2021 Milford High School Football Team (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

By HECTOR LONGO

Special To The Telegraph

MILFORD – Keith Jones pulls no punches about the 2020 football season, his 20th as the head coach at Milford High School.

“I think that last year was so messed up,” said Jones, who saw his team play three regular season games then get eliminated in the Division II playoff opener.

“It was a crap shoot from week to week. I don’t think the kids are even thinking about it, almost like it didn’t happen.”

Milford running back Caden Zalenski is ready to plow into teammate Charlie Urda in practice. Zalenski will be a huge player for the Spartans this season. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

COVID-19 and one huge injury to lead halfback Caden Zalenski provided the carnage last fall.

With the junior Zalenski ripping off 187 yards and three TDs in the season opening win over Hollis Brookline, Milford showed promise.

But a broken foot late in that one, ended Zalenski’s year just as it was getting started. A slate damaged by Coronavirus ended with losses to eventual D-III state champ Pelham and D-II champ Souhegan, before HB exacted postseason revenge.

Any lingering memories of the 1-3 mini-campaign simply don’t exist in Milford these days.

“I’m totally thinking about how we can win games this year,” said Zalenski, who returned athletically for the Spartans last winter on the hoop court and then in spring track, where his heave of 151-3 garnered a State Meet of Champions discus title.

Charlie Urda is back at quarterback as a junior for the Milford High School football team. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

“I don’t pay attention to anything except our team, right now.”

Zalenski’s no-nonsense, no-distractions attitude could suit the Spartans perfectly this season as they look to re-establish the program as a prominent Division II contender.

“A lot of young kids got valuable game experience, it should absolutely help us this time,” said Jones. “It usually takes three-four games for them to stop being shell-shocked. Now that’s out of the way for a lot of guys who saw time as freshmen and sophomores.”

Along with Zalenski’s return, there is stability in the Milford offensive backfield with junior quarterback Charlie Urda.

Charlie is the fourth Urda boy to tend to the position for Jones, following brothers Harrison, Max and Gavin.

“Charlie’s gotten bigger and stronger, and I think playing a very competitive varsity basketball schedule last year will really help him this fall,” said Jones. “He’s his own man, not like the others, unique. We’ve always had one that could run but not throw or throw but not run, he’s pretty well-rounded.”

Logan Barnhill joins them in what could be an explosive offensive grouping.

Other newcomers set to impact at skill spots are junior Chris Costifas and the sophomore trio of Harris Jones, Cade Cloutier and Michael Lima.

“I think we have a great bunch of guys. We may not be the biggest, but I think the group fits well,” said Zalenski.

Up front, athletic Ben Kilgore is a senior with two years as a starter under his belt.

“He’s a big, fast, rangy kid with farmhand strength,” said Jones of the 6-3, 235-pounder.

Junior Matt Rolon has shown promise in both lines as well.

Consistency, especially on offense, will be key.

“We have to sustain drives. Last year, we lost most all of our games on offense,” said Jones, who features just six seniors among his 54 candidates. “We just never had the ball. We played pretty well defensively but we were just on the field way too much.”

Zalenski’s returned might be felt even more on the defensive side from his linebacker spot.

The senior promises the “new and improved” version this time around.

“I’ve been lifting a lot, gaining weight and getting stronger,” he said. “Sitting on the sidelines for the whole year, watching everyone play, made me want to play so much more.”

Jones’ figures improvement on that side of the ball is going to take a proverbial village, though.

“Currently, we have about 15 kids on defense, they will all play and right now there’s nobody who stands out,” he said. “We have to gang-tackle. We struggled last year getting 11 hats to the ball, but we were very inexperienced and young.”

Added Zalenski. “Keep doing what the coaches want us to do, run the ball hard, play good defense, and be really tough.

“I definitely want to make something big happen.”

•••

2021 SCHEDULE

Sept. 4: at John Stark, 2 p.m.

Sept. 10: vs. Souhegan, 7 p.m.

Sept. 17: vs. Lebanon, 7 p.m.

Sept. 25: at Hollis Brookline, 7 p.m.

Oct. 1: vs. Bow, 7 p.m.

Oct. 8: at Hanover, 7 p.m.

Oct. 15: vs. Manchester West, 7 p.m.

Oct. 23: at Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton, 1 p.m.

Oct. 29: at Timberlane, 6:30 p.m.

•••

MILFORD 2020 RESULTS

Milford 26, Hollis Brookline 24

Souhegan 42, Milford 0

Division II playoffs

First round: Hollis Brookline 33, Milford 14

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