Kings took advantage of two Milford third quarter fumbles in their own territory in a one minute span, turning a three-point edge into an insurmountable 17-point lead as the Knights scored a wild 64-40 victory over the Eagles in an Eastern Cincinnati Conference shootout. In a game that more resembled a heavyweight boxing fight, the Eagles and Knights traded blows all evening, before Kings finally wore down the visiting team in the last 15 minutes of the game. The Eagles’ Cameron Kells had another stellar game in defeat, rushing for over 200 yards and scoring three more touchdowns.

First Quarter

• Kings’ special teams produced the first big play of the night as Treshawn Fisher blocked and recovered a Milford punt attempt for a touchdown at the end of the first possession of the night.
• As they would time and time again, the Eagles quickly answered as Hunter Johnson went deep, finding Dylan Hughes for a 60-yard bomb. Milford’s two-point attempt was foiled, however, leaving Kings with a 7-6 lead 2:30 into the contest.
• After forcing a punt, Hughes found the end zone again, this time taking a handoff from Johnson and streaking eight yards for a touchdown at 4:50.
• Kings had an answer as Nak’emon Williams rushed for all but seven of a 64-yard scoring drive, including the final one for his first of four touchdowns on the night.

Second Quarter

• In the first two minutes of the second period, Kings extended its lead to 21-13 when QB Ashton Koller did it with his legs, racing 18 yards for a touchdown.
• The theme of Kings score-Milford answer continued as Kells powered in for his first score, a four-yard run. Connor Foster had the big play of the drive, hauling in a 47-yard reception from Johnson.
• The 2:15 that followed Kells’ score can only be described as indescribable. A look at the craziness:
• Two plays after the TD, Dustin Laudermilk intercepted Koller on a play that appeared to see Milford’s defense jump offsides.
• After a Johnson to Jake Ayler strike got the ball to the Kings one, the next play saw a snap from center sail over the head of Kells for a 16-yard loss.
• The next play saw Johnson intercepted in the end zone by the Kings defense, but a roughing the passer penalty gave Milford new life.
• The Eagles took advantage as Kells ripped off an eight-yard TD run.

• Kings would only trail for about two and a half minutes as Williams darted in from 10 yards out to give the home team a 28-27 lead just two minutes before halftime.

Third Quarter

• The start to the third quarter couldn’t have been any better for Milford as Lucas Bowling forced Williams to fumble on the opening kickoff of the half. A short scoring drive, highlighted by a Foster 25-yard reception, ended with Johnson pushing in from two yards out. With just two minutes gone in the third, Grace Ertel’s PAT handed Milford a 33-28 lead.
• Unfortunately, the next Kings possession started a stretch that saw the Knights score 22 straight points.
• First, the home team went back in front when Koller hit Gabe Hunt for a 23-yard TD and Williams followed with a two-point conversion.
• Fisher then made his second monster play of the game, hitting Johnson as he went back to pass, forcing and recovering a fumble at the Milford 21.
• Three plays later, Williams was in the end zone for the third time, this time on an 11-yard jaunt.
• Déjà vu struck on Milford’s second play after the score as Johnson was stripped again, setting up a Devin Squires 15-yard TD run and all of the sudden it was 50-33 Kings.

Fourth Quarter

• Late in the third, Kells ripped off a 43-yard run that sparked a nine-play, 74-yard drive that carried into the fourth. Kells completed the drive with his third TD, this time from four yards out.
• Against a worn down Eagle defense, the Knights wrapped up the evening’s scoring with a 34-yard run by Koller (6:59 remaining) and a Williams one-yard plunge (1:38).

Notable

• Kells finished with his second 200-yard and sixth 100-yard rushing performance of the year, totaling 206 yards.
• He also moved past the 1,100 yard mark for the year (1,125), marking just the third time in the last decade a Milford player has rushed for at least 1,100 yards.
• Kells’ three TDs give him 25 for the year, tying the mark set by Nathan Termuhlen in 2010 for the most by an Eagle over the last decade.
• Foster finished with a career-high 72 yards receiving on a pair of receptions.
• The Eagles lost despite outgaining the Knights by a 444-415 margin.
• Jared Engelman led the Milford defense with 11 tackles, while Laudermilk and Caleb Johns finished with nine each.

Click here for the final Milford-Kings game stats.

Up Next

• Still very much in the chase for an OHSAA Playoff berth, the Eagles take to the road once more for a battle at West Clermont next Friday night. Milford will bring a 6-2, 4-1 ECC mark into the match-up, while the Wolves are 4-4, 3-2 ECC.