In action heard Friday night on KTTN FM 92.3, Maysville High School’s Nick Evans ran for two touchdowns and 114 yards, leading the Grand River Conference co-champion Wolverines to a 42-26 victory over Milan in Class 1, District 8 quarterfinal play at Cemetery Bowl.
Milan opened the scoring on a 27 yard field goal by Jesus Lopez, only to see a nine-yard run by Maysville quarterback Kaleb Popplewell give the home team a 6-3 lead. Milan, on a 2 yard scoring run by Jaidyn Watts, and the extra point, took a 10-6 lead, but that would be the high-water mark of the game for the Wildcats.
Nick Evans ended the first quarter on touchdown runs of 2 yards, with a pair of Popplewell two-point conversions giving the Wolverines a 22-10 lead after one quarter. That advantage ballooned to 36-10 by the half, as sophomore Hayden Catlett scored on a 10 yard run, and the Maysville defense returned a Wildcat fumble for a score.
After a scoreless third quarter quelled chances of a Milan rally, Catlett’s 16 yard touchdown run, early in the fourth quarter, put the game out of reach, as the Wolverines surged to a 42-10 advantage. To Milan’s credit, the Wildcats did not end the 2016 season without a fight, as freshman quarterback Ryan Dabney scored on a 9 yard run, and Watts scored on a three-yard plunge, with a Dabney two-point conversion giving Milan its final points of the season.
Maysville, now 8-2 on the season, advances to host Princeton in the District 8 semifinals this Friday night, October 28th, on KTTN FM 92.3. Milan ends the season with a mark of 1-9, but with the potential to improve quickly in future years, as talent from the 9th and 10th grades, in addition to a fantastic middle school program, continues to develop.
Watts finished with 88 yards rushing on 23 carries for Milan, while Dabney threw the football seven times, completing three passes for 26 yards.
