SETTING THE SCENE: The Milford Eagles, making their fifth straight OHSAA Playoffs appearance and seventh in the last years will open postseason play with a trip to St. Xavier. Milford, which finished the season 4-6 hold the No. 11 seed in the region, while the Bombers at 7-3 are No. 6. A season that started with wins in three of the first four games for Milford, was marred by injuries as the Eagles won just once in the final six weeks of the year. QB Luke Brand who has thrown for 603 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games, will look to help engineer a Milford upset of St. X in the first match-up between the schools since 1921.
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The match-up by the numbers
A look at the Milford-St. Xavier match-up by the numbers (per game averages & conference team rankings):
§ Milford scoring offense (6th-19.9) vs. St. Xavier scoring defense (2nd-15.3)
§ Milford total offense (5th-293.2) vs. St. Xavier total defense (1st-236.2)
§ Milford rushing offense (6th-86.2) vs. St. Xavier rushing defense (2nd-93.1)
§ Milford passing offense (3rd-207.0) vs. St. Xavier passing defense (2nd-143.1)
§ St. Xavier scoring offense (2nd-27.7) vs. Milford scoring defense (6th-24.1)
§ St. Xavier total offense (3rd-281.0) vs. Milford total defense (5th-295.1)
§ St. Xavier rushing offense (2nd-164.9) vs. Milford rushing defense (6th-140.6)
· St. Xavier passing offense (4th-116.1) vs. Milford passing defense (4th-154.5)
A look at Milford’s statistical leaders:
Rushing Yards: Jordan Davis (631, 5 TDs)
Passing Yards: Luke Brand (1974, 14 TDs)
Receiving Yards: Caden Bailey (681, 8 TDs)
Tackles: Jake Dixon (95)
Sacks: Jake Dixon (3.0)
Interceptions: Isaiah Carranza/David Kittrell (2)
Kicking Points: Mason Cooper (28)
Punting Average: Tyler McQueen (34.3)
Kickoff Return Yards: Caden Bailey (230, 1 TD)
Punt Return Yards: Carter Ings (97, 0 TDs)
A look at St. Xavier’s statistical leaders:
Rushing Yards: Chase Herbstreit (502, 7 TDs)
Passing Yards: Chase Herbstreit (1049, 12 TDs)
Receiving Yards: Cam Taylor (286, 4 TDs)
Tackles: Kobe Clapper (77)
Sacks: Josh Fasbender/Aden Reeder (3.0)
Interceptions: Lucas Bishop (3)
Kicking Points: Owen Davidson (39)
Punting Average: Trent Maxam (37.5)
Kickoff Return Yards: Daniel Vollmer (199, 0 TDs)
Punt Return Yards: Alex McClatchey (136, 0 TDs)
Notable 2024 Performances
Week 1
· New returnees on offense and a defensive newcomer all played important roles in Milford's season-opening win over Edgewood. Senior QB Luke Brand picked up where he left off last fall, completing 17-of-22 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns, while adding a fifth score rushing. His favorite target was classmate Caden Bailey who finished with 10 catches for 155 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, junior Jake Dixon made his first start at LB a good one, as he finished with nine tackles and his first career sack.
Week 2
· Sophomore Jordan Davis, along with seniors Tim Dick and Mason Cooper, played starring roles in the Eagles' week two shutout victory over Walnut Hills. In just his second varsity game, Jordan had his breakout offensive performance, finishing with 175 yards from scrimmage (139 rushing and 36 receiving), while scoring two touchdowns. Tim helped the defense to a shutout by forcing a pair of turnovers, first a fumble, then later snagging his first interception of the year. He also added a tackle for loss. Mason showed why he's one of the area's top kickers by connecting on all five extra points and booting his first field goal of the year, a 27-yarder. In kicking off seven times, Cooper recorded six touchbacks with the other being fielded at the one-yard line.
Week 3
· Senior LB Christian Felix recorded his second double-figure tackles game of the season during week three against Winton Woods. Against the Warriors, Christian had a career-high 11 tackles, including one for loss.
Week 4
· Four Eagles turned in standout performances in Milford's victory in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown. Senior DB Landon Gorton was the game's MVP in the best game of his career. While roaming the secondary and keeping Loveland in check, he finished with four tackles and a pass break-up. Up front, classmate Daniel Walker had one solo sack and two half sacks, among his nine total tackles. Junior Sione Lolo played the entire game on the offensive line, along with several plays on defense as well. He finished with four tackles and one half sack. Junior punter Tyler McQueen was outstanding on special teams, averaging 47 yards per kick on his three punts with a long of 50.
Week 5
· After beginning the year as a starter on defense, senior Carter Ings had team-highs seven receptions for 68 yards, including a long of 24 against West Clermont. Jordan Davis got loose for a career-high 147 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Wolves, while also catching a pass for 30 more yards. But two costly fumbles by the sophomore plagued the otherwise standout performance.
Week 6
· Senior Carter Ings once again showed his game-changing ability in Milford's game against Anderson. On just the second play of the game, he caught a short pass and outraced the defense for a 78-yard touchdown, the first of his career. Carter finished the game with 93 yards on just four catches and added 81 yards on four kickoff returns with a long of 29.
Week 7
· Senior WR Caden Bailey scored both of Milford's touchdowns in the Eagles' heartbreaking loss to Lebanon. He opened the night on the receiving end of a 72-yard touchdown pass and later recorded his first career special teams touchdown on a 96-yard kickoff return. Junior LB Jake Dixon paced the defense with a career-high 15 tackles, marking the third time this season he’s reached double digit stops in a game.
Week 8
· In his first extended varsity action, sophomore Keegan Oldendick stepped into the important role as the Eagles' long snapper against Kings. He helped solidify a position of need for Milford by delivering perfect snaps on all seven of the Eagles' punts against the Knights.
Week 9
· A pair of seniors played key roles in helping the Eagles to a big Senior Night win over Little Miami. Luke Brand was responsible for five total touchdowns, rushing for three and passing for two. Through the air, Luke was 22-of-26 passing for 293 yards, along with the two scores. Defensively, lineman Andrew Crouch had a monster game, snaring his first career interception (returned 33 yards), while recording a pair of sacks, a third tackle for loss, and a quarterback hurry.
Week 10
· Seniors Luke Brand and Carter Ings, along with junior David Kittrell, all had big performances in the Eagles' regular season finale against Turpin. Luke finished the night with a season-high 310 passing yards, completing 23-of-43 passes. He threw a pair of touchdown passes and rushed for a third. Carter was the recipient of both of the touchdown passes, hauling in scores of 46 and seven yards. He finished the night with eight catches for a career-high 167 yards. David, forced into action as a defensive back for the first time this season, responded with a pair of interceptions along with six tackles. He also played snaps on offense, adding a pair of catches for 11 yards.
Last Time vs. 
St. Xavier
While the Eagles and Bombers have been regular foes on the summer scrimmage and 7-on-7 scene in recent years, they haven’t met in a countable contest since the early 1900s.
In four all-time meetings between 1915 and 1921, both Milford and St. Xavier won twice. A look at each final score:
1915: Milford 3, St. Xavier 0
1919: Milford 26, St. Xavier 6
1920: St. Xavier 17, Milford 0
1921: St. Xavier 6, Milford 0
A Historic Win
Now in his eighth year at Milford, head coach Tom Grippa has led the Eagle program to new heights with two conference champions, seven playoff appearances (including the program’s first-ever playoff victory) and who can forget last season’s memorable undefeated regular season. Now, Grippa has another distinction as Milford’s win over Loveland on September 13 produced his 54th victory on the Eagle sideline, making him the winningest coach in program history. He passed Jim Prather who accumulated 53 wins from 1984-96.