MIDDLETOWN – Middletown reclaimed the Erie Bell with a 28-7 victory over Port Jervis on Saturday at Faller Field, ending the Red Raiders’ two-year hold on the trophy.
The Middies improved to 4-0, while Port Jervis fell to 2-2.
The victory marked Middletown’s first win over Port Jervis since a 29-8 victory in 2023. The Red Raiders had won the previous two meetings, including a 55-21 victory last season and a 46-14 win in 2024. The Middies lead the all-time series 79-62-7.
The Middletown-Port Jervis football rivalry dates to 1897, when the schools met twice. The teams did not play again until 1903 but then began a series that continued every year except 1970.
The Erie Bell trophy was introduced in 1953, when a bell removed from a retired Erie Railroad steam engine was presented as a perpetual trophy to the winner of the annual game. In the early years, spectators often traveled by train to watch the rivalry.