The top-seeded Middletown Cavaliers (11-1) claimed their fifth state championship, and first since moving up to D-I in 2002, with a thrilling 26-22 comeback victory over second-seeded Sussex Central (10-2) in the Division I state football championship game on Friday night at Delaware State's Alumni Stadium.

Senior receiver-kicker Ryan Gerlitz scored 20 of Middletown's points by catching two touchdown passes, kicking two field goals and converting two-of-three extra-point attempts. Gerlitz finished the game with six catches for 176 yards and he added a key 16-yard run on the Cavaliers' game-winning drive.

Middletown quarterback Kenny Anderson also had a big night, connecting on 10-of-16 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns.

"It's a dream come true," Anderson said. "I grew up in Middletown and I used to go to the games when I was little. I don't think its hit me yet. I'll probably wake up tomorrow morning and realize what just happened."

Middletown also got a boost from senior linebacker Sean Adkins, who played despite suffering from a torn A.C.L.

Overall, Middletown held a 291-to-282 yard edge in total offense, despite running 16 fewer offensive plays than the Golden Knights.

Middletown started quickly, with Anderson connecting with Gerlitz for a 69-yard gain on the game's second play from scrimmage. Four plays later, Gerlitz drilled a 30-yard field goal, giving the Cavs an early 3-0 lead.

Following a missed field goal by Central, Middletown came back with an eight-play, 80-yard drive. Again it was Gerlitz that made the key plays, with the first coming on a 48-yard pass that he caught over two defenders. Gerlitz capped the drive when he caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Anderson on a quick slant, despite being double-covered.

At that point, Central was in desperate need of a spark. They got it when halfback Monte Murray took a handoff on a well designed draw play and burst up the middle for a 55-yard touchdown. Central's ensuing extra-point attempt sailed wide to the left, leaving the score 10-6 Middletown with 7:42 left in the second quarter.

The Golden Knights defense responded on the ensuing Middletown possession when Colin Serman intercepted a pass across the middle at the Middletown 42.

Eight plays later, Murray gave Central it's first lead of the game when he scored on a five-yard run to the right side. D.J. Hickman then added the extra-point, giving the Golden Knights a 13-10 lead with 2:27 left in the half.

The excitement continued on the ensuing kickoff when Middletown's Stan Demby broke for a 40-yard return to the Central 40-yard line. The Cavaliers picked up one first down, but they were forced to settle for a 41-yard field goal by Gerlitz (that would have been good from 50) that knotted the score at 13-all with 25 seconds left in the first half.

Sussex Central regained the lead on the second play of the third quarter, when Murray broke loose for a 61-yard touchdown run. The Golden Knights ran a fake on the ensuing extra-point, with holder D.J. Long attempting to run the ball in to the right side, but he was stopped one-yard short of the end zone, leaving the score 19-13.

The Central defense came up with another turnover on Middletown's next possession, as Randy Brittingham picked off a pass and returned it 23 yards to the Cavaliers 22-yard line.

Central appeared to have broken the game open when Murray scored on a five-yard run two plays later, but the play was negated by a holding penalty and Central had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Hickman that pushed the lead to 22-13 with 6:08 left in the third quarter.

Middletown appeared to have gone three-and-out on their next possession but a roughing the punter penalty against Central gave them new life. Two plays later, Anderson connected with Gerlitz for a 49-yard touchdown as time expired in the third quarter. Gerlitz was headed to his right when he made the catch, but he made a spectacular cut back to the left and rolled to the end zone, pulling Middletown within 22-19.

"It seemed like they started to drop back a lot (in coverage), so we tried to go underneath," Gerlitz said. "I was wide open and Kenny put it right on the money. A seam opened up and Cameron Thomas made a block on one of the corners to set me free."

Central responded with a 62-yard kickoff return by Jordan Jones that gave them the ball at the Middletown 30. Central picked up one first down, but they turned the ball over on downs when Long's fourth down pass fell incomplete with 9:05 left to play.

Middletown took advantage, putting together a nine-play, 78-yard drive. Anderson got things started with a 12-yard pass to Cameron Thomas. On the next play, Gerlitz lined up at quarterback and took off running up the right side for a 16-yard gain. Following a 12-yard pass from Anderson to Ben Hopkins, Central linebacker Nick Heald sacked Anderson for a nine-yard loss at the Central 43-yard line.

Middletown, facing a second-and-19, reached into their bag of tricks on the next play, running a perfect hook-and-lateral play. The play unfolded with Anderson hitting Gerlitz at the 36-yard line on the right side. Gerlitz quickly pitched the ball to Thomas, who rolled to the Central 11 for a 32-yard pickup.

"We talked about that play the entire game and we knew we wanted to use it in the right spot," Middletown coach Mark DelPercio said. "We knew they were jumping on Ryan on the hitch and that we'd be able to get Cameron free on the outside. We were just able to get it off."

Then, on third and nine from the 10, Anderson found Hopkins on the right side of the field. Hopkins made the catch before cutting into the end zone just inside the pylon. Gerlitz tacked on the extra-point, giving Middletown a 26-22 lead with 4:45 left to play.

"We ran a corner route and Kenny threw a perfect ball," Hopkins said of his scoring catch. "I just focused on it and made sure that once I caught it, that I got into the end zone."

Following the ensuing kickoff, Central took over with the ball at their own 29-yard line. They converted two fourth downs, with the second coming on a spectacular, tackle-breaking four–yard pickup by Murray near midfield with 30 seconds left to play. Central, which was out of timeouts, saw their title hopes vanish when Murray was tackled at the Middletown 43 following a five-yard pass from Long.

When time expired, the Middletown players raced onto the field in celebration.

Anderson, who went 4-for-4 for 69 yards on the game-winning drive, said the Cavaliers never panicked.

"We just wanted to stay calm and not force anything," Anderson said. "I knew we had a lot of time left and we knew we could take our time and move the ball down the field the way we know how to. I had confidence in my receivers and my line. They played great all night. It makes my job easier.

"It was the way a state championship game should be and it was a great team win."

The only drawback to an exciting evening was that someone had to lose. Central gave a courageous effort, worthy of a champion, but it wasn't meant to be.

Among their stars were Murray, who rushed for a game-high 187 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, linebacker Nick Heald, who recorded three sacks, and interior linemen Joey Costa, William Blake and Marvin Taylor, who controlled the line of scrimmage for much of the game.

"Central is an outstanding team with an outstanding coach," DelPercio said. "We knew it was going to be a battle tonight. We thought all along that this was the best team we've seen all year, but we also felt that we were the best team that they had seen."

Sussex Central coach John Wells was proud of his team's performance, especially his seniors.

"Our kids have been special since ninth grade," Wells said. "We're going to miss them. Hopefully, our young kids saw how they played and practiced and worked in the offseason and they'll learn from that. They always played hard and you can't question their heart."

STATISTICS

RUSHING

SUSSEX CENTRAL (47-252): [5] Murray 21-187 (3 TD), [22] Williams 18-48, [11] Long 5-12, [20] Showell 2-5, [12] Jones 1-0

MIDDLETOWN (22-35): [17] Scott Adkins 11-31, [16] Gerlitz 1-16, [12] Thomas 1-1, [27] Johnson 2-(minus-4), [9] Anderson 7-(minus-9)

PASSING

SUSSEX CENTRAL: [11] Long 2-7-0, 30 yards

MIDDLETOWN: [9] Anderson 10-16-2, 256 yards (3 TD)

RECEIVING

SUSSEX CENTRAL: [12] Jones 1-25, [5] Murray 1-5

MIDDLETOWN: [16] Gerlitz 6-176 (2 TD), [12] Thomas 2-58, [11] Hopkins 2-22 (TD)

TOTAL OFFENSE

SUSSEX CENTRAL: 54-282

MIDDLETOWN: 38-291

TAKEAWAYS

SUSSEX CENTRAL: 2 – [25] Serman INT, [15] Brittingham INT

MIDDLETOWN: 0

SCORING SUMMARY

1st QTR

M-Gerlitz 30-yard field goal / 3-0 Middletown 8:48

2nd QTR

M-Gerlitz 8-yard pass from Anderson (Gerlitz kick) 10-0 Middletown 9:28

SC-Murray 55-yard run (kick failed) 10-6 Middletown 7:42

SC-Murray 5-yard run (Hickman kick) 13-10 Sussex Central 2:27

M-Gerlitz 41-yard field goal / 13-13 tie 0:25

3rd QTR

SC-Murray 61-yard run (run failed) 19-13 Sussex Central 10:59

SC-Hickman 23-yard field goal / 22-13 Sussex Central 6:08

M-Gerlitz 41-yard pass from Anderson (kick failed) 22-19 Sussex Central 0:00

4th QTR

M-Hopkins 10-yard pass from Anderson (Gerlitz kick) 26-22 Middletown 4:45