Middletown Football 2026 Preview, Schedule and Prediction | T25PS | Top 25 Public HSFB
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2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 22 Middletown
Two-time defending Delaware Class 3A champion Middletown returns a talented young core led by Wisconsin commitment DJ Davis.
Top 25 Public HSFB7/23/20266 min read
Middletown begins the 2026 season ranked No. 22 in the T25PS Public Schools Preseason Top 100 after completing one of the strongest turnarounds of the 2025 season.
The Cavaliers lost their first three games before winning 10 straight, defeating Salesianum 28-14 in the Delaware Class 3A championship game and finishing 10-3.
The championship was Middletown’s second consecutive Class 3A title and the 10th state championship in program history.
Middletown now returns a talented young roster led by Wisconsin commitment DJ Davis, linebacker Tysir Young and edge defender Michel Adams. The Cavaliers will be tested immediately by an opening stretch that includes three out-of-state opponents.
Team Snapshot
School: Middletown High School
Location: Middletown, Delaware
Classification: Delaware Class 3A
2025 record: 10-3
2025 finish: Class 3A state champion
Head coach: Zach Blum
T25PS preseason rank: No. 22
2026 Outlook
Middletown’s 2025 season proved that an early record does not always define a team.
The Cavaliers opened with three losses before finding their identity and rolling through the remainder of the schedule. They won 10 consecutive games, captured another Class 3A championship and held Salesianum to 14 points in the title game.
The 2026 team will attempt to avoid another slow start, but the opening schedule will make that difficult.
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Middletown hosts Tottenville on Sept. 3 before traveling to New York to face Cardinal Hayes at Columbia University. The Cavaliers then visit Good Counsel in Maryland.
Those three games should tell us plenty about Middletown before the Delaware portion of the schedule begins.
The roster has enough talent to compete with that schedule.
Davis gives Middletown a proven two-way athlete at receiver and defensive back. Young and Adams lead a promising Class of 2028 group, while Hanif Miller, Mekhi Corbin, Josiah Guiro-Scretching and Brayden Felts provide experience throughout the roster.
The Cavaliers should have speed at the skill positions, size along the line and enough defensive talent to remain the favorite in Class 3A.
Players to Know
DJ Davis — WR/DB, 2027
Davis is a Wisconsin commitment and one of Delaware’s most prominent Class of 2027 prospects. He can contribute at receiver, defensive back and on special teams, giving Middletown a player capable of changing the game in several different ways.
Tysir Young — LB, 2028
Young enters his junior season as one of the most important players in Middletown’s defensive front seven. His range and physicality give the Cavaliers a young linebacker capable of affecting both the running game and passing lanes.
Michel Adams — EDGE, 2028
Adams gives Middletown length and pressure ability off the edge. His continued development could help the Cavaliers create problems for opposing quarterbacks without having to bring additional defenders.
Hanif Miller — RB, 2027
Miller provides experience in the backfield and should be part of Middletown’s plan to establish a consistent running game. His production will become especially important during the opening three-game stretch.
Mekhi Corbin — LB/RB, 2027
Corbin can contribute on both sides of the football. His versatility gives Middletown another option at running back and an experienced presence in the linebacker group.
Josiah Guiro-Scretching — OL/DL, 2027
Guiro-Scretching provides size and experience along the line. His ability to contribute on both sides could become valuable against the larger fronts Middletown will face early in the season.
Brayden Felts — OT, 2027
Felts is another important member of Middletown’s offensive line. The Cavaliers will need dependable protection and consistent run blocking against Tottenville, Cardinal Hayes and Good Counsel.
Arric Dawkins — RB, 2028
Dawkins gives Middletown another young option in the backfield. His development could provide the Cavaliers with additional depth and explosiveness as the season progresses.
Schedule Breakdown
Middletown will not have much time to settle into the season.
The Cavaliers open Sept. 3 at home against Tottenville before facing Cardinal Hayes at Columbia University on Sept. 11. They complete the opening stretch Sept. 18 at Good Counsel.
Middletown then has an open week before traveling to Smyrna on Oct. 2.
Sussex Central visits Middletown on Oct. 9, followed by a home game against William Penn. The scheduled Oct. 23 game at Caravel Academy has been canceled, leaving Middletown with nine current regular-season games.
The Cavaliers host Salesianum in a rematch of the 2025 Class 3A championship game on Oct. 30. Hodgson visits the following week before Middletown closes the regular season at Appoquinimink.
2026 Middletown Schedule
Sept. 3: vs. Tottenville (NY)
Sept. 11: vs. Cardinal Hayes (NY) at Columbia University
Sept. 18: at Good Counsel (MD)
Oct. 2: at Smyrna
Oct. 9: vs. Sussex Central
Oct. 16: vs. William Penn
Oct. 30: vs. Salesianum
Nov. 6: vs. Hodgson
Nov. 13: at Appoquinimink
Biggest Question
Can Middletown handle its opening schedule without another slow start?
The Cavaliers proved last season that they can recover from early losses. They would prefer not to spend another season climbing out of a hole.
Tottenville, Cardinal Hayes and Good Counsel will test Middletown’s depth, discipline and ability to protect the football.
The Cavaliers have enough talent to compete in all three games. Avoiding penalties, turnovers and special-teams mistakes will be essential against opponents capable of turning those mistakes into points.
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T25PS Prediction
Regular-season prediction: 8-1
Postseason prediction: Delaware Class 3A state champion
Middletown could lose one of its three opening games and still enter the Delaware schedule as the favorite to win another Class 3A championship.
Davis gives the Cavaliers a proven playmaker, while Young and Adams lead a young defensive group with significant upside. The offensive line and running game should become stronger as the season progresses.
The prediction is that Middletown navigates the opening stretch with one loss, wins the remainder of its regular-season games and captures a third consecutive Class 3A championship.
Bottom Line
Middletown is not ranked No. 22 because of reputation alone.
The Cavaliers finished 2025 with 10 consecutive wins, defeated Salesianum for another state championship and return a roster with talent in multiple graduating classes.
The opening schedule will immediately test whether this team belongs in the national Top 25. It will also prepare Middletown for another postseason run.
If the Cavaliers play clean football in September and continue developing their young defensive talent, they could rise well above their preseason ranking.
Thanks for reading,
Alex | T25PS
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