Newark, DE – It was a conservative offensive approach by Smyrna standards, but it was a winning strategy Saturday afternoon as the Eagles defeated Middletown 36-14 and successfully defended their state championship.

Head Coach Mike Judy relied on running backs Will Knight and Leddie Brown to wear down the Cavalier defense.  Knight did have a 46 yard touchdown run, but for the most part his runs were of the six to eight yard variety.  Nothing flashy, but very effective in sustaining drives and producing points.  Several of his rush attempts where from a direct snap from center.  On the day, Knight rushed for four touchdowns.

The win was the 22nd straight for the Eagles.  Smyrna should be viewed a favorite again in 2017.  The Eagles do lose quarterback Nolan Henderson (University of Delaware commit), but key players like Knight and Brown were juniors on this year’s team.