Milan High School running back Carlos Cotto ran for 249 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries on Friday night, leading the Wildcats to a fourth consecutive victory, dominating play in a 34-8 triumph over Trenton, in action heard on Hot Country Z 101.7.
The Wildcats, in arguably their top performance of the season to date, dominated the line of scrimmage for a majority of the contest, with the running punch of Cotto and Ahmet Niasse (16 carries – 120 yards) frustrating Trenton’s defense throughout.
In handing the Bulldogs (4-1, 1-1) their first loss of the season, Milan (4-1, 2-0) took the opening drive down the field, and opened the scoring on a 26 yard scoring strike from Hunter Reed to Keaton Weter, with the made PAT making the score 7-0.
The lead ballooned to 20-0 by the end of the quarter on two Cotto scoring runs, with a 13 yard scamper with 4:24 left in the quarter followed by a dramatic 70 yard run on the final play of the quarter. One PAT was made, with the Wildcats failing on a two-point conversion at the quarter’s end.
The teams played a scoreless second quarter before Milan, after getting a stop defensively against THS to open the second half, gave a back-breaking blow to any Bulldog hopes of a rally, on a 20 yard Cotto touchdown run with 8:25 to go in the third quarter.
Trenton got on the board courtesy of a Gabe Novak eight yard scoring run with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter, with Novak’s successful PAT run cutting the lead to 27-8.
On his signature run of the night, Cotto, with 5:33 remaining in the game, ran into a pack of numerous Bulldog defenders, and emerged unscathed just shy of midfield. The remaining run up the west sideline of Cal Hubbard Field added up to 63 yards, with the PAT leaving the final margin at 34-8.
Penalties, particularly holding calls, played a major part in the game, with THS hit with five holding penalties, and finishing with 10 flags for 75 yards. Milan had six penalties, including four holding calls, for 60 yards.
The Milan run defense held Trenton’s normally potent rushing attack in check, with Brayden Hughs, with a total that included a 57 yard second-half run, finishing with 119 yards on 11 carries. Gabe Novak had 18 carries, and was held under 100 yards for the first time this season, amassing 74, with no runs of over 9 yards.
Milan, sitting in a tie for first place in the GRC with Polo, will play at Gallatin this Friday night (September 29th) at 7 o’clock on KTTN FM 92.3, with Trenton aiming for a bounce-back against Polo on Friday night at 7 o’clock on Hot Country Z 101.7. Both games are homecoming contests at Gallatin High School and Trenton High School.
Other high school football scores from Friday, September 22, 2023:
Stanberry 68, Princeton 38 (On KTTN FM 92.3)
Polo 21, South Harrison 6
Gallatin 32, Maysville 24
Westran 24, Putnam County 14
Marceline 42, Fayette 6
Salisbury 36, Harrisburg 32
Scotland County 28, Russellville 22
St. Pius X 52, Chillicothe 13
Maryville 21, Cameron 0
Savannah 50, Benton 0
Sarcoxie 49, Lafayette 23
Knob Noster 28, Carrollton 8
Higginsville 40, Richmond 12
Holden 40, Lexington 22
East Buchanan 35, Penney 0
Mid-Buchanan 42, Lathrop 6
Kearney 42, Winnetonka 7
Smithville 49, Excelsior Springs 6
Lawson 54, West Platte 27
North Platte 48, Conway Christian (AR) 12
Brookfield 42, Palmyra 22
Highland 40, Macon 20
South Shelby 44, Clark County 14
Centralia 27, Monroe City 22
Worth County 70, St. Joseph Christian 0
King City 74, Pattonsburg 68
Albany 52, North Andrew 12
Stewartsville/Osborn 60, DeKalb 30
South Holt 71, Rock Port 22
Platte Valley 38, East Atchison 32
Nodaway Valley 44, Mound City 22
Braymer 72, Norborne/Hardin-Central 28
North Shelby 80, Knox County 34
Schuyler County 74, Paris 30
Plattsburg 84, KC East Christian 48
Archie 62, Bishop LeBlond 0
Southwest Livingston 68, Slater 26
