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Another Wild Win For Milford In Series Against Anderson
A gritty effort by the defense, a season-high in rushing offensively and a big play on special teams all played a starring role in Milford’s 56-35 victory over Anderson on Friday night in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown. With the win, Milford improves to 4-0 on the year and is now one of just two squads with an unblemished mark atop the Eastern Cincinnati Conference standings. It also marks the second 4-0 start in school history with the first coming last season.
The Milford D was bend but not break against the high-powered Anderson offense, withstanding an absurd 108 offensive plays by the Raptors. The Eagles recorded a pair of interceptions (one for a touchdown), four quarterback sacks and six pass break-ups in the win. Milford’s linebacking trio of Cole Miller (17), Andrew Littrell (17) and Tofa Luani (14) combined for 48 tackles on the night. Luani also blocked an Anderson punt deep in its own territory to set up one of his three rushing TDs on offense.
Nathan Webster was the offensive star of the night for Milford, rumbling for a season-high 170 yards and three touchdowns. Webster’s total was the most by an Eagle since his brother Natwan (182) and Luani (180) against Loveland in 2021.
The game had the expected look of a shootout from go as the first four possessions of the game resulted in touchdowns and a 14-14 score just seconds in the second quarter. Anderson struck first on its opening drive, with Webster countering with a one-yard plunge, set up by his own 58-yard run on the first Milford snap of the game. Anderson countered with a score, before Luke Brand hooked up with Reece Davis for a 54-yard bomb to even the score.
The momentum swung in the Eagles’ favor next as Littrell hurried Anderson QB Justice Burnam into a pass that was intercepted by senior DL Hunter Gulaskey and returned 42 yards for a score on Gulaskey’s 18th birthday. The next drive saw Milford get a defensive stop at Anderson’s own 20-yard line and five plays later, Luani was in the endzone for his first score and a 28-14 Milford lead. Anderson would score again to send the teams into the half with the Eagles leading 28-21.
Milford took the second half opening kickoff straight down the field, with Luani again doing the scoring honors from three yards out. On the ensuing Anderson possession, Luani made another big play, blocking Anderson’s punt attempt (just its second all season) and then plowing in from five yards out to give the Eagles a three-touchdown cushion at 42-21. The blocked punt was Milford’s first since 2018 against Withrow.
Late in the third Anderson cut the deficit to 42-28 but that lasted just one play as Webster darted 45 yards for his second score of the night. Anderson scored early in the fourth quarter to get back within 14, but the Eagle D once again rose to the occasion, registering three sacks in the final quarter to seal the win. Milford’s last score came courtesy of a Webster four-yard run late in the game.
The Raptors’ 108 offensive snaps resulted in 553 total yards, but an average of just five yards per play. Milford churned out 200 yards rushing despite the Raptors entering the night allowing just over 91 yards per game. Brand connected on 12 of 20 passes for 176 yards, while Anderson gunslinger Burnam was 37 of 66 for 446 yards.
Milford’s road gets no easier next week as they’ll look to stay atop the league standings with a trip up I-71 to meet perennial ECC power Kings. The Knights will be coming off a 31-20 setback to Loveland.
Click here for final game stats.
