Milford Mill takes long route to earn its revenge

Millers need three days to avenge only loss last season; Dunbar’s plans dashed

Milford Mill’s football team needed a few more days and a few more bus rides than expected, but the No. 6 Millers finally avenged their only regular-season loss from a year ago in their marathon season opener.

The game began Friday night at Tuscarora in Frederick County and when it finally ended at noon Monday — after lightning stopped it Friday night and again Saturday — the Millers had a 20-14 victory.

Tyree Sheppard scored the gamewinning touchdown, grabbing a squib kick and racing 77 yards to the end zone midway through the fourth quarter.

A year ago, the Millers lost to the Titans at home, 38-14, in the season opener. They went on to win 12 straight games before suffering a heartbreaking 28-27 loss to Linganore in the Class 3A state championship game.

The Millers hadn’t forgotten that early loss and were exceptionally motivated to avenge it to set up what they hope will be another run to the state final.

Each time the game restarted, the Millers trailed. They were down 6-0 after lightning forced the game to Saturday. They were down11-7 going into Monday morning.

“We persevered. The kids were just determined,” Millers coach Reggie White said. “Kudos go out to all those kids for getting up early [Monday]. They did an awesome job being able to put everything in perspective and play hard. They were strong through the heat Monday. They were strong mentally.”

The rain had stopped by Monday, but temperatures climbed into the 90s. That didn’t deter the Millers. Jordan Morant ran for a short touchdown and a 14-11 lead, but another field goal tied it for Tuscarora before Sheppard scored on the kick return. Shortly after that, the Millers headed home for good.

“The first night, we had a coach bus and that was really nice, but the second and third times, we had a school bus and that was an uncomfortable ride for the kids,” White said. “They were getting tired and the coaches were washing uniforms every night. They were drained. And we got two rains and a heat wave. It was exhausting.”

But it ended with a season-opening win. Lightning dashes Dunbar’s revenge plans: No. 5 Dunbar had also hoped to avenge its season-opening loss from last season against Allegany on Friday night.

That was their only loss of the season as the Poets went on to win the Class 1A state championship.

However, weather interfered at Dunbar, too. Storms caused an hour and a half of delays before the game was called, Poets coach Lawrence Smith said. Allegany, which won last year 49-42, could not come all the way back from Cumberland to finish the game on Saturday.

The Poets led 14-6 with 2:50 left in the second quarter when the game was called.

“We just keep on moving,” said Smith, whose team now plays a nine-game schedule. “We were rolling. [ Running back] Andre Brandon had over 100 yards on three carries. The kids understand you can’t cry over spilt milk, you just got to keep moving.”

The Poets are scheduled to host Potomac on Friday night in a rematch of another close game from last season. Dunbar won, 16-13.

Smith said he’d like to move the game to Saturday to give the teams one cooler day to practice Friday. It was so hot Wednesday, the Poets practiced in their gym.

“There’s nothing you can do,” Smith said of the unusually hot and humid weather for early September. “Everyone’s being faced with this cross.” St. Frances still No. 1 in Maryland: St. Frances held on to its unanimous No. 1 ranking in the Maryland State High School Football Media State Poll this week despite not completing its season opener.

The Panthers’ Friday night game was cut short because of lightning. St. Frances led 13-7 lead over St. Joseph’s Prep from Philadelphia with about six minutes left in the third quarter when the storm, which had already caused two 30-minute delays, wouldn’t leave.

The Panthers, The Baltimore Sun’s No. 1 team, also held on to their No. 8 ranking in the USA Today Super 25. They dropped a spot to No. 5 in the Catholic Athletes For Christ (CAC) ranking of the nation’s top Catholic school programs. By the numbers: Despite all the weather interruptions, teams and players piled up some big numbers as they kicked off the season last weekend.

4 — Interceptions returned for touchdowns by Mervo in a 42-0 win over Dulaney — one each by Corey Shell, Kennedy McKissic, Toney Blair and Rayvon Smith.

246 — All-purpose yards gained by Edgewood’s Deonte Banks — including 115 yards on two kickoff returns — in a 50-22 win over Parkville.

323 — Yards rushing by C. Milton Wright’s Chris Moreno, who ran for four touchdowns, including one for 88 yards, in a 27-13 win over Rising Sun.

401 — Rushing yards by Hereford in its 41-7 victory over North Harford on Friday night.