The Midway football team concluded its regular season play on Friday, hosting the Goldsboro Cougars on Senior Night. The Raiders needed a win to keep their playoffs hopes alive, but Goldsboro squashed those hopes winning in convincing fashion, 40-7.
The teams swapped possessions for much of the first quarter until Goldsboro’s Xzavior Bowden took advantage of some poor Midway tackling to punch it in from 32 yards out for the go-ahead score. The point after attempt sailed wide left, but the Cougars led 6-0.
With action now in the second quarter, Goldsboro found themselves the beneficiary of a failed Midway gamble. The Raiders had fourth-and-one just inside their own territory when the Cougars stuffed them just short of the line to gain. After taking over on a downs, Goldsboro was in the end zone again on a 30-yard passing touchdown from Brody Morton to Kris Floyd. The two-point conversion failed and with 9:02 left in the half, the Cougars led 12-0.
After a Midway fumble on their own 38-yard line they handed possession right back to Goldsboro, it only took one play for Bowden to scamper all 38 yards to the end zone to extend the lead. The Cougars missed yet another two-point try, but still led 18-0 with 6:03 left in the half.
Suddenly, Midway found a spark. On the ensuing kickoff, Raiders return man Donte Blue busted through a gap in the Goldsboro coverage and was off to the races, romping 82 yards for Midway’s first touchdown in four games. Juan Medellin’s PAT was good and Midway was back in 18-7.
The Raiders really looked to be on the brink of making things interesting when they recovered the onside kick on the ensuing kickoff. Colby Pope recovered the kick to set his team up with great field position on the Cougar 41, but the Raiders couldn’t capitalize. Midway quarterback Carson Calcutt’s pass attempt to Jamarrius Rich was picked off and returned all the way down to the Midway 29-yard line.
Any momentum Midway had was smashed when Bowden found the end zone again with 3:01 left in the half. This time, the Cougars converted the two-point conversion to push the lead back to 26-7.
That score would carry over to the third quarter, when Midway would get the ball first. Unfortunately for the Raiders, Goldsboro came away with another interception on another Calcutt pass at midfield.
With 8:08 left in the third, Goldsboro’s J.B. Rhodes found the end zone for another Cougars score to make it 34-7. Bowden and Goldsboro picked up one final score with 9:29 left in the game on an 18-yard run to conclude the game at 40-7.
With the loss, Midway finishes the season at 3-8 overall and is likely eliminated from playoff contention.
Blue led Midway’s offense with 68 yards on 19 carries. On defense, Logan Rogers had seven tackles and Cameron Calcutt added six.
For Goldsboro, Bowden finished with 179 yards on 20 carries. Morton was 11-for-16 passing with 160 yards and a touchdown.