SPORTS

H.S. FOOTBALL: Milan rebounds with win over Humboldt

Michael Odom
michodom@jacksonsun.com

HUMBOLDT – A loss to Dresden in the Henry County jamboree followed by a Week 1 loss to county rival Trenton Peabody had Milan off to a slow start to the 2015 season.

But on Friday, the Bulldogs corrected those wrongs by beating another county rival in Humboldt 42-8 at Humboldt.

Milan (1-1) scored five touchdowns in the first half to jump out to a 35-0 lead and cruised through the second half — playing deep into the bench to finish the game.

“We played efficiently,” Milan coach Jeff Morris said. “Our line did a good job blocking, and we took care of the ball. You can’t control the level of your opponent; you can only control yourself.”

But the Milan defensive effort was just as impressive led by Storm Williams. The Bulldogs held Humboldt to 54 yards of offense, including a minus-8 yards rushing.

“They got us a couple of times with the wideout screens, but overall I am pleased,” Morris said. “We dropped a couple of interceptions that I wish we could have had, but it was a good night.”

Milan senior Tristen McDaniel scored two of Milan’s four rushing touchdowns in the first half, and he said after last week’s loss it was about getting back to basics.

“We had to get back to the way that Milan is supposed to play and dominated the area the last couple of years,” McDaniel said. “We had to play smash-mouth football in one of the oldest rivalries in West Tennessee.”

McDaniel scord the first touchdown from one yard out for the 7-0 lead, and his second touchdown was from three yards out for the 28-0 lead.

“My teammates helped me score,” he said. “My O-line was able to open up holes.”

Sophomore Anthony Ballard scored from three yards out, while senior Cameron King scored from one yard out for the other two rushing touchdowns.

The other touchdown came on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Landon Walker to Lamartez Brooks midway through the first quarter.

“We are a team that has to spread the ball around,” Morris said. “We have to be confident in our passing and get the fullback into the running game. We can’t just pound the football with one running back. We have to hope that the sum of the parts is better than the individual.”

Walker finished the first half 3-for-6 for 63 yards, and Milan had 201 total yards in the first half.

Ballard scored his second touchdown early in the third quarter for the 42-0 lead.

Humboldt’s scoring came late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter. The Vikings were awarded a safety with 1:40 left in the third quarter after a missed snap, and they scored a touchdown on the ensuing possesion as Jaylen Stewart scored from one yard out.

Milan gets back to the tough schedule next week as the Bulldogs host Liberty in the first Region 7-3A contest of the season.

Michael Odom, 425-9754