SETTING THE SCENE: Its Homecoming at Milford High School, along with the annual Battle of the Eagles as MHS welcomes ECC foe Walnut Hills to town. Milford earned a bounce back win at Little Miami last Friday to improve to 5-1 on the year. They are still hanging tough in the ECC Championship as well at 4-1, just one game back of co-frontrunners Kings and Winton Woods. They’ll be out to improve on both marks against a Walnut Hills team that comes in 0-6 on the campaign. MHS continues to feature one of the top overall offenses in the ECC and a defense that has climbed up the rankings in the past few weeks.

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The match-up by the numbers

A look at the Milford-Walnut Hills match-up by the numbers (per game averages & conference team rankings):

• Milford scoring offense (4^th-38.0) vs. Walnut Hills scoring defense (8^th-37.3)

• Milford total offense (3^rd-405.0) vs. Walnut Hills total defense (5^th-350.8)

• Milford rushing offense (6^th-107.0) vs. Walnut Hills rushing defense (7^th-173.0)

• Milford passing offense (2^nd-298.0) vs. Walnut Hills passing defense (6^th-172.2)
• Walnut Hills scoring offense (10^th-9.2) vs. Milford scoring defense (6^th-28.5)

• Walnut Hills total offense (10^th-178.5) vs. Milford total defense (8^th-376.5)

• Walnut Hills rushing offense (7^th-103.0) vs. Milford rushing defense (6^th-163.3)

• Walnut Hills passing offense (9^th-75.5) vs. Milford passing defense (8^th-213.2)

Inside the numbers
A look at Milford’s statistical leaders:
Rushing Yards: Natwan Webster (469, 9 TDs)
Passing Yards: Austin Hardin (1765, 21 TDs)
Receiving Yards: Reece Davis (428, 7 TDs)
Tackles: Andrew Littrell (50)
Sacks: William Riesenberg/Nick Scally (2.0)
Interceptions: Jacob Smith (3)
Punting Average: Jacob Luecke (36.4)
Kickoff Return Yards: Jacob Smith (365, 1 TD)
Punt Return Yards: Jacob Smith (128, 1 TD)

A look at Walnut Hills’ statistical leaders:
Rushing Yards: Isreal Bradford (257, 3 TDs)
Passing Yards: TJ Nelson (444, 3 TDs)
Receiving Yards: Isreal Bradford (177, 1 TD)
Tackles: Alex Milov (40)
Sacks: Murphy Tilk (2.5)
Interceptions: Mark Bronson (1)
Punting Average: Juan Cruz-Garcia (33.2)
Kickoff Return Yards: Zion James (200)
Punt Return Yards: Zion James (47)

Notable 2022 Performances

• QB Austin Hardin started his senior year with a bang, leading Milford to a runaway 42-6 win over Edgewood. For the night, Austin completed 17 of his 23 passes for 326 and four touchdowns (to three different receivers), making his third career 300-yard passing performance. In the last two season-openers, both against Edgewood, Austin has thrown for 619 yards and eight touchdowns.
• Junior WR Reece Davis lit up the stat sheet in the Edgewood opener, capturing his second career 100-yard receiving night with 114 for the game, along with a pair of touchdowns. His other 100-yard game came in last year’s opener at Edgewood.
• Junior WR Landen Wisbey showed he’ll be a scoring threat for the Eagles this year as he hit paydirt twice against Edgewood. Through the air, he hauled in a 52-yard TD, while also scoring on an eight-yard run on the ground.
• Senior Jacob Smith played his way into the OHSAA Record Book during Week 2 vs. Lebanon. Jacob had a dynamic all-around performance returning both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown, while also grabbing a game-preserving interception on the game's final play. For the night, Jacob finished with 232 total return yards, along with 10 tackles and the interception.
• Senior WR Cam Livingston was also a hero of the Lebanon win, finishing with three TD receptions, including the game-winner with less than a minute remaining.
• Austin Hardin continued his hot start in Week 3 against Loveland, tossing four TDs for the third straight game. He finished with 290 yards through the air against the Tigers.
• Junior LB Andrew Littrell finished the Loveland game with nine tackles (eight solo), including 2.5 for loss and put a jarring hit on a Tiger ball carrier to force a fumble.
• Senior RB Natwan Webster was chosen Mercy Health Player of the Game after scoring four touchdowns vs. Loveland. For the game, Natwan rushed for 39 yards and three touchdowns, while catching four passes for 44 yards and a fourth score.
• After throwing four TD passes in each of the first three weeks of the season, Austin Hardin tossed five in the Anderson win. He completed 28-of-39 passes for a career-high 372 yards.
• Luke Ray was the favorite target against Anderson, hauling in 10 passes for 169 yards, including an 81-yard catch-and-run touchdowns.
• Natwan Webster cracked the 100-yard plateau for the first time in 2022 with 133 yards against Anderson, making his fourth career 100-yard game.
• Reese Davis was electric against Little Miami, hauling in nine catches for a career-high 144 yards and three touchdowns.