Offense sends Milan to season-opening win

PHOTO BY LINDSAY DEBOLT

Milan dazzled with nearly 500 yards of total offense on Friday night and a three-quarter long scoring assault was the product of such a spectacle as the Indians ran away with a 42-26 win at Rushville in the first week of the 2024 high school football season. 

The Class A No. 9 Indians are now 9-2 against Rushville as part of their season-opening series and have 15 week one wins since 2000.

Rushville (0-1) struck first with a touchdown in the first quarter on Friday night but the 6-0 lead quickly went away when Milan got into a rhythm on offense in the second quarter and surged ahead with a trio of touchdowns that resulted in a 21-12 advantage at halftime. The Lions refused to go away however and trailed just 28-26 after three quarters but the Indians had one more assault left in them, blanking the home team 14-0 in the final 12 minutes to pull away for good and get the win.

It was the fourth time in the series that Milan has put up 40 points or more against the Lions and the first time since 2020 when the Indians won by a 48-26 final score.

Milan put up 460 yards of total offense and what may have been considered a bit of a shock, 333 of those yards came through the air as junior quarterback Wyatt Marsh delivered his best game in black and gold to date. Marsh put up the yardage on 12-of-17 passing which included three touchdown passes, one of which was a 91-yard bomb to Grant Langferman. Langferman finished with two receptions for 106 yards and Dylan Offill led with six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. Micah Norman hit the end zone on his lone catch which went for 73 yards.

The rushing department added three scores of its own and provided 127 yards altogether. Austin Green racked up 78 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries and Marsh added a score on 11 carries for 34 yards.

Dylan Hon used his leg to aid on six touchdowns. Hon went a perfect 6-for-6 on extra points plus totaled 199 yards on seven kickoffs.

Milan’s defense forced an interception as a pair of Rushville quarterbacks in Nick Jarman and Owen Zachery combined to go just 4-of-14 passing for 65 yards. Quinn Barada had 25 carries for 75 yards and a touchdown to top the Lion offense which was held to only 247 yards.

Milan (1-0) now looks toward this Friday night as they play host to Class 3A No. 11 Batesville in the annual Ripley County Bell Game. The Indians were blanked 21-0 at the Dog Pound a year ago and are looking for their first win in the rivalry series since a 35-14 victory in 2019.