Milton 20, Hillgrove 19

No. 8 Milton (11-2) began its game-winning drive with 5:21 remaining at its 5-yard line after a Hillgrove punt. The Eagles faced a third-and-12 from their 3, but a pass-interference call gave them new life and a first-down at the 18. From there, Milton needed just five plays to go the rest of the way. Jordan Yates was 3-of-5 passing on the drive for 38 yards. The Eagles attempted a two-point conversion, but Hillgrove stopped the run to keep the lead at one point.

Hillgrove took the ensuing kickoff and moved into Milton territory, but quarterback Matthew McCravy was sacked by Allen Walker for a 10-yard loss on a fourth-and-9 play from the 41-yard line. That gave the ball back to Milton, which ran out the final 1:13.

Although Yates’ passing was a key part of the winning drive, it was his running that did the most damage. Yates, committed to Georgia Tech, had a 63-yard run on the third play from scrimmage, setting up a 5-yard touchdown run by Edwards on the following play to give Milton a 7-0 lead with 10:17 to play in the first quarter. Yates’ run accounted for most of the first-half yards for the Eagles, who otherwise were held to 42 yards on 21 plays.

“We knew from film and from talking to other opponents that [Hillgrove] is an unbelievably physical team,” Milton coach Adam Clack said. “They run the ball with physicality, and they’ve just got solid, solid, solid football players across the board on defense. We told the boys all week that it was not a game that was going to be won at halftime. It’s not even going to be a game where you have to look at the scoreboard at halftime. We’ve just got to come out and get our game plan established. And they made it so difficult for us in the first half.”

Yates also had a 51-yard run on the Eagles’ first play of the third quarter, giving Milton first-and-goal from the 5-yard line. He scored two plays later on a 4-yard run to cut the lead to 16-14.

Yates finished with 147 yards rushing on 17 carries and was 9-of-18 passing for 75 yards. Edwards rushed for 45 yards on 11 carries for Milton, which outgained Hillgrove 276-266.

Hillgrove had a 13-7 lead at halftime but failed to take advantage of great field position in the first half. The Hawks had the ball in Milton territory on five of their seven first-half possessions. They got touchdowns on a 1-yard run by Trevor Smith and a 21-yard pass from McCravy to Issaiah McCray. But they also had to punt from the Milton 47, threw an interception on second-and-12 from the Milton 14 and lost a fumble at the Eagles’ 39.

Hillgrove increased its lead to 16-7 on a 23-yard field goal by Luis Garcia-Cano on its first drive of the second half, and to 19-14 on a 33-yard field goal by Garcia-Cano with 10:35 left but would not score again. The Hawks’ 19 points were their fewest since a 17-0 victory over Douglas County in the season opener on Aug. 17.

Smith had 68 yards rushing on 19 carries, and McCray ran for 51 yards on 12 attempts. McCravy was 12-of-16 passing for 150 yards.

Milton - 7-0-7-6 - 20

Hillgrove - 6-7-3-3 - 19

First quarter

M - Josh Edwards 5 run (Hayden Hairston kick), 10:17

H - Trevor Smith 1 run (kick failed), 2:04

Second quarter

H - Issaiah McCray 21 pass from Matthew Cravy (Luis Garcia-Cano kick), 5:07

Third quarter

H - Garcia-Cano 23 field goal, 6:34

M - Jordan Yates 4 run (Hairston kick), 5:30

Fourth quarter

H - Garcia-Cano 33 field goal, 10:35

M - Edwards 23 run (run failed), 2:31