Stoughton High Football Team Beats Milton for Second Win

This one was over in a hurry.

After Milton scored the first time they had the ball, the Stoughton High School football team answered with 33 unanswered points in the first half on their way to a 40-13 victory at Milton Friday night to improve to 2-0 on the season.

With that out of the way, the question now is - just how good are these Black Knights?

"I don't know," said Stoughton head coach Greg Burke. "Ask me in four weeks. We're just taking it one day at a time.

"We have to stay healthy, and that's why you have to be smart in practice. You don't want any injures."

With basically a seven-game season to make the playoffs under the new format, Burke isn't worried about more than the next opponent on the schedule. In the Black Knights' case, it will be their third straight road game next Friday night at Milford in their first Hockomock League game of the season.

"That's fine," said Burke of his team being on the road at the start of the season. "We'll be at home later on."

After the seventh game of the season, the top teams will be moving on to the playoffs, while the rest will play out the string.

"With the new playoffs, every game counts, and that's the way it should be," Burke said.

Now back to the game:

On their first drive of the game, Milton's Mark Chandler raced around the left side of the Stoughton defense for a 17-yard score, and it looked as if the Wiildcats were going to give the Black Knights a tough night with a quick 7-0 lead.

Instead of being deflated, the score just made Stoughton mad. When they got the ball, the Black Knights went right at Milton for the rest of the first half and the Wildcats couldn't stop them.

"We get going and we take off," said junior fullback Joe Girolamo with a smile. "That's how it is." 

Girolamo ran for 99 yards unofficially, including 53 in the first quarter. 

"He's a load, and he's tough," said Burke. "We have the inside and the outside attack."

Using that attack is how they got their second win of the season.

Drive 1- Malachi Baugh runs for a four-yard score as the Black Knights pounded the ball down the field for a 60-yard drive. The kick failed, 7-6.

Drive 2- This was set up by what turned out to be one of the big plays of the night. Milton was at Stoughton's 39-yard line and looking like they were going to build on the lead. Instead, Stoughton's Patrick Reake fell on a fumble, which  took the wind out of the Milton offense. Stoughton turned the turnover into a 40-yard touchdown run by Lenox Green. 12-7 at the end of first quarter.

Drive 3-After forcing the Wildcats to punt, Baugh turned it into another score with a 25-yard run in the second quarter. The pass attempt for the two-points failed. 18-7, Stoughton.

Drive 4-Milton tried to get a little tricky when they got the ball back. Halfback Jonathan Pierre attempted a pass, but Baugh intercepted the ball. Stoughton quarterback Stanley Sajous then hit speeder Kevin McDonald with a 43-yard passing play to set up a two-yard run by Baugh for his second touchdown on the night. Girolamo ran for the two-points. Stoughton, 26-7.

Drive 5-The Wildcats went for a fake punt to get something going, but the Stoughton defense took down punter Anthony Smith at midfield. The Black Knights turned that in a 14-yard run by Green for a 33-7 halftime lead.

Stoughton almost scored right before the half ended after Frantzy Joseph had an interception for the Black Knights. Milton, though, came up with a big defensive stand, stopping Stoughton on a fourth down and goal from the 11-yard line.

On their first drive of the second half, the Black Knights put together a 55-yard drive, finished off by a three-yard run by Girolamo. He added the extra point for a 40-7 lead.

Helped out by a pass interference call, the Wildcats scored on a third-yard run by Mariano Daviis. Stoughton blocked the extra point.

"Milton is a well-coached team and (head coach) Jim Bowes does a great job," said Burke. "They have a lot of good young players, but I don't have to worry about that now."

Instead, the Black Knights are just concerned about Milford, and getting their third win of the season.