No. 7 Milford Mill dominates Franklin in football season opener

Though the premier match in Baltimore County football for more than a decade, the Franklin/Milford Mill rivalry has pretty much been one-sided.

Friday evening, the Millers turned the table in impressive fashion. No. 7 Milford Mill routed the visiting and 12th-ranked Indians, 42-7, in the season debut for both.

Senior wide receiver/returner Daysun Shell caught three scoring passes, all from junior Dashawn Purdie, for the Millers, and Sean Williams rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown. Freshman quarterback Zander McCracken’s scoring throw to Khalil Bilal accounted for Franklin’s only touchdown.

The Millers (1-0 overall) scored the final 42 points, winning for the first time over the Indians since 2018, and only the fourth time in 15 meetings since 2010. Last year, Franklin pulled off a successful “statue of liberty” trick play late in regulation for a 19-13 victory.

Friday, the final eight minutes of regulation were played with a running clock with Milford holding a 35-point advantage.

“It was definitely unfinished business, we’ve lost to them too many times,” said Shell. “We had to win.”

Shell caught six passes for 131 yards and added 86 return yards. Purdie, a Mount St. Joseph transfer, who has an early offer from the University of Maryland, overcame a slow start to finish 11-of-19 for 173 yards. Williams busted a 31-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage in the second half.

Senior back Marquis Edmond had a rushing score for Milford Mill, which finished with 329 offensive yards Friday. Edmond returned a fumble 65-yard for a touchdown, one of five turnovers by the Millers’ defense.

Senior defensive linemen Emmanuel Gee had three sacks, and Malachi Barnes posted a sack, fumble recovery and an interception.

After a rough opening eight minutes, Milford Mill played flawlessly the rest of regulation.

“I think it was our time,” said Millers coach Reggie White of the effort. “We got a great team.”

The Millers labored early as Franklin (0-1) mounted an 8-play, 74-yard drive, capped with McCracken finding Ali from five yards out. Two plays later, Kyran Harry intercepted Purdie, putting the Indians inside Milford Mill’s 25-yard line. But a missed 43-yard field goal attempt sparked the Millers.

Milford Mill compiled a nine-play, 80-yard drive and, on 4th down, Purdie lofted a pass to open Shell for a 29-yard touchdown. Shell snatched Purdie’s strike across the middle and sprinted to the end zone for a 35-yard score, giving Milford Mill its first lead.

The drive was set up by Shell’s 35-yard punt return.

“The offense had a talk in the middle of the first quarter and locked in after that,” said Shell.

McCracken, looking to escape pressure, had the ball knocked out by Milford Mill’s Colby Jones. Edmond picked up the ball and went down the sidelines to the end zone, extending the Millers’ advantage to 20-7 with 3:15 left in the second quarter.

Shell started the second half with a 56-yard kickoff return to the Franklin’s 39, and Williams covered the rest in two carries. Shell secured his receiving touchdown hat-trick with a 31-yard catch from Purdie, starting the running clock with about 7:45 left in regulation.

“They got some guys over there,” said Shell. “For us to do that to them, it means a lot to us.”

Franklin coach Anthony Burgos said his young squad didn’t have the experience or firepower to contend with Milford Mill Friday.

“We were feeling good in the first quarter and we gave up momentum,” said Burgos. “They got an older team with veteran guys and they turned it up.”

Milford Mill hopes Friday’s impressive effort is the springboard to its first state championship in nearly four decades. The Millers lost in the Class 2A state final last December and fell in the 3A final in 2017.

“We got to get to Navy and come out victorious,” said White, who was a star linemen on Milford Mill’s last state championship team in 1987. “I’m not apologizing for that being our ultimate goal. We’d love to win counties, regions, but we want states.”

No. 7 Milford Mill 42, No. 12 Franklin 7

Franklin 0 0 0 7 - 7

Milford Mill 6 14 8 14 - 42

First quarter

Franklin - Khalil Bilal 5 pass from Zander McCracken (Billy Hartman kick)

Milford Mill - Daysen Shell 29 pass from Dashawn Purdie (kick failed)

Second quarter

Milford Mill - Shell 35 pass from Purdie (Eric Garcia kick)

Milford Mill - Marquis Edmond 65 fumble return (Garcia kick)

Third quarter

Milford Mill - Sean Williams 31 run (Williams run)

Fourth quarter

Milford Mill - Edmond 3 run (Garcia kick)

Milford Mill - Shell 31 pass from Purdie (Garcia kick)

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