When asked to define a quarterback, the common answers that come up are the most simple and straight forward.
Someone who directs the offense, someone who passes the ball to his receivers and allows for big plays to be made, a leader.
While Middletown High School Knights Varsity Football quarterback Tim Pirrone might have the market cornered on three of those four traits, the one that could be considered foreign to Pirrone is the most common one; passing the ball.
After Week 3, Pirrone had only attempted 23 passes, albeit completing 16 of those for 121 yards and three touchdowns.
Where Pirrone has exceled though, is as a dual threat quarterback, running the ball 20 times, gaining 155 yards, for four touchdowns.
The Knights (3-0) have used this to their advantage, allowing them to be aggressive with their play-calling in hopes of finding a big play that will allow them to seize the momentum in games.
For some quartertbacks they would see this as a detriment, but Pirrone thrives in his role as a dual threat quarterback, embracing the trend that has now become a common theme in the pro game.
Pirrone’s dual threat offense will come in handy against a Walkersville High School Lions team that has been prone to giving up big plays and letting up big drives in crucial spots.
Pirrone’s play at quarterback has been crucial this year as he helped fuel a Knights offense that has exploded over their oppponent’s this season scoring 136 points in their first three games.
Pirrone has also improved from last year when he ran for 155 yards over 14 games.
The Knights will look to down a Lions (1-2) team in what has and always will be one of the best rivalries to watch in Frederick County no matter the records of the teams.
The rivalry has gone through some changes from last year compared to this year with the most noticeable change being the performance of the teams.
Over the past two years, the Lions had gone 20-4 with all four of their losses coming against, you guessed it, Middletown.
The Knights on the other hand have gone 25-1 over the same time span as Walkersville, winning two 2A State Championships and running over Walkersville on their way there.
The intrigue has not been there this year though as the Lions have struggled this year losing to lowly Catoctin and seeming to possess the type of offensive strength that made them powerful over the past two years.
The other change to the rivalry, has been the date of when the game has been played. Since 2004, the game has been played on the last week of the season giving Knights and Lions fans something to circle on the calendar.
The game was moved up to Week 4, as during the scheduling session the determination was made that the game should not be played late in the season, as to avoid the two teams meeting each other in Week 10 and then again a couple weeks later in playoffs.
The rivalry has not gained any luster to Knights players though, as any match-up between these two opponents is bound to be a no holds barred donnybrook.
“It doesn’t matter whether it is Week 1 or Week 10, the rivalry between us and the Lions will always be,” said MHS senior Ricky Leonard. “it always has been and it always will be.”
Although the Lions have struggled this season the Knights have not, blowing out Winters Mill and Boonsboro and surging to the top of the 2A West point standings with 21 points.
The rivalry also sits in an incredibly bad place with Walkersville as they have not beaten the Lions since 2004, and have had the unfortunate knowledge of knowing that they have not beaten their ival since 2004 sit in the back of their head.
The Knights, do have some pressure on them as well.
The Knights have a massive fan base, eager for blood, and multiple winning streaks that like the Lion’s losses, have to be weighing in their heads.
The Knights come into tonight with, a 25 game win streak, that dates back to 2011 when they lost to Urbana, in Week 6.
On top of their overall win streak the Knights have a home win streak that is almost as impressive, is the Knights home win streak that is at 17 games, dating back to Week 2 of the 2010 season.
The Knights have garnered national attention, because of their play, over the past few years, on nationally-known sites such as MaxPreps.
MaxPreps had the Knights ranked second in the state, ninth in the Northeast region, third in the Greater Metro/Capital region, and 182nd in the country.
On top of that the Knights garnered numerous #1 rankings including best public school in Maryland, best 2A school in Maryland, and best school in Western and Central Maryland.
The Knights play has been well deserving of their rankings, with Pirrone and the offense leading the way, averaging 337 yards per game, above the national average of 300.
Accompanying Pirrone on offense has been MHS senior Bradley Rinehart, who has rushed the ball 37 times for 288 yards and was one of the focal points of the Knights offense replacing Zach Welch, one of the best running backs in Middletown history.
The Knights are coming off a 55-13 win against the Boonsboro High School Warriors, in what might have been their most complete game of the year with almost no mistakes from the Knights, and a strong display of power, skill, and finesse from the Knights.
The Lions are coming off are coming a 33-28 loss to the Catoctin high School Cougars that saw them blow a late lead to Catoctin and Peyton Laramore.
The Lions are 0-2 on the road this season and will look for a spark to kick-start their season tonight as they reside tied for sixth in the 2A West point standings, out of a playoff spot, with seven points.
The Lions have been led offensively by senior running backs Trae Harris and Ryan Robertson who have ran for 456 and 253 yards respectively.
Other Frederick County Football Games: Governor Thomas Johnson at Lingnaore; Smithsburg at Brunswick; Tuscarora at Frederick; Urbana at Oakdale; Catoctin at South Hagerstown.
Other 2A West Football Games: Poolesville (2AW) at Walter Johnson (4AW); Catoctin (2AW) at South Hagerstown (3AW); Urbana (3AW) at Oakdale (2AW); Williamsport (2AW) at Boonsboro (2AW); South Carroll (2AW) at Century (2AW); Francis Scott Key (2AW) at liberty (2AW); Hampshire (WV) at Mountain Ridge (2AW); North Carroll (1AW) at Winters Mill (2AW).
