SETTING THE SCENE: The Milford High School football team will try to close out the 2016 season on a high note when the Eagles travel to Glen Este for a Week 10 battle on Friday night. The game will serve as a piece of history as the Eagles will be the opponent in the final football game in Glen Este High School history. GEHS will consolidate with Amelia High next year to form West Clermont High School. It’s been a tough season for both of the teams as the Eagles enter the match-up 2-7 overall and 1-5 in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference, while the Trojans are 1-8, 1-5 ECC. Kickoff time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

A LOOK BACK: Oct. 21 vs. Anderson: Milford jumped to a 14-0 lead, but Anderson’s high-powered offense proved to be too much as the Redskins rallied for a 49-35 Eastern Cincinnati Conference Football victory, putting a damper on Senior Night for the Eagles on Oct. 21. The Milford defense was able to slow Anderson in the second half to stay in the game before Anderson iced the game with a score and interception in the waning moments.

Behind a returning Blake King at quarterback, the Eagles marched straight down the field to score on the game’s opening possession to jump to a 7-0 lead. King was front and center throughout the drive, hitting Max Brewer for 38 yards early in the drive and then connecting with the senior again from 17 yards out for the game’s first score.

Milford came up with a big play on the ensuing kickoff as Robbie McQueary jumped on a muffed return by Anderson to put the Eagles in business on the Redskins’ 13. Following two false start penalties on the Eagles, King went to the air again, this time hitting Chase Witte from 23 yards out for a quick 14-0 early advantage.

As good as the Eagles were feeling early on, it took less than two minutes of game time for the Redskins to come back to tie the game. A quick 2:13 drive that covered 67 yards ended with Anderson’s Kyle Blaha bulling in from a yard out. Anderson then caught the Eagles off-balance, successful jumping on an on-side kick attempt and then driving 49 yards in 1:29 to even the score.

After the Eagles next drive stalled out, King placed a punt inside the Anderson one-yard line, leaving the Redskins needing to travel the entire length of the field. It somehow took the visitors just 37 seconds to do just that, finishing with Jay Volpenhein throwing his first of four touchdown passes.

Not to be outdone, the Eagles went right back to work to keep the scoring going. With Witte replacing King at quarterback, the Milford offense didn’t miss a beat as he and Dawson Slone rushed the Eagles 74 yards in 13 plays, with the latter plowing the final four yards to again tie the score, this time at 21-all.

The Redskins would keep the scoring going on their final two drives of the first half, as a pair of Volpenhein touchdown passes staked the guests to a 35-21 advantage at the half. They did more of the same on the first play of the second half as Blaha blasted up the middle for a 63-yard touchdown run.

Now down three touchdowns and needing to keep the high-powered Redskins’ offense on the sidelines, Witte led a 16-play, 61-yard drive that took 7:26 off the clock. The drive finished with Witte lobbing a short, five-yard touchdown to Connor Foster for the sophomore’s first career touchdown.

The Eagles were finally able to stop the Redskins’ offense on the next couple of drives and were able to claw back within one touchdown midway through the fourth quarter when Witte again hit Foster, this time from eight yards out to bring the score to 42-35. The Redskins seemed to put the game on ice on their next possession which finished when Volpenhein hit Jake Newton from 30 yards out. Milford tried to stay in it, but on its final two drives were stopped on fourth down first and then intercepted the seal the game.

The final stats showed Anderson with a 479-400 advantage in total yards, however the Redskins were limited to only 158 yards in the second half. The Eagles piled up 258 yards on the ground, with Slone (122) and Witte (117) each topping 100-yards in their final home game. Anderson’s Volpenhein connected on 19 of 27 tosses for 318 yards and four touchdown while Blaha finished with 134 yards rushing and three scores.

Click here for the final Milford-Anderson stats.

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENT: A look at Glen Este, Milford’s 2016 Week 10 opponent:

• Friday, Oct. 28 at Glen Este, 7:00 p.m.
• 2016 Record: 1-8, 1-5 ECC (NR Division II area coaches’ weekly poll)
• Top Offensive Player: Senior RB Aaron Johnston (470 yards rushing, 2 TDs)
• Top Defensive Player: Senior DB Elijah Johnson (5 INTs)
• Last Meeting: 2015; Glen Este 40, Milford 7
• Capsule look at the Trojans: The final season ever at Glen Este has been far from memorable as they have just a 12-6 Week 6 victory over Withrow to its credit.

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

• Milford scoring offense (5^th-24.9) vs. Glen Este scoring defense (8^th-40.2)
• Milford total offense (5^th-310.8) vs. Glen Este total defense (N/A-366.6)
• Milford rushing offense (2^nd-240.9) vs. Glen Este rushing defense (N/A-190.3)
• Milford passing offense (6^th-69.9) vs. Glen Este passing defense (N/A-176.2)
• Glen Este scoring offense (8^th-10.9) vs. Milford scoring defense (7^th-34.3)
• Glen Este total offense (7^th-225.6) vs. Milford total defense (N/A-372.3)
• Glen Este rushing offense (7^th-110.8) vs. Milford rushing defense (N/A-228.6)
• Glen Este passing offense (4^th-337.4) vs. Milford passing defense (N/A-143.8)

INSIDE THE ECC: Turpin has clinched at least a share of the 2016 Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championship and will win the crown outright with a Week 10 victory over Loveland. Kings can grab a share with a win over Withrow and a Turpin defeat.

The Week 10 ECC schedule includes: Milford at Glen Este, Walnut Hills at Anderson, Withrow at Kings, and Turpin at Loveland.

1. VERSATILE: To say senior Chase Witte has been versatile and valuable to the Eagles is a huge understatement. After being tabbed as a starting safety and return specialist entering the season, Witte recorded statistics as a quarterback, running back, receiver, kick and punt returner, punter and safety through Week 8, while also serving as the Eagles’ holder. He added to those roles in Week 9 when he served as a fill in place kicker and kickoff specialist. Witte enters the final game as the Eastern Cincinnati Conference’s leading rusher and is just 13 yards shy of 1,000 for the year.

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

Rushing Yards: Chase Witte (987)

Passing Yards: Tyler Smith (267)

Receiving Yards: Max Brewer (304)

Tackles: Hayden Sluder (80)

Sacks: Bailey Knox (2.0)

Interceptions: Luken Dalessandro/Jeremy Dentino (1)

Kickoff Return Yards: Chase Witte (247)

Punting Average: Chase Witte (34.1)

Punt Return Yards: Evan Baugh (115)

POLL WATCH: Milford did not receive any votes in the latest Cincinnati Enquirer area Division I area coaches’ poll, released on Oct. 24. Colerain earned all six of the first place votes and the No. 1 position, with Mason and St. Xavier (tied for second), Elder and Fairfield completing the top-five. The ECC continues to be well represented in the Division II rankings, headlined by Turpin the No. 1 overall team with four of the six first place votes. Kings is just behind in third, with Anderson tied for seventh, Loveland in ninth, Withrow in 10^th and Walnut Hills receiving votes. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.

WHAT THE COMPUTER SAYS: The final regular season installment of the OHSAA Computer Ratings which ultimately determines the playoff match-ups across the state have been released. In DI, the top-eight teams in each of Ohio’s four regions will earn a berth in the playoffs. The current top-eight in Region 4 by ranking are: Colerain, Lebanon, Mason, Elder, Fairfield, Sycamore, Springboro and St. Xavier. Milford is currently ranked 15^th in the region.

In the Division II, Region 8 rankings, of which the balance of the ECC resides, Turpin (second) and Kings (fifth) are in qualifying positions, with Anderson just outside in 10^th.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: Milford’s offense had a big night in the Eagles’ Week 3 win over Norwood. On a night that featured 100 points and over 1,000 yards of combined offense in a 52-48 Milford win, the Eagles finished with 449 yards of total offense, the most by an MHS team in nearly a decade. The 52 points were the most since the Eagles put up the same amount against Woodward in Week 5 of the 2010 season.

TICKET TALK: Once again this season, pre-sale tickets for all ages are available for all home and ECC away games only in the Milford High School Athletic Office for a cost of $5. Please note tickets for all ages at the gate are priced at $7 each. Come out and support the Eagles and save by purchasing your tickets in advance!