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Milford advances to DII football final

Bucs defeat Friends 14-7, play Delmar in all-Henlopen championship
Milford senior running back David Bowman plows forward for a long gain. DAN COOK PHOTOS
Dan Cook
November 26, 2017
Friends running back Quinten McAbee pulls in a Wyatt Nelson pass for a Quakers first down.
The ball just skips off the outstretched fingers of Milford’s Terrell Gibbs.
Milford defensive back David Bowman, right, dislodges the ball from Friends halfback Peyton McNeill.
Milford running back Rahshawn Price runs out of the tackle of Friends player Liam Harron.
Milford’s David Bowman runs for a Bucs touchdown.
Milford’s Parker Chandler, left, has a jump-ball situation with Friends player Anthony Dixon.
Milford’s Bevensky Augustin, right, pulls down Quakers fullback Nickolas Sotiropoulos.
Milford’s Marquis Gillis loses the handle on a Tayoné Matthews pass.
Milford’s Mardis Powell wraps up Quakers ball carrier Eric Pincus.
Friends quarterback Wyatt Nelson looks for an open receiver.
Milford’s David Bowman leaps over Quakers defensive back Craig Lyttleton.
Friends fullback Nickolas Sotiropoulos, right, runs head-on into the arms of Milford’s Caleb Watson.
Milford head coach Shaun Strickland contemplates the second half.
Milford defensive coordinator Tim Fisher gets a sideline shower compliments of Rahshawn Price, left, and Mardis Powell.
Milford lineman Ritchy Corvil, left, and center Thomas Eisenbrey block out Friends player Robert Baldwin.
Milford junior placekicker Jonathan Gaglione boots a kickoff in the Bucs win. He knocked through two PATs in the contest.
Milford’s David Bowman nearly picks off a Friends pass attempt to Quentin McAbee.
Milford quarterback Tayoné Matthews hands of to David Bowman.
Milford head coach Shaun Strickland speaks to his players during a timeout late in the game.

The Milford Buccaneers used a balanced running attack to defeat Wilmington Friends 14-7 in the semifinals of the DIAA Division II playoffs Nov. 25 at Saint Mark’s.

The Bucs will play Henlopen Conference rival Delmar Saturday, Dec. 2, at the University of Delaware’s Tubby Raymond Field. Delmar defeated Milford 35-10 Nov. 3. Delmar downed A.I. DuPont 56-21 in the other semifinal Nov. 24.

Milford senior running back David Bowman scored on 26- and 44-yard runs in the first half to lead the Buccaneers to the victory. 

“David [Bowman] ran for 240 yards from scrimmage,” said Milford coach Shaun Strickland. “He did a great job.”

Bowman racked up more than 2,000 yards this season, making him one of the premier running backs in the state.

The Bucs defense took over in the second half, allowing just a 21-yard fourth quarter touchdown on a pass from Friends quarterback Wyatt Nelson to Quentin McAbee.

“There’s something with our D,” said Strickland. “We’ve leaned on them all year. We were confident we could handle them.”

The Milford defense made a lot of tough stands in the game, but none as important as the last series, when they garnered a sack and forced Friends into three incomplete passes.

“We took a timeout and that allowed us to get settled down and make a minor adjustment,” said Bucs defensive coordinator Tim Fisher. “It was a complete team effort.”

Milford head coach Shaun Strickland summed up the win: “At the end of the day, it was awesome.”

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