On a long Monday night at home, the Clinton Dark Horses didn’t just defend their floor — they imposed their identity across every level, sweeping all four contests against the Midway Raiders in a county showdown defined by defensive pressure, depth, and composure.
From a gritty JV girls battle that swung on patience and poise, to a varsity boys finish that demanded toughness across all four quarters, the Dark Horses controlled tempo, trusted their systems, and leaned into lessons learned earlier in the season.
JV girls
Clinton 18 Midway 14
Defense set the tone from the opening tip. Midway held a slim 5-3 edge at the end of the first quarter, with both teams grinding through possessions and valuing every look. The Lady Raiders carried a 9-6 advantage into halftime, controlling pace and contesting every passing lane.
Clinton responded with composure.
Samiya Smith opened the second half by knocking down both free throws to tie the game, and freshman Janiya Tann followed with a momentum-swinging post finish off an outlet pass to give Clinton its first lead at 10-9 midway through the third quarter.
From there, pressure changed everything.
Clinton shifted into a half-court press that began to disrupt Midway’s rhythm. Karson Wilson buried a three to extend the lead, and although the Dark Horses left points on the floor, the defensive energy tilted the game. Clinton closed the third quarter up 13-9.
Midway battled back late, earning trips to the line and trimming the deficit, but Smith answered again with a timely three. Despite clutch free throws from Skylar Williams, the Raiders could not fully erase the gap, as Clinton sealed the 18-14 win at the line with free throws by Smith.
JV girls head coach Jojuan Mosley credited his team’s mental toughness.
“They is a resilient group,” Mosley explained. “That pressure they put on the ball, getting turnovers, and just fighting through… keeping them calm and focused on the goal and the task. They wanted to win.”
Mosley emphasized controlling emotions amid physical play.
“We tell them from the beginning, we’re going to get calls that go our way, and some that won’t,” he added. “Next play. No matter what happens — next play.”
Across the floor, Midway JV coach Chris Owens praised his young roster.
“I got plenty of confidence in my girls,” Owens said. “I’ve got a bunch of freshmen, a couple sophomores, and everybody stepped up. We don’t get much practice in, but they played hard, they listened, and I can’t ask for nothing else.”
Owens believes experiences like this are foundational.
“This is where it starts,” he said. “If we want to build our program, the JV girls have to do their part. Nights like this help them grow.”
JV boys
Clinton 41 Midway 33
Clinton wasted little time setting the tone in the JV boys game, jumping ahead behind active hands and quick decisions. The Dark Horses surged to a 15-5 first-quarter lead, stretching it to 22-5 early in the second.
Midway responded with pressure of its own, and Sam Scott sparked the Raiders late in the half with a three, helping close the margin to 22-16 at the break. Elijah Bryant led Clinton with 11 points at halftime, while Scott paced Midway with eight.
The Dark Horses reasserted control after the break. NySir Brewington opened the third with a triple, and Clinton’s full-court man-to-man pressure continued to force turnovers, allowing the hosts to extend the lead to 34-20 entering the fourth.
Midway found success late, but Clinton’s motion offense continued to produce quality looks, including a corner jumper from C. Stennell that helped keep the Raiders at arm’s length. Clinton controlled tempo from start to finish in the 41-33 victory.
JV boys head coach Roland Thompson saw value beyond the scoreboard.
“These county games are different,” Thompson noted. “You can win conference games, but these are the ones you’ve got to be ready for. It’s rivalry. They don’t want to hear it later.”
Thompson stressed accountability as the season progresses.
“When kids start winning, they can forget the little things,” he explained. “Communication, discipline – that’s where we stay on them. If that means changing lineups or humbling them a bit, that’s what we’ll do.”
Midway JV coach Jody Ellis praised his group’s effort despite the loss, calling Clinton “the best team we’ve seen all season.” Ellis said if his squad competes with the same intensity the rest of the year, “we’ll be in good shape going forward.”
Varsity girls
Clinton 52 Midway 22
The varsity girls contest saw Clinton’s depth and defensive intensity take over early. Rotations were sharp, energy stayed high, and opportunities were shared as the Dark Horses pulled away steadily.
Head coach Chris Owens pointed to what happens before game night.
“It’s the competitiveness in practice,” Owens said. “We don’t go light. We push each other for two hours. If you want playing time, you earn it.”
Owens said that mindset has built trust throughout the lineup.
“I’m confident playing anybody,” he added. “We’ve got 13 players, and I know I can put any of them out there and keep clicking.”
Midway head coach Susan Brown acknowledged the challenge of a demanding schedule.
“We’ve been playing up all season,” Brown said. “It’s good experience, but three games a week is tough. We’re managing minutes and trying to stay healthy for conference play.”
Brown noted that despite the outcome, the exposure benefits her younger players.
“It’s been four or five years since we had a JV,” she explained. “This helps build the future, even when it comes with growing pains.”
Varsity boys
Clinton 72 Midway 59
The night closed with a physical, high-energy varsity boys matchup. Midway briefly held an early edge before Clinton capitalized on turnovers, using transition offense and inside finishes to seize control.
Jaiden Bell knocked down a pair of three-pointers in the opening quarter, and Clinton led 18-12 after one. The Dark Horses stretched the lead in the second, with Holden Spell and Jaiden Howard scoring late before Anyahs Butler drilled a deep buzzer-beater to send Clinton into halftime ahead 42-29.
Midway battled in the third behind Colin Woods and Tanner Williams, but Butler struck again at the buzzer to make it 61-43 entering the fourth. The Raiders trimmed the margin with free throws and timely baskets, but Clinton responded with quick points of its own before emptying the bench late in the 72-59 win.
Midway head coach Jermaine McNeil credited his team’s effort in a difficult environment.
“It was a big county rivalry,” McNeil said. “They weren’t intimidated – just a little behind early. But I’m very proud of how hard they played. It was a dog fight.”
McNeil emphasized growth through adversity.
“We can’t rely on one player,” he noted. “If Collins gets aggressive, everybody has to be aggressive. Don’t force it – let the game come to you.”
Clinton head coach Michael Boykin highlighted the fundamentals that fueled the win.
“We rebounded our tails off,” Boykin said. “We took care of the ball, hit shots, and did what we do. Effort is something the team controls, and they do a great job of that.”
Boykin credited veteran leadership for keeping the group grounded.
“We’ve got seniors who understand what’s expected,” he added. “They’ve been here long enough. A lot doesn’t need to be said.”
Clinton’s sweep was not just about wins, but about identity – pressure, patience, and preparation across all four levels.