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Eagles Win Wild One, Knock Off Lebanon In ECC Thriller
Cam Livingston hauled in the game-winning touchdown with under a minute to go and seconds later Jacob Smith ended the contest with an interception as Milford prevailed in a shootout, 42-39 over ECC rival Lebanon. The senior duo were stars among stars on the night, combining for five of the Eagles’ six touchdowns.
Smith had a dynamic all-around performance for the red and white, returning both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown, while recording 10 tackles and the game-preserving INT. He finished with 232 total return yards for the game. Livingston was on the receiving end of three of QB Austin Hardin’s four TD tosses, finishing with a team-high 86 yards.
Milford was able to prevail despite a sizable 648-416 deficit in total offense and three turnovers. Special teams play killed the Warriors as in addition to the two Smith return TDs, Lebanon had two field goals blocked, missed a PAT and a pair of two-point conversions.
The fireworks started early with a long Lebanon TD run, countered by a Hardin to Livingston 56-yard bomb. Later in the first quarter, Smith broke loose for an 81-yard punt return score, but Lebanon answered leaving the score knotted at 14 after one quarter.
Around the four-minute mark of the second quarter, Lebanon scored to open a 21-14 lead, but Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards to retie the game. A Hardin to Landen Wisbey strike with just eight seconds remaining sent Milford into the break with a 28-21 lead.
Lebanon overcame the deficit with a pair of third quarter TD runs by Braden Kay, but a missed PAT and an intercepted two-point attempt left the score 33-28 Warriors after three.
Just six seconds in the fourth, Livingston laid out for a beautiful 14-yard TD reception pushing Milford back in front. Lebanon countered with another score, but the Eagles moved right down the field looking to retake the lead before disaster struck. A Milford fumble and a subsequent 59-yard dart by Kay left the Warriors sitting pretty, deep in Eagle territory. But the Milford D rose up, forcing a field goal attempt that was blocked by William Riesenberg.
Taking over on offense with less than three minutes to play, Hardin engineered the winning nine-play, 84-yard drive. Wisbey had two big catches for 46 yards on the drive, leading the way for Livingston’s heroics. Lebanon made it interesting, driving to the Milford 33-yard line with one last play, but Smith came up huge with his interception.
Hardin finished the night 15 of 24 for 268 yards and four scores. Webster finished with 92 rushing yards, while Luke Ray, Wisbey and Livingston all finished with at least 74 receiving yards. Kay burned the Eagles for a staggering 289 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Milford will be chasing its first 3-0 start since 2008 when it returns home next Friday night, welcoming nemesis Loveland in a Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown match-up.
Click here for final game stats.
