MIDDLETOWN — Chandler Shields wants to bring the Middie Magic back to Barnitz Stadium.
The Middletown High School football team will look to its new leader to help make that happen.
“Middie Magic is bringing the city back together,” said Shields, a senior wide receiver and defensive back. “Middie Magic is like the aura that we bring to the city — make people actually want to come out here and watch and be entertained by us.
“You’re going to see a lot more explosiveness, a lot of fast plays, a lot of action.”
Kali Jones now has the reigns. He took over for Don Simpson, who stepped down after leading the Middies the last six seasons. Jones was the head coach at Withrow since 2019 before being hired at Middletown in December.
“The vibe has been phenomenal. A lot of support and a lot of buy-in,” Jones said during a practice last week. “With the support and buy-in, that kind of lays a great atmosphere to build a foundation.
“We’ve got great energy,” Jones added. “It’s been pretty good. Pretty sharp. We’re just building it and bringing it back to where it was — with aspirations of taking it further than where it’s been.
“We’re laying the foundation now. Just working hard. Got our heads down, grinding, grinding, grinding — controlling what we can control. That’s the Middletown Middies. As long as we can control what we can control, everything else is going to fall into place.”
Withrow reached the playoffs each of the last four seasons and went 33-21 in five years under Jones’ leadership.
The Tigers finished 12-2 — a program record for most wins — in 2023 and won the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference Red Division title the last two years. Jones, a 2005 Wright State University graduate, was twice named the CMAC Coach of the Year.
Jones has the resume to prompt a bounce back at Middletown, which finished 3-8 each of the last two seasons.
The Middies were eighth in the Greater Miami Conference with a 2-7 record and were the No. 15 seed in Division I, Region 4 this past season. They lost eight of their final nine games a season ago, including a 41-15 defeat to No. 2 Princeton in the first round of the playoffs.
“Our core values are ‘accountability, responsibility and commitment,’ and we call those ‘man principles,’” Jones said. “If we can apply those principles to every facet of our life — especially here on the field — then we’re going to have success.”
Middletown opens the season on Aug. 23 at Troy and kicks off GMC play at home against Oak Hills on Aug. 30.
“We’re not worried about anything else,” Jones said. “We’re just worried about controlling us, building on those principles — fast, physical and tough. Everything else will shake out.
“It prepares us for the journey of being champions,” Jones noted of the GMC schedule. “So, our motto is ‘building champion men, while winning championships.’ The only way that you can get prepared is to see that fire. It’s good that this conference is loaded the way that it is with competition, great coaches, great programs. So, we’re excited to embrace that challenge.
Jones brought some coaches from Withrow, including offensive coordinator Brian Blevins. He retained Middletown assistant coaches Jalin Marshall (special teams coordinator/assistant head coach) and Artrell Hawkins (defensive backs). Former Michigan player and Huber Heights Wayne assistant coach Tyree Kinnel is the Middletown defensive coordinator.
“You’re going to see a fast, physical football team,” Jones said. “You’re going to see a lot of energy, great football schematics. We have phenomenal coaches here, who are implemented their schemes and philosophies. You’re going to see some really good football.”
Maximillian Johnson, a senior wide receiver and defensive back, said the coaching transition has been flawless and preseason workouts have been productive.
“This is what we needed was a different change in environment and better vibes that the players are feeling,” Johnson said. “Everybody seems to work together now and less conflict. We’ve just got to play fast, play our game and not listen to the outside crowd. We’re got to keep everything within our circle.
“The expectations, I would say, is a bunch of big plays, playing fast, playing physical and winning a lot of games,” Johnson added. “Have a winning record because I have yet to do that for my varsity experience so far. And hopefully, we can change that. I know all of my other seniors are expected to do the same thing.
Shields mirrored that sentiment.
“There’s been a lot of work being put together to get that vibe going,” he said. “Look around. You see a lot more. You hear the music playing and everything looks better.
“More work. A lot more work ethic is about to come. A lot more focusing and a lot more paying attention. As of right now, we’re about to be right back up there with no problems.”
