Colonials Beat Bucs 50-14

By Kevin Eickman

Last Friday night in Milford was a night to remember—for reasons both historic and sobering. As The 12th Man Gridiron Club celebrated the induction of five new members, the Buccaneers’ Hall of Fame dinner and halftime ceremony were the evening’s main highlights. Unfortunately, for this year’s Milford squad, the game itself offered little to cheer about. In front of a home crowd on a cool but humid evening, the young Bucs quickly realized they were in for a long night against a dominant William Penn team.

From the outset, William Penn made it clear they had come to play. After two Milford players were ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, Penn’s stingy defense and efficient offense took over, setting the tone early. The Colonials marched down the field on their first possession, and Milford’s defense, featuring a roster of mostly sophomores and juniors, had little answer for the balanced attack. With plenty of season ahead, this game proved to be a tough lesson for the youthful Bucs, one they’ll need to learn from quickly.

Just three minutes into the contest, Milford found themselves in a 9-0 hole, courtesy of a touchdown and a safety. Penn’s opening drive included a 40-yard pass play and a relentless running game, giving the Bucs trouble from the get-go. Matters worsened for Milford when the Colonials returned the ensuing free-kick for a touchdown, extending the lead to 16-0. By the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard read 22-0 in favor of Penn.

Despite the disastrous start, Milford showed signs of life. After a series of penalties against Penn, Milford engineered a 25-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run by junior Gregory Lockett. A successful two-point conversion trimmed the deficit to 22-8, and for a brief moment, it looked like Milford might fight their way back.

“I liked the way we responded there,” said Milford head coach Jed Bell. “Getting the score built a little confidence in the guys, and that was important. We knew before the season we had some learning to do. And while the final score might not indicate it, I loved the way we refused to quit against a very tough and physical D-3 team.”

But the Colonials were far from done. Penn responded quickly, scoring two more touchdowns to re-establish control. Milford managed to add another touchdown late in the second quarter, thanks to a one-yard run from junior quarterback Cayden Jarett. The first-year transfer, who is still learning the team’s system, made some mistakes but showed promise.

“We’re asking Cayden to do a lot behind center, and he’s getting it,” said Bell. “This isn’t something you learn overnight, but with his heart and effort, I know it’s going to click for him, and he will be a leader on this team. As I said before the season, this isn’t going to happen in the blink of an eye.”

By halftime, Milford found themselves trailing 36-14, a deficit too large to overcome. Penn extended the lead in the second half, forcing a running clock and effectively putting the game out of reach. Even so, Milford refused to back down, a quality that impressed Bell.

“Our guys showed heart,” Bell emphasized. “We can clean up the mistakes and make ourselves better. But heart is something you can’t teach, and our guys showed it tonight against a very tough, physical team when they could have just packed it in.”

The loss drops Milford to 1-1 on the season. They’ll look to bounce back this Friday when they host Delcastle, a team that gave Milford all they could handle last year in a narrow 14-8 Buccaneer victory.

“We’re going to get back to work, get better, and do everything we can to be ready for the next game,” Bell concluded.