Hometown pride runs deep as Middlebury rallies behind 9-0 Northridge football team

MIDDLEBURY, Ind. (WNDU) - In football, three is a pretty important number.

Three points for a field goal. And all of last season, it was just three wins for Northridge.

And three little points is all that separated the Raiders from Mishawaka the last time they met.

Now in Middlebury, there’s a different number on people’s minds: Nine.

Nine games, nine wins. And a perfect regular season under first-year head coach Luke Amstutz.

“It’s so exciting. I feel like a lot more people are going out and supporting Northridge football. Great season for them,” said Marilyn Ziegler, bartender at Bronko’s Lounge.

From the football field to the heart of Middlebury, this is a town where hometown ties run deep.

“We know our neighbors, we see them on the sidewalk at the post office, at the hardware store at the village inn, at the bank. You know what’s going on in their lives, and they know what’s happening in yours,” said Diane Kauffman, a lifelong Middlebury resident and Northridge graduate, Class of 1981.

Kauffman knows hometown pride when she sees it.

“It’s fun. Makes you feel proud of your school, your team, your town,” Kauffman said. “It’s just an exciting time.”

But while Middlebury has plenty to celebrate, there is a lot on the line. Northridge’s perfect season was nearly spoiled by Mishawaka earlier this month, the Raiders escaping with a 38-35 win.

Now, the Cavemen are back for round two. And this time, it’s win or go home.

“I think they can do it — home game, oh yeah, they got this,” Ziegler said.

Three wins a year ago. Three points separating these teams the last time they met.

But tonight, the number that matters most is one. One more win to keep a perfect season alive.

Kickoff for Friday night’s sectional opener at Northridge is set for 7 p.m.

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