Milford, Nashua North football meet for the first time
History will be made Friday night when the high school football teams from Milford and Nashua North meet at Stellos Stadium for the first time.
History will be made Friday night when the high school football teams from Milford and Nashua North meet at Stellos Stadium for the first time.
At first glance, the Titans might appear the favorite, just because they are the Division I team, but a look inside the numbers might convince some that the Spartans are the team to pick in this one. But in a mid-season crossover game – that has no bearing on the standings for either team – it’s anyone’s guess.
“Anyone that goes is in for a pretty good game,” North coach Jason Robie, who lives in Milford, said. “I’m very impressed by them, regardless of division. Their style of play impressed me the most. They keep coming on every down.”
Since opening the season with a 48-7 loss to Bedford, one of the top teams in Division II, Milford has won four in a row and sits at 4-0 in Division III. In those four games, the Spartans have allowed just 19 points, with only one touchdown coming against its first-team defense.
But those four wins are against teams that are a combined 3-12 in Division III.
North has lost its last three, scoring a total of 34 points in those three games, and sits at 1-3 in Division I (2-3 overall). But those three losses have come against teams that are a combined 8-3 in Division I.
“We just played Pinkerton, (Manchester) Central and (Nashua) South,” Robie said. “That’s a little different than what they’ve been playing. Their games have been over early and they’ve been taking care of business. That’s not lost on us.”
Milford coach Keith Jones views the game as the perfect test for the Spartans, as they get ready for the toughest part of their division schedule. After Friday’s game, Milford will play at Souhegan, and against Goffstown and Portsmouth.
“It is tough, playing a non-league game that doesn’t count in the middle of the season, right before we get to the teeth of our schedule,” Jones said. “You want to win, but you don’t want somebody to get hurt.
“It’s an opportunity to play a good team and to make ourselves out better. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to play the best. Playing up two divisions, that’s going to help us, win or lose. That’s going to help us with the speed of the game, with the athletes on the field and the different school size.”
Milford and North will kickoff at 7 p.m. on Friday at Stellos Stadium in Nashua.
