Milford Athletics

SETTING THE SCENE: Looking for its first win of the new campaign, Milford opens the home and Eastern Cincinnati Conference portions of the 2025 slate with a visit from Walnut Hills for the annual Battle of the Eagles. Milford suffered a 35-0 loss to Withrow in Week 1, snapping a string of five straight seasons with a season-opening victory. Walnut Hills, meanwhile, won its opener for the second straight season, knocking off Western Hills 27-24 a week ago. Milford was won the last four meetings between the schools by a combined score of 115-15, including a 38-0 victory in 2024.

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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 (10^th-0.0) vs. Walnut hills scoring defense (7^th-24.0)
§  Milford total offense (9^th-141.0) vs. Walnut hills total defense (8^th-363.0)
§  Milford rushing offense (9^th-45.0) vs. Walnut hills rushing defense (9^th-206.0)
§  Milford passing offense (7^th-96.0) vs. Walnut hills passing defense (6^th-157.0)
§  Walnut hills scoring offense (5^th-27.0) vs. Milford scoring defense (T-9^th-35.0)
§  Walnut hills total offense (3^rd-346.0) vs. Milford total defense (9^th-490.0)
§  Walnut hills rushing offense (10^th-43.0) vs. Milford rushing defense (9^th-285.0)
·   Walnut hills passing offense (2^nd-303.3) vs. Milford passing defense (8^th-205.0)

A look at Milford’s statistical leaders:
Rushing Yards: Jackson Hopkins (22, 0 TDs)
Passing Yards: Jayden Bodley (96, 0 TDs)
Receiving Yards: Nolan Burch (44, 0 TDs)
Tackles: Jake Dixon (8)
Sacks: Jake Dixon (1.0)
Interceptions: Isaiah Smith (1)
Kicking Points: None
Punting Average: Tyler McQueen (49.8)
Kickoff Return Yards: Isaiah Carranza (18, 0 TDs)
Punt Return Yards: None

A look at Walnut Hills’ statistical leaders:
Rushing Yards: Will Rivers (44, 1 TD)
Passing Yards: Will Rivers (303, 3 TDs)
Receiving Yards: Malakai Lewars. (138, 2 TDs)
Tackles: Eli Newman (11)
Sacks: None
Interceptions: DayRon Acklin (2)
Kicking Points: Anhad Sandhu (1)
Punting Average: Colin Ross (32.0)
Kickoff Return Yards: Malakai Lewars (9)
Punt Return Yards: Braylon Dennis (8)

Notable 2025 Performances
Week 1
·        Senior P/K Tyler McQueen had a booming start to his senior year. In the Eagles' opener against Withrow, Tyler punted four times for an average of 49.8 yards per kick, including a career-best 59 yarder. He also placed his only kickoff of the night inside the 10-yard line.

Preseason Notebook
Dahmer recognized
Cincinnati.com increased its preseason coverage of local high school football, identifying top players in the Tri-State by position. Junior WR Joey Dahmer was tabbed as one of the publication’s wide receivers to watch this fall.

Caranza, Dixon nominated
Keeping with its annual tradition, Tristatefootball.com released its annual preseason team. While no Eagles made the final voted teams, senior DB Isaiah Caranza and senior LB Jake Dixon were both nominees.