Middletown North had to travel to play their first game of the season, but the final result was worth the trip. They came out on top against the Howell Rebels by a score of 30-19 on Friday. The win continues a trend for the Lions in their matchups with the Rebels: they've now won five in a row.
Matthew Belenko had a dynamite game, rushing for 235 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 11.8 yards per carry. He showed off some serious burst, cutting through the defense on one rush that went for 62 yards.
Lions
| 09/05/25 @ Howell | 267 |
| 11/28/24 @ Middletown South | 76 |
| 11/01/24 vs Steinert | 235 |
| 10/25/24 @ Freehold Township | 217 |
| 10/10/24 vs Red Bank Regional | 109 |
| + 3 more games |
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Middletown North was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 267 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in September of 2024.
Connor Acker and Josh Krutyansky certainly did their best on Friday to avoid the loss. Acker threw for 231 yards and three TDs, while Krutyansky picked up 124 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
Howell's defeat dropped their record down to 1-1.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Middletown North will take on Marlboro at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Howell, they will square off against Wall Township at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
