Fifth-ranked Middlesex spoils Charles City’s Senior Night festivities

By Robb Johnson | January 31, 2023 11:39 pm

Charles City’s Mitchell Whitehead (3) tries to adjust his body midflight against the defense applied by Middlesex’s Malik Dandy (30).

Robb Johnson photo

Charles City’s Panthers have run the gauntlet against top ten teams ranked in Class 1A in Virginia. After dropping losses to tenth-ranked Carver Academy and seventh-ranked Northampton, the Panthers welcomed fifth-ranked Middlesex as part of Senior Night. And as with the previous two contests, Charles City found it difficult to hang with another top tier team.

Middlesex catapulted out the game and cruised to a 75-48 victory in the Tuesday night Tidewater District contest.

With Charles City’s Senior Class starting the game, it was Bryan Lewis’ lay-in that put the Panthers up early. But after a Middlesex timeout, the Chargers put an end to the brief lead, outscoring the hosts 18-7 to close out the frame.

Not helping the matter was Lewis being in foul trouble, as he hit the bench with three fouls in the first. With his team needing a spark in the second, Lewis reentered the game and scored. But moments later, Middlesex guard Ichi Layne baited Lewis into a charge, sending the senior to the bench for the remainder of the quarter. Meanwhile, the Chargers doubled up the Panthers in the stanza, taking a 36-17 lead in the half.

Middlesex continued to dominate the game after the halftime intermission, leading 60-28 after three before coasting the remainder of the way in the game with a running clock in play.

After the contest, Charles City Head Coach Da’Quantae Mason tried to speak about the positives as his team dropped their fifth consecutive contest.

“We have to finish the season strong in these last three games on the road,” he said, pointing to how the outcomes of each game will determine playoff positioning. “Tonight, I wanted my seniors to have fun, especially with this being their last game at home.

“Right now, our focus is turning to the playoffs, and we have to fight for that position ourselves,” Mason concluded.

Lewis’ 15 points led Charles City, whose record falls to 7-12 on the year. Jonlei Coles scored six, the quartet of Randy Brown Jr., Tyshawn Dennis, Taequan Williams, and Mitchell Whitehead all scored five, Messiyah Greene tossed in four, and Aidan Stewart pumped in three.