Finishing the regular season at 5-5-4, the Milford Boys Varsity team went into the MHSAA Districts knowing they could play with almost any team on its schedule. The postseason started with a 4-1 victory for the MavsWaterford Kettering Captains at home on Oct.13th, taking them to the semifinals to play the Lakeland Eagles on Tuesday, Oct. 20th hosted at Hartland High School soccer field.

 ”We were all super hyped up to find out we were playing Lakeland again and we had to play as a team to beat them,” said Charlie Head. “We came in mentally prepared and did what we should have done last time we played them.” 

    Starting Centerback Nicholas McGrain had similar thoughts. “We knew we had to come to this game with confidence, and the right mentality,” he said. “As Coach Hipple says, it’s like a ‘business trip,’ we go in to get  the win and put in work for the next game.” Game time kicked off at 7 p.m. and both teams came out with lots of energy. The game went back and forth with both teams getting great opportunities to take the lead and score the first goal of the game. With 24 minutes left in the first half, Lakeland scored the first goal and they remained in the lead going into halftime. 

    The start of the second half was full of opportunities for both teams, but with 26 minutes left, the Lakeland Eagles scored again two take a 2-0 lead. The Mavs immediately responded and started their comeback .Freshman Gavin Mcbride, Milford scored with an assist by Junior Dylan Meek. 11 minutes later in the second half with 14 minutes left on the clock Junior Alex Poti scored to tie up the game between the two rivals. 

As the clock was ticking down, both teams got ready for OT; they had two 10-minute halves but in those 20 minutes both teams were still tied at 2-2. This means they were going into a penalty kick shootout; only three of Milfords five shooters ended up shooting because of goalie Senior Frank Vulaj, who saved three out of four Lakeland shots. Sophomore Conner Hayes, Junior Matt Mrozinski, and Sophomore Nicholas McGrain all scored on their penalty kicks. In the fourth line of shooters, Lakeland had to make the goal to stay in the game but Vulaj came up with an incredible diving save and Milford came out victorious. “Even though Lakeland beat us twice during the regular season, we didn’t put our heads down and we fought during the game and came back for a huge win,” said Carson Zygner. “this win was definitely the biggest win throughout the 11 years of playing soccer and I’m glad I did it with my boys.”