'That was a heart check': Milford takes control of ECC with 3-0 win over Winton Woods

FOREST PARK, Ohio − Milford football is on the verge of history.

Junior kicker Mason Cooper's 22-yard field goal with 2:07 remaining in regulation Friday night lifted Milford to a 3-0 win over Winton Woods. Milford now controls its own destiny, bidding to win the Eastern Cincinnati Conference outright for the first time in program history.

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The Eagles (8-0) held on to defeat the Warriors (6-2) and keep their perfect season alive in a defensive struggle that came down to the game's final play. Winton Woods drove 55 yards over the game's final minutes, then lined up for a 29-yard field goal that would've sent the game into overtime. The attempt slammed into the left upright and Milford stormed the field in jubilation.

"That was a heart check!" Milford head coach Tom Grippa said. "I'm really proud of our kids. They battled. We've had a lot of really tough games and Milford kids are tough."

Milford was 15-35 overall in its first five years in the ECC (2012-2016). Since Grippa's arrival, Milford has gone 48-25, won a share of the league title in 2017 and will finish fourth or better in the conference five times in seven seasons.

"The Lord sent me here for a reason and that's to turn this program around. They needed me and I needed them and I'm so proud of them," Grippa said.

Both teams bring the defense

Milford entered the night with one of the city's most high-flying offenses, averaging 41.9 points per game. In five September contests, Milford scored 40-plus points four times, including a pair of 50-point explosions. That came to a screeching halt Friday against Winton Woods, which boasted the ECC's top-scoring defense, giving up just 7.4 points per game with three shutouts under its belt already.

"Our defense was great, but their defense was great, too. They've got dudes over there," Grippa said of Winton Woods.

Milford had its chances with short field position, starting in Winton Woods territory on each of its first three possessions but coming away empty-handed each time. Winton Woods junior linebacker Justin Hill had a pair of first-half sacks and Milford was denied on fourth-and-1 from the Winton Woods' 19 with 55 seconds left in the first quarter.

On the other side of the ball, Milford's defense has now allowed just seven points and posted two shutouts over the last three weeks. The Eagles limited Winton Woods to just 42 rushing yards and 142 total yards on 52 plays. Winton Woods trotted out a pair of quarterbacks in Bryshawn Brown and West Virginia commit Zae Jennings, but neither could move the ball effectively. Jennings had a 63-yard touchdown run called back for holding early in the second half.

"I love our defense," senior linebacker Tofa Luani said. "I love these boys and I know together we can do great things. Throughout the week we've been watching a lot of film and breaking down the offense and we knew what to do when each of them (Winton Woods' quarterbacks) came in."

With the two defenses trading stops, it appeared Milford notched the game-changing play late in the third quarter when Luani sacked Brown and forced a fumble which was recovered by junior Daniel Walker at the Winton Woods' 13. Milford settled for a 27-yard field goal attempt, but the exchange was mishandled, and the scoreless tie remained.

Reece Davis finds a way after a quiet night

Milford wide receiver Reece Davis entered Friday night as the ECC's leading receiver averaging over 90 yards per game with five touchdowns on 44 grabs. Davis was the focal point of Winton Woods' secondary, but Davis set up the game-winning score on special teams.

The Warriors were backed up from a holding penalty and forced to punt on fourth-and-17 from their own 23-yard line. Davis sprinted up the field to catch the punt at midfield, veered to the right and tip-toed the sideline for a momentous 30-yard return to the Winton Woods' 20. Milford was able to churn the clock behind the running of senior Nathan Webster, who logged his fifth 100-yard effort of the season with 101 on 22 attempts. Ashton Warter tallied a game-high nine catches for 53 yards.

On fourth-and-goal from the five, Grippa battled with a decision to go for it but ultimately decided to trot out Cooper, who connected on the game-winner from 22 yards out.

"He (Cooper) is good. We had confidence. That's why we kicked earlier, and we kicked again," Grippa said. "Most of my players wanted me to go for it and I said 'no, we're gonna kick it.'"

Winton Woods' comeback falls short

Winton Woods started its final possession on its own 35 and finally found success through the air as Brown was able to find Mik Satterwhite for 29 yards to the Milford 32. On third-and-10, Brown fired a hitch to Tra'Mar Harris (six catches, 58 yards), who broke a tackle and dove to the Milford 10. Winton Woods fired three shots into the endzone that came up empty before the fourth-down field goal attempt clanked off the left upright.

Milford looks for ECC title

Milford, one of two unbeaten teams (Princeton) in Division I, Region 4, started its season with four road games in five weeks and will now return home to try to take the league title. The Eagles end the regular season with home games against West Clermont (3-5) and Turpin (3-5).

"This win is personal. Everybody doubted us," Luani said. "We just knew as a team we had to come out here and dominate and forget about the outside noise."

Winton Woods (6-2), which is No. 6 in Division II, Region 8, will end the regular season on the road against Loveland and Lebanon.

Milford 3, Winton Woods 0

Milford − 0 0 0 3 − 3

Winton Woods − 0 0 0 0 − 0

M− FG Cooper 22

Records: M 8-0 (7-0 ECC), WW 6-2 (5-2 ECC)