Week after week, Milford Mill football was successful in staying locked on the next opponent.
But the No. 5 Millers always had this Friday and this matchup on their mind as well. And when Friday came, they stated their case in an overwhelming, emphatic manner.
More efficient in all three phases and sparked by a dominant running game, Milford Mill rolled to a 55-20 home win over No. 14 Perry Hall to reclaim the Baltimore County championship.
Last season, the Gators pulled off a 28-24 upset that ended Milford Mill’s four-year run as county champions. Now 8-0 overall and closing league play with a 6-0 mark, the Millers started a new streak.
Quarterback Owen Newborn ran for two touchdowns and threw for a score. Running back-cornerback Damon Ferguson, returning from a knee injury, had touchdown runs of 8, 20 and 57 yards and a key interception. And the defense caused four turnovers and had two sacks.
After Dajuan Nelson scampered 24 yards for the final touchdown with just over two minutes to play, the game finished with a running clock. The Millers’ statement was complete.
“This is very important to the team because last year they got us in a real hard-fought battle for the Baltimore County championship. Coming into this game, we had a whole different mindset — we were locked in all week,” Newborn said. “We watched film, we practiced real hard and it showed on the field.
“We showed a lot of effort, a lot of want to. We talked about that all week in practice, coaches emphasizing what’s your want to, why you out here working so hard? It led to maximize effort every play.”
It was the Gators who started fast with Vernon Allen returning the opening kickoff 66 yards to the Millers’ 20-yard line. On third-and-4, running back Lamont Smith scored from 14 yards for a 6-0 lead.
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The Millers responded just as quickly behind Ferguson, who ran for 45 yards on the ensuing drive, capped by an 8-yard score to tie the game.
Midway through the second quarter with the score still tied at 6, Ferguson made a game-changing play when he intercepted Perry Hall quarterback Terrell Hearn’s pass to give the Millers the ball at the Gators’ 35.
After a Perry Hall penalty put it at the 40, running back Michael Smith Jr. burst through the middle, bounced off a tackle and went 60 yards to make it 12-6.
The Millers led 20-6 at the half after Newborn’s 18-yard run with 18 seconds left in the second quarter. But the Gators recovered an onside kick to start the second half and two plays later got a 20-yard touchdown run from Corey Costner to pull within 20-12.
The teams exchanged one more touchdown each in the third quarter before the Millers took over. Ferguson’s 57-yard score was followed by Newborn finding wide receiver Romero Ison on a 30-yard strike with 30 seconds left in the third quarter for a 42-20 lead. More defensive stops and rushing touchdowns from Newborn and Nelson closed out an emotional win.
Ferguson was happy to be back on the field helping the cause.
“I wanted to be back with my fellas — playing with them is just a joy,” he said. “This was a big win. Coming into the game, we knew Perry Hall was a great team and we came here prepared, did our best and came out with a big win.”
Said Milford Mill coach Reggie White: “This was a complete game — all three phases — and I’m so proud. This is so satisfying.”
The loss in the second straight for the Gators (6-2) and their first league loss to fall to 4-1. They were haunted by penalties that the Millers took full advantage of. Last week, Perry Hall let a big lead slip away in falling to Harford Tech, 33-32.
“Things kind of carried over from last week,” Gators coach Ryan Pittillo said. “The amount of penalties we had — just unforced — I don’t know what’s going on. … Things like that, you just can’t do and expect to win football games against good teams.”
Both teams close out their regular-season schedules at 6 p.m. Friday. The Gators host county foe Kenwood, while Milford Mill travels to No. 11 Loyola Blakefield in nonconference play.
Have a news tip? Contact Glenn Graham at [email protected], 410-332-6636 and x.com/GlennGrahamSun.
