MILFORD, Ohio — Milford High School football coach Tom Grippa isn't ready to declare this year's team as the best he's coached during his time with the program.
But, the undefeated Eagles (4-0) are certainly in the same class with some of the elite Milford teams from the past handful of years.
The 2022 team earned a 9-3 record. The 2018 team earned a 9-3 record with two playoff victories while the 2017 squad was 8-3 and earned a share of an Eastern Cincinnati Conference title.
Senior linebacker/running back Tofa Luani is a significant part of the Eagles' success this season after having knee surgery last year.
He had 14 tackles, a blocked punt and three rushing touchdowns as the Eagles defeated visiting Anderson 56-35 Sept. 8 in an ECC showdown. The heavily-anticipated game was the "best high school atmosphere" that Milford athletic director Aaron Zupka experienced in 13 years of athletic administration.
On Monday, Luani was named the WCPO 9 Player of the Week, as voted on by viewers and readers of WCPO.com. The win over Anderson was Luani's fourth game since having anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery last year.
"He had a good night; he turned it loose," Milford coach Tom Grippa said. "He's a really good player. He's a leader and a captain. He's a dude."
Luani, who is 6 foot 1 and 230 pounds, has scholarship offers from Thomas More and Tiffin. He continues to show why he is one of Greater Cincinnati's elite players this season.
"Tofa brings energy to the defense and also when he is in on offense," Grippa said. "He is a natural. Tough, physical, strong, good acceleration and speed."
Milford has several other talented players including junior quarterback Luke Brand who threw for 176 yards and a touchdown last week. Senior running back Nathan Webster had 19 carries for 170 yards and three touchdowns.
Senior linebackers Andrew Littrell and Cole Miller each had 17 tackles last week against an Anderson team that had 108 offensive snaps.
Milford has back-to-back 4-0 starts to the season for the first time since 1956 and 1957, according to Zupka.
"This team has some big goals and they are just getting started," Zupka said. "Coach Grippa and the staff have done a tremendous job building our program into a perennial contender in Southwest Ohio. We are so proud of our Eagles and I know they will continue to soar higher and continue to shock the football world!"
Milford (4-0, 3-0 ECC) will continue to be tested this week as it plays at Kings (3-1, 2-1 ECC) at 7 p.m. Friday. Milford has scored a conference-best 184 points. But, there is little room for error in the ultra-competitive ECC standings.
Milford is No. 1 in the Division I, Region 4 computer points standings entering Week 5, according to Joe Eitel.
The Eagles are one of two undefeated teams in the region this season along with No. 2 Princeton (4-0, 3-0 Greater Miami Conference).
