It was a Homecoming showdown in the Lakes Valley Conference as the Milford Mavericks hosted the North Farmington Raiders. It was the first time the two schools have ever met in a game, and the Raiders wanted to ruin all the fun for the Mavericks. It was a matchup of two of the highest-scoring teams in the league. Could the Raiders come in and beat them, or would the Mavericks have the last dance on the field? In the end, it was the Milford Mavericks coming away with a 38-8 victory.
North Farmington
Easy Come Easy Go
The game got away from North Farmington early as they had two fumbles that set Milford up with a short field in the second quarter, helping set up quick scores for the Mavericks. They were still in the game, though, as it was only a 21-8 game at the half.
Part of the reason why they were in the game for much of the first half was the play of quarterback Eli Cobb and running back Ryan Jones. In the first half, Cobb completed 8 of his 10 passes for 91 yards, and he also rushed for 50 yards on 12 carries. Jones, on the other hand, scored the only points of the game for the Raiders as he rushed for 28 yards, a touchdown and a 2-point conversion on five carries in the first half.
While they were in the game in the first half, they got away from the ground game in the second half, which is what worked so well for them in the first half, and that is what hurt them in the second half of the game.
Milford
Physically Explosive
It seems odd to put those two statements together, being physical and explosive, but the Milford Mavericks make it look easy. They are able to chip away at you on the ground, but they have a quarterback who can also open up the top with his arm.
In the win, the Mavericks were able to run the ball for five yards per carry, with the bulk of that coming from the trio of Juliano Iljazi, Joey Beyer and Hudson Smith. The three of them combined for 162 yards and two touchdowns.
It was Hudson Smith who was the most explosive player of the night as he accounted for three touchdowns. He completed 8 of his 13 passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns, and he also showed off his legs as he rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Good Problem to Have
The Milford Mavericks have a good problem on their hands, and that is their depth. They have multiple players who could start for other teams. Starting at the quarterback position, they have two really good options. One is senior Hudson Smith, and the other is freshman Bentley Moreno. Smith missed the first three games of the season due to injury, and Moreno stepped in and led his team to a 3-0 start. While Smith came back against South Lyon, a game they lost, he didn’t play badly in their lone loss.
Then add in the fact that they have three running backs who can carry the load for them in the likes of Beyer, Iljazi and Bowers. They each ran with power and speed that makes them a strong unit.
Then out wide, they have multiple guys who can catch the ball, and they even added another weapon. They are led by Bryce Marszalek out wide, but they also have Zach Tegler and Nolan Wolcott. Beyer and Iljazi can catch it out of the backfield, and they added TJ Hipple, their kicker, to the group of guys who line up to catch the ball.
The scary thing is that out of all of the depth they have, they only lose four of those nine players at the end of the season. That should give the Lakes Valley Conference pause, as they will be one of the scariest teams in the league next season, as well as the rest of this season.
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Bear’s Final Take
It was a battle of two of the most exciting teams in the Lakes Valley Conference in a Homecoming game.
North Farmington, while they lost, still showed poise and the ability to make big plays. It was once again the play of sophomore Ryan Jones that impressed us. While he only had 30 yards, he was still the type of player that you want to have. He’s a hard runner, and not only that, he is also the energy that the team needs.
While Jones has been the guy who has stood out the most to us, his quarterback, Eli Cobb, has also shown out in both games this season to us. In the game vs. Milford, he completed 10 of his 19 passes for 107 yards and rushed for 52 yards on 14 carries. He also played a part on defense, breaking up a pass that could have gone for a touchdown in the game.
Milford is the best of both worlds. They have senior leaders who play a massive part on the team, but they also have a younger group of players who contribute on a weekly basis. They have the chance to make some noise in the playoffs, depending on where they are placed.