SETTING THE SCENE: After a disappointing season-opener, the Milford High School football team is back on the road for the second of three straight away from home to kick off the 2018 campaign, this Friday night at Dixie Heights in Northern Kentucky. The Eagles squared off with a much improved and talented Princeton team last Friday, but will now focus on the Colonels, the program’s Week 2 opponent for each of the last three seasons. Dixie is 0-2 on the young season.

A LOOK BACK: The turnover bug bit the Eagles in their season-opening contest as an opportunistic Princeton defense forced two fumbles and three interceptions, leading the Vikings to a 34-16 win in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown.

Two of the Milford miscues came deep in Princeton territory and a tie game after one quarter turned into a Viking runaway, as the home team scored four unanswered touchdowns before a late score by the Eagles. Milford struggled to slow the Princeton running game as the Vikings piled up 443 yards on the ground, including 189 yards and three scores by game MVP Thomas Boyd. Vikings QB Hosea Hairston added 157 yards on the ground and another 124 and two scores through the air.

Eagle senior RB Cameron Kells finished with 97 yards of total offense and a receiving touchdown. Making his first career varsity start, junior QB Hunter Johnson completed 16 of 34 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns, but was also intercepted three times. Big play WR Dylan Hughes had 140 yards and a touchdown, but also committed a pair of fumbles. Click here to read the full recap and here for the final Milford-Princeton game stats.

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT: A look at Dixie Heights, Milford’s 2018 Week 2 opponent:

• Friday, Aug. 31 at Dixie Heights, 7:00 p.m.
• 2018 Record: 0-2 (NR Northern Kentucky area coaches’ weekly poll)
• Top Offensive Player: N/A
• Top Defensive Player: N/A
• Last Meeting: 2017; Milford 49, Dixie Heights 0

THE MATCH-UP: A look at the Milford-Dixie Heights match-up by the numbers (per game averages with conference team rankings):

• Milford scoring offense (3^rd-16.0) vs. Dixie Heights scoring defense (N/A)
• Milford total offense (3^rd-298.0) vs. Dixie Heights total defense (N/A)
• Milford rushing offense (5^th-66.0) vs. Dixie Heights rushing defense (N/A)
• Milford passing offense (1^st-232.0) vs. Dixie Heights passing defense (N/A)
• Dixie Heights scoring offense (N/A) vs. Milford scoring defense (5^th-34.0)
• Dixie Heights total offense (N/A) vs. Milford total defense (5^th-567.0)
• Dixie Heights rushing offense (N/A) vs. Milford rushing defense (5^th-443.0)
• Dixie Heights passing offense (N/A) vs. Milford passing defense (4^th-124.0)

INSIDE THE ECC: Four ECC teams were victorious in Week 1 of the regular season with Anderson, Kings, Turpin and West Clermont all coming out on top in their respective openers.

The Week 2 ECC schedule includes: Milford at Dixie Heights, Hamilton at Anderson, Princeton at Withrow, Loveland at Lebanon, Northwest at Turpin, Aiken at Walnut Hills, West Clermont at Winton Woods and Kings at Lakota East.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders:

Rushing Yards: Cameron Kells (63)

Passing Yards: Hunter Johnson (232)

Receiving Yards: Dylan Hughes (140)

Tackles: Jacob Turner (14)

Sacks: None

Interceptions: Owen Martin (1)

Kickoff Return Yards: Dylan Hughes (90)

Punting Average: Brian Stevens (39.0)

Punt Return Yards: None

POLL WATCH: Milford’s Week 1 loss at Princeton dropped the Eagles out of the top-10 in the Division I area coaches’ poll, sponsored by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Colerain is the top ranked team this week, earning six of the seven No. 1 votes. St. Xavier, owners of the other top nod, is second with Elder, Fairfield and Princeton completing the top-five. The top-10 also finds West Clermont from the ECC in a tie for eighth. In the Division II rankings, Kings has taken over the No. 1 position, holding a slim edge over conference rival Anderson. The former earned just one first place vote to two for the Redskins, who share second with Edgewood. Turpin is eighth and Loveland is 10^th. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.

TRISTATE FOOTBALL HONORS EAGLE PAIR: Prior to each season, area website Tristatefootball.com recognizes the best of the best with inclusion on the site’s three all-area websites. The team’s are decided based on a combination of fan vote and staff input and the 2018 squads feature a pair of Eagles. On the offensive side of the ball, senior TE Connor Foster was selected to the second team, while senior WR Jake Ayler earned a slot on the third team.