the deficit to one at 32-31 with 3:01 left. McKoy delivered a crucial stop on defense and buried a pull-up three from the top of the key. Takiyah Carr followed with another three, and Lakewood began to press, forcing turnovers and building separation on the way to a 43-32 win.
McKoy finished with a game-high 23 points. Carr, Bell, and Rich each added six. Herring led Midway with 13, while Stonerrock finished with nine.
Lakewood girls coach Lofton Kerr credited his team’s composure after a slow start.
“The first half was terrible,” Kerr admitted. “But I kept telling them not to worry and to stay positive. We knew if we kept playing, we would take the lead and turn the game.”
Kerr also highlighted the fourth-quarter press, known as LSU.
“If you do it right, we get five-second calls and steals,” Kerr explained. “We’ve been doing it for years, and this group is still learning it.”
Midway coach Susan Brown expressed frustration with the outcome but praised her players’ effort.
“I’m frustrated because I thought it was our game,” Brown said. “But Peyton gives me everything she has, and those kids are strong rebounders.”
Brown added that her team was without its starting point guard, Ella Clark.
“Caroline Holland stepped up and did a really good job tonight,” she said. “I was proud of all of them.”
Varsity boys
The varsity boys nightcap opened with Lakewood striking first as Juan Parker energized the Leopards to a 6-1 lead. Midway responded behind Tanner Williams, who scored an and-one, drilled two three-pointers, and watched Colin Woods finish a fast break to put the Raiders ahead 14-8 with three minutes left in the opening quarter.
Both teams pushed the pace until Harry Johnson capped the period with a three-point play, giving Midway a 24-13 lead. Scoring slowed in the second quarter, but the Raiders maintained control and carried a 34-26 halftime advantage despite 17 first-half points from Parker. Williams led Midway with 14 at the break, while Woods and Johnson added seven a piece.
The second half opened with a scoring barrage on both ends, with Midway extending the margin to 49-34. The Raiders stayed in front 54-43 entering the fourth quarter before Lakewood mounted a final push. Two quick baskets trimmed the lead to seven, and Burroughs Strickland buried an elbow three to cut it to four with 4:44 remaining.
Lakewood reached the bonus, but Midway responded repeatedly at the free-throw line to neutralize the comeback and close out a 65-57 victory.
Parker led all scorers with 23 points for Lakewood. Williams provided the Raiders with 21 points, while Woods added 11.
Midway coach Jermaine McNeil said his team stayed disciplined throughout the night.
“We really needed this game,” McNeil said. “These guys played very hard, and we stuck with what’s been working.”
McNeil also emphasized the importance of balanced contributions, such as those from point guard Jonathan Locklear.
“That point guard has to run the show,” he stated. “Tanner is my horse, but it’s big when other guys step up.”
Looking ahead at Midway’s upcoming games, McNeil kept the message simple.
“Same thing we did tonight,” he declared. “Go get a victory.”