WSSU's Middleton feeling good after wins
Winston-Salem State
senior cornerback DeRon
Middleton has been walking
around with a little more
bounce in his step lately.
Middleton has been a lot
happier too.
He's been feeling a lot
better due to the way the
Rams have played the last
two games ? defeating
Hampton and Delaware
State on their home fields
the last couple of weeks.
G Despite the slow start,
Middleton has actually been
doing his thing his senior
year. He also holds the
school's record for longest
interception return for a
touchdown.
1 caught up with my
favorite Ram earlier this
week to discuss Winston
Salem State's late start,
coach Kermit Blount,
Parkland football, Antonio
Wardlow and a few other
things. D-Black was cool to
talk to. We also talked about
Monte Purvis, Nitty Gritty,
Parkland's Wick James and a
few other things on Tuesday
evening.
Take a look at some of
the other things we talked
about earlier this week.
Anthony: What's up, D?
DeRon: Nothing, man.
I'm chillin.'
Anthony: I see.
(Smiles.) You guys are look
ing good right now. I'm not
even gonna lie. I'm sur
prised.
DeRon: (Laughs.) Yeah,
man. We're on a two-game
winning streak.
Anthony: Where were
these Rams at the beginning
of the season, bruh?
DeRon: Man, we've
been here the whole time.
Everybody is just playing
together now. We had to
- learn each other. It's a little
late. But we've started.
Anthony: What's
changed since the start of
the year? You guys went
from losing to a team like
A&T to beating schools like
Hampton and Delaware
State. How does that work?
DeRon: (Laughs.) It's
more of everybody coming
together. Everybody has
come together as one. We
know each other more. We
have about eight seniors.
The rest of the guys are
freshmen and sophomores.
We had to get used to every
body. Everybody is playing
together now. And, every
body wants to win.
Anthony: How were
you able to stay motivated to
practice on Mondays after
coming up on the short end
of things on some
Saturdays?
DeRon: Coach Blount,
basically. He's one of the
best speakers. He can get
you motivated to do any
thing. Know what I mean?
When you know that you
could've won it makes it
easier to work harder to win.
Anthony: OK. How
special is it for you to be a
part of the team that helped
coach Blount make history?
DeRon: It feels real
good. (Smiles.) It's funny
because I told him that him
we were going to get him the
record before these last two
games. I promised him.
Anthony: What?
(Smiles.) What did you say
when you told him that?
DeRon: The first time
he looked at me and smiled.
He's kind of like a father to
me. I've been with him for
four years. Last week, he
gave me a hug. He told me
that I said it. And, we did it..
Anthony: Do you get
some gratification by finish
ing the season on a good
note?
DeRon: Yeah. It's going
to be a good feeling. I've got
two more games. I'm trying
to go out 4-0. 1 don't want to
leave here with a bad taste in
my mouth. It's going to be
real good.
Anthony: Does it matter
that you weren't able to win
any kind of title?
DeRon: Um. a little bit.
Everybody wants a champi
onship or bragging rights.
But I came in under a great
Photo by Charlie Pfaff
WSSU senior defensive back DeRon Middleton is a former standout for Parkland.
One-on-One
with A ii th (iii y l/ill
situation. I did all that I
could do to help them build
the program. I'm going to
leave a little legacy. I've got
a couple of records.
(Smiles.) You know what I
mean.
Anthony: Is that 80
something yard interception
return for a touchdown
(from Howard game) a
record?
DeRon: Yeah. It's actu
ally the Winston-Salem
State Division I record. It's
second all-time. My home
boy David (Irizzary) came
back and ran a missed field
goal for 100 yards two
weeks later.
Anthony: Do you have
any plans to play football
after college?
DeRon: Uh, yeah. Right
now I'm trying to get all my
little injuries out of the way.
I'm getting myself healthy.
I'm gonna try the NFL com
bines, and some of the other
things that come with it.
We'll see what happens.
Anthony: OK. What are
Middleton
your thoughts on the
Parkland Mustangs?
DeRon: (Laughs.) I'm
not there anymore. But I'm
going to be a Mustang until
the day that I die. It's not
called Parkland. It's called.
"D-Parkland High School."
We want those boys over
there to win. They came up
short on a couple games. But
they've got some great ath
letes.
Anthony: Are you guys
trying to sign any of those
boys?
DeRon: As a matter of
fact, we want about three of
them. The quarterback (D.J.
Adams) and definitely that
receiver.
Anthony: Nick James?
DeRon: Yeah. He's pret
ty good. I talk to him a lot. I
worked out with him a little
bit over the summer.
Anthony: Do you think
you could lock him down?
DeRon: (Laughs.) No
problem. (Both laugh.) He
ain't got up there yet. But
Nick is pretty cool. That's
my man.
Anthony: No doubt. Are
you the best defensive back
to come out of Parkland?
DeRon: I honestly think
I'm the best DB to come out
of Parkland. I told Antonio
that he wouldn't have had all
those stats without me. I
locked them down and he
always took my intercep
tions.
Anthony: What other
school could you have gone
to if you didn't sign with
WSSU?
DeRon: What's funny is
that I had an official visit to
App. State right before I
signed here. I didn't really
think much about them at
that time. As soon as I got
here they won three straight
Elon wanted me a lot too.
But I really wanted to come
here after I talked to coach
Blount. He opened the doors
for me and let me know what
it was going to be. 1 have no
regrets.
Anthony: Cool. How
are the ladies treating D
Middleton?
DeRon: (Laughs.) You
know it.
Anthony: (Laughs.) Do
you all still get love when
you lose?
DeRon: Uh, you know
that you don't get any love
after some losses. But it's
going to come any way that
you look at it when you play
football.
Anthony: No doubt.
Where's your favorite spot
to eat in Winston?
DeRon: My favorite
spot to eat is Olive Garden
and Applebee's. 1 go to the
Nitty Gritty when I want
some soul-food.
Anthony: No doubt.
Who's the best athlete on the
WSSU squad?
DeRon: DeRon
Middleton. (Both laugh.)
No, we've got some young
guys that are really great
athletes. But I think me and
my home boy, David
(Irizzary), are the best.
Anthony: Seen any
good movies lately?
DeRon: Yeah. We saw
the "Incredible Hulk" on the
bus. I thought that was pret
ty good. I like all the
Friday's. I've also been
watching, "Roscoe Jenkins"
everyday.
Anthony: (Smiles.) AH
right. Let's finish with free
association. Uh, Monte
Purvis.
DeRon: Eggs.
Anthony: (Both laugh.)
DeRon Middteton.
DeRon: The best. P.T.P.
(Prime time player).
Anthony: All right.
Coach Blount.
DeRon: Greatest of all
time.
Anthony: Best high
school coach.
DeRon: Dee Bell.
Anthony: Carver.
DeRon: Rivalry. Hate
them. Best girls, though.
Anthony: Best DB to
come out of WSSU.
DeRon: DeRon
Middleton.
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