Middletown Cavaliers dominate Penn State 7v7 tournament

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of Delaware's top high school football teams, entering the 2025 season, dominated the most recent Penn State 7-on-7 tournament. The Middletown Cavaliers, 2024 state champions in Delaware's highest classification, went undefeated en route to winning the Penn State 7v7 tournament championship. They defeated Loyal Elite, a 7v7 travel organization from Delaware, by a score of 28-14 in the championship game. Prep Redzone was on hand to watch Middletown play two games (Clairton and the championship game against Loyal Fitness).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MIDDLETOWN'S ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PLAYOFFS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Round 1 - Middletown 39 James Wood (VA) 13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Round 2 - Middletown 31, New Oxford (PA) 7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Round 3 - Middletown 1,5 Clairton (PA) 11</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Semi-Finals - Middletown 26 Imani Christian (PA) 12</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Championship Game: Middletown 28, Loyal Elite (DE) 14</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>See what players stood out to us from Middletown in those two games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1693611,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Derian Cunningham","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"180","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Middletown","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6853387e8a990"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Derian Cunningham was the conductor of a Middletown offense that was missing some of its firepower (due to visits). That being said, Middletown put points on the board all day, and he threw six touchdowns in the two games that I watched. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>During the 2024 season, he threw for 1,823 yards and 20 touchdowns. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>*See clips below with [player_tooltip player_id='1314870' first='Darius' last='Pope'], Kaivon Bailey, and [player_tooltip player_id='934039' first='DJ' last='Davis']*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1314870"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1693614,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6853387e8a9f6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1314870' first='Darius' last='Pope'] made a big impact in the chip game against Loyal Fitness. He caught at least three passes, including two for a touchdown. Buffalo, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech are among the schools offering him a spot. He caught 38 passes for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="in" dir="ltr">Derian Cunningham x [player_tooltip player_id='1314870' first='Darius' last='Pope'] <a href="https://twitter.com/MiddletownFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MiddletownFB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Preps_247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Preps_247</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_derian12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_derian12</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DariusPope21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DariusPope21</a> <a href="https://t.co/xwXcPSFWtj">pic.twitter.com/xwXcPSFWtj</a></p>&mdash; EdOBrienCFB (@EdOBrienCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdOBrienCFB/status/1935471644660654474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["401345"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6853387e8aa43"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='401345' first='Jacque' last='Wilson'] had a pass deflection in both games against Clairton and Loyal Fitness. He was a tackle machine last season for the Cavaliers. Wilson made 120 total tackles (80 solo, 12 TFL) and sacked the quarterback twice. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Class of 2026 LB Jacque [player_tooltip player_id='1256586' first='Wilson' last=''] (Middletown - DE) with the pass deflection <a href="https://twitter.com/Preps_247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Preps_247</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Jacque[player_tooltip player_id='1256586' first='Wilson' last='']302?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jacque[player_tooltip player_id='1256586' first='Wilson' last='']302</a> <a href="https://t.co/tLkUEF6Ns6">pic.twitter.com/tLkUEF6Ns6</a></p>&mdash; EdOBrienCFB (@EdOBrienCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdOBrienCFB/status/1935471305341476922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1693621,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kaivon Bailey","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Middletown","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6853387e8aadd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kaivon Bailey was Derian Cunningham's favorite target in the two games that I watched him play in. He caught at least five passes, including two touchdowns, in the chip game against Loyal Elite. Bailey had at least two catches against Clairton, including one for a touchdown. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="et" dir="ltr">Derian Cunningham vs. Kaivon Bailey <a href="https://twitter.com/MiddletownFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MiddletownFB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KaivonBailey7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KaivonBailey7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Preps_247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Preps_247</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_derian12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_derian12</a> <a href="https://t.co/3ubmio0c5m">pic.twitter.com/3ubmio0c5m</a></p>&mdash; EdOBrienCFB (@EdOBrienCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdOBrienCFB/status/1935471084314181794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["934039"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1693631,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6853387e8ab2a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='934039' first='DJ' last='Davis'] caught a touchdown against Clairton and deflected a pass against Loyal Elite. He is a three-sport athlete who already has 15 offers. His latest offer came from Maryland on June 16th. Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, UConn, and Wisconsin all offered Davis during the month of May. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="cy" dir="ltr">Derian Cunningham x [player_tooltip player_id='934039' first='DJ' last='Davis']<a href="https://twitter.com/_derian12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@_derian12</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DJ_Davis02?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DJ_Davis02</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Preps_247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Preps_247</a> <a href="https://t.co/gdRbFQyVIB">pic.twitter.com/gdRbFQyVIB</a></p>&mdash; EdOBrienCFB (@EdOBrienCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdOBrienCFB/status/1935470300646281635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's no question that Middletown is one of the heavy favorites to win the state championship in Delaware's Class 3A this upcoming season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->