Milton at Hughesville preview
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Milton PPG--13, PPA--29; YPG--142, YPA--365
Milton notes: Milton was tied with Bloomsburg in the third quarter a week ago before the Panthers pulled away down the stretch and won, 29-13. The defense hung in for a while against a strong offense, but the offense struggled to sustain drives. Luis Santos provided a special teams spark, setting up the team's second touchdown with a 78-yard kickoff return. He and Brady Locke likely will be the team's go-to runners as a new-look offensive line develops. Jhemzuel Feliciano provided a spark in his first varsity action, catching a touchdown and finishing with two catches for 33 yards. Sophomore Ja'Cori Brown caught a 30-yard pass and played well on both sides of the ball as a freshman last season. Linebacker Schuyler Humphrey had a big game against Bloomsburg, making 12 tackles and adding a sack. He and Brady O'Rourke both flourished last season and both had 105 tackles. O'Rourke is tough coming off the edge at defensive and had 10 tackles, along with two for loss, last Friday. He has at least one tackle for loss in 10 of his 11 games played at Milton after spending his freshman year at Montgomery.
Milton player to watch--Kamryn Wilson: As a freshman, Wilson was expected to compete for the starting quarterback job but missed almost the entire season with an injury. He showed promise in the opener and also looked like a potential defensive weapon. Wilson threw for 74 yards and a touchdown in his first start, while making seven tackles, good for third on the team.
Hughesville PPG--0, PPA--24; YPG--71, YPA--317
Hughesville notes: Hughesville had its chances against Montgomery in the opener, and trailed 7-0 late in the first quarter. A fumble at their own 7-yard line, however, led to a Raider touchdown and Montgomery controlled things from there. Still, there was a lot to like, especially on the defensive side. The line swarmed throughout the first half and was bottling up a dangerous running game. Maliki Emmil and Carter Gordner each intercepted passes and Jerry Barton was a force, making four tackles for loss. Emmil, Chase Shrawder and Alphonzo Smith all had strong games and Hughesville held Montgomery to 14 points until the game's final five minutes. The offense could receive a lift this week with standout weapon Connor Anstadt allowed to play a full game there. An all-conference safety; all-state punter and the team's leading receiver last fall, Anstadt is working his way back from a knee injury. He continued shining on special teams, averaging more than 40 yards on seven punts. Milton and Hughesville are playing for the first time since 2023 when Milton won, 28-6.
Hughesville player to watch--Colton Woolever: The junior lineman was a big part of Hughesville's defensive success up front. He wasted no time making an impact, dropping the game's first ball-carrier for a loss. Woolever frequently was working his way into the backfield and looks like a player who could be poised for big things this season.
Outlook: This game feels like a coin flip. Each has a quality defensive foundation in place, so it's a matter of who heats up first offensively. Look for this to be a one-score game.