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Preview: Milford at Colerain

The playoffs kick off Friday night and Division I, Region 4 has a full slate, including our Blitz 5 Game of the Week. Milford looks to steal a road victory at Colerain. That will be a tall order considering that the Cardinals have never lost a first-round playoff game (22-0). 

Despite not winning the GMC championship for the first time in 21 years, Colerain is in position to make a run at the program’s fifth regional title game appearance in the last six seasons. 

Milford has become accustomed to being in the playoffs. This will be the Eagles third postseason appearance in the last four years after only getting to the playoffs once prior back in 1986.

NO. 12 MILFORD (2-3) at NO. 5 COLERAIN CARDINALS (4-2)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Cardinal Stadium
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: If it were a normal season, this young Milford team would not be in the playoffs. This experience should prove out to be invaluable for the Eagles in the future. Sophomore Austin Hardin has started at quarterback for the last three games. He has thrown for 650 yards and eight touchdowns in that span. Classmate Natwan Webster leads Milford with 273 yards and two touchdowns rushing. Freshman Sione “Tofa” Luani is second on the team with 147 yards and two scores on the ground. Senior Vince Ragland has a team-high four touchdowns (three receiving, one rushing). On defense, juniors Cam Zoromsky and Nick Klenk have done a good job of getting to the quarterback. Zoromsky has five sacks and Klenk has two.

Colerain RB MJ Flowers (photo by Dan Beineke/TriStateFootball.com)

Colerain is stout on defense. Lineman Dontay Corleone is the centerpiece. The linebacking core is deep with seniors Michael Bess Jr., Xander Kendall, juniors Lavert Jarmon, Temesghen Kashay and sophomore Terrell Banks. Corleone has a team-high five sacks and Kashay has four takedowns. The Cardinals offense is paced by seniors Tyler Prather, Freddy Johnson along with juniors MJ Flowers and Isaiah Myers. Flowers tops the squad with 577 yards and seven touchdowns rushing. Myers averages 25.3 yards on his 10 receptions. Prather and Johnson have combined to run for 545 yards and nine scores.

TEAM TRENDS: These two schools meet in the second round of the 2018 playoffs. Colerain won that affair, 48-14.

Milford has lost three of its last four tilts. The combined record of the three teams that have defeated the Eagles is 13-3. Milford is minus 11 in turnover margin. The Eagles have just three takeaways in five games. That’s pretty amazing considering the team has 12.0 sacks on the year. They are giving up 194.8 yards per contest rushing.

Colerain has held five of its six opponents to 13 points or less. Milford has not scored more than 14 points against any of the three teams they faced who had winning records. The Cardinals are allowing just 12.9 points per contest. They are giving up just 177.3 yards per game and only 95.8 yards rushing. On offense, 17 of Colerian’s 18 touchdowns have come via the run.

Milford head coach Tom Grippa (photo by Mitchell Cooke/TriStateFootball.com)

HEAD COACHES:
Milford: Tom Grippa (22-16 at Milford, fourth year; 197-114 overall, 30th year)

Colerain: Shawn Cutright (15-4 at Colerain, second year; 15-4 overall)

PLAYOFF HISTORY:
Milford (fourth appearance, 1-3) – 2020, 2018, 2017, 1986

Colerain (23rd appearance, 44-23) – 2020, 2019, 2018 (State Runner-up), 2017 (Regional Champion), 2016, 2015 (Regional Champion), 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2006 (Regional Champion), 2005, 2004 (State Champion), 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000 (Regional Champion), 1998, 1995 (2 wins forfeited), 1994 (Regional Champion)

MILFORD’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Protect the pigskin. Every possession is going to be precious versus the Cardinals’ defense. Squandered opportunities will make for a difficult uphill climb. The Eagles defense needs to get Colerain into third and long situations. The Cardinals have struggled throwing the ball, Milford must capitalize on that weakness.

COLERAIN’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Put pressure on Milford’s sophomore quarterback. Force him to make mistakes. That all starts by stopping the Eagles’ rushing attack. Let defense control the tempo in the first half then the Cardinals offense can follow suit after halftime.

Prediction: Colerain 28, Milford 7 

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