After having to wait a week to start its season, the Milford football team had to play the No. 5 rated team in Class C1 to open the season.
Ashland-Greenwood was too much for the Eagles Sept. 4, winning 42-14.
“Ashland-Greenwood is no slouch,” MHS Coach Marty Hingst said.
The Bluejays used big plays to get on the board in the first quarter. Passes of 60 and 27 yards put the Bluejays in the endzone twice and put the Eagles in a 14-0 hole.
Milford came back with a drive of its own. Bryce Jakub picked up 20 yards on a reverse, and a screen pass from Camden Springer to Eli Vondra was good for a 25-yard gain. Another reverse by Jakub found the endzone. With the PAT by Garrett Watenpaugh, the Eagles cut the lead to 14-7.
Hingst said he was concerned about his team’s conditioning after missing days because of quarantine.
“I thought the end of halves would be tough,” he said.
AGHS had two drives inside the 10, and both were turned back thanks to MHS quarterback sacks.
Ashland-Greenwood scored four times in the third quarter, including on a 70-yard interception return. A Milford fumble at the 36 gave the Bluejays another short field they took advantage of.
“It was really tough,” Hingst said.
The Eagle offense put together a drive in the fourth quarter, going 58 yards in 14 plays and capping it with a 2-yard run by Cabe Schluckebier and PAT by Watenpaugh.
The Eagles were missing one of their three all-district returners from last season. Isaac Yeackley is still nursing an injury suffered in basketball, Hingst said, and Jakub left the game with a hip pointer. However, other players have stepped up.
Nick Beel, the lone all-district honoree left, had four solo tackles and one assist.
Vondra, a junior running back, led the team with 76 yards on 18 carries. On defense, Konner Schluckebier led the way with 10 solo tackles from his position at safety.
The Eagles are scheduled to visit Fillmore Central Friday, Sept. 11. Hingst said the challenge will be stopping Jake Stoner, who Hingst described as “the premier athlete in the conference.”
“We have work to do,” Hingst said.
