Milton's Mustangs are the 2008 New England Champions
On November 15, 2008, Milton’s football team defeated King Low Heywood Thomas by a score of 29-14 in the Samson Lorden Bowl to take home the title of New England Champions. The Mustangs qualified for the Bowl based on the strength of the season’s schedule and on their impressive 7-1 record. The Bowl game marked the sixth straight victory for Milton and the first loss of the season for the unbeaten King Low Heywood Thomas team.
About the Program
Over the past 14 years, Milton Academy football has enjoyed the best winning percentage of any ISL team with a 80-26-3 (76%) record including two undefeated, league championships, two New England Titles, and seven second place finishes despite playing arguably the toughest schedule in the ultra-competitive ISL. Over this same period, Milton has sent sixteen players on to play Division I collegiate football. Two of our seniors from the Class of 2008 matriculated to Division I programs. Steve Aborn headed off to Harvard where he plays tight end, and Walter McCarthy (OT, DT) accepted a full scholarship to the University of New Hampshire. Four of our current seniors have committed to Ivy League schools including running back Josh Scott (U. Penn), offensive lineman Grant Hailer (Princeton), tight end Alex Harris (Brown), and quarterback Chris Amhrein (Cornell). Ryan May will play for either an A10 or NEC school. Milton also has seven seniors who will play Division III collegiate football (mostly NESCAC) including Dan Kenerson (Middlebury), Connor Handy (Bowdoin) and George Haydock (Union College).
Coach Macdonald arrived at Milton in 1996 after having served as head coach at Archbishop Williams High School (Braintree, Massachusetts) for 14 seasons. At Williams, Coach Macdonald’s squads won seven Catholic Central Large championships and achieved three undefeated seasons. Coach Macdonald sent seventeen of his Williams’ players on to Division I collegiate programs including three who later played in the NFL.
Notes:
Josh Scott '09, Ryan May '09 and Chris Amrhein '09 were named to the NEPSAC All-New England team.
Josh Scott '09 was voted by the ISL as its Most Valuable Player. Josh was also crowned the NEPSAC Class B Player of the Year, named to the Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Scholastic Team, and named to the Massachusetts Coaches' Association Super 22 All State Team.
Milton Academy's all-time football record from 1893–2008 is 475 wins, 272 losses and 61 ties.
Milton's all-time record against rival Nobles (series began in 1896) is 68 wins, 34 losses and 6 ties.
Josh Scott '09 and Grant Hailer '09 were named scholar-athletes by the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the College Football Hall of Fame. Twenty-two students are honored each year. Josh and Grant's names will be listed on a plaque that hangs in the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.
Peter Colombo, Class of 2004, was recently named a Fulbright scholar, and is currently doing community service work in San Salvador. While at Milton, Peter helped lead the football team to a 13-2-1 record as a receiver, quarterback and defensive back and was named an All-ISL player in his senior season.
