Playoffs or not, Milford boys lacrosse viewing season as success

Rick Urda is keeping things in perspective.

That's why, regardless of the outcome of the Milford High School boys lacrosse team's season finale Friday against Hopkinton, the Spartans coach will feel good about how the 2018 season played out.

Sure, a loss to the defending champion in and lone undefeated team in Division III would likely keep Milford from making the playoffs. But considering where the Spartans were two years ago, even being in the hunt for the postseason is a step in the right direction.

In 2016, Milford went winless in its second season playing in Division II, and over the two-year cycle, the Spartans were a combined 2-24.

Just two years later, behind a strong senior class, Milford enters its final game with a record of 7-6 in D3 and an outside shot of making its first playoff appearance since 2014. The win total is the most for the Spartans since reaching the first ever D3 title game in 2002.

"There are 10 seniors on the roster," Urda said. "We're missing a couple due to injury, and most of them have been in the program for four years. You could see it building. Their second year, we were winless and we averaged less than four goals a game."

This year has been different, as Milford has averaged 11.8 goals per game, reaching double digits in nine of 13 games. Twice this year, the Spartans have tallied 17 goals, the most they've scored in a game in over four years.

Urda attributes that scoring prowess to the dedication of this year's senior class, led by Cam O'Shaughnessy, Owen Clary, Owen Hutchinson, Liam Joyner and Jake Fantasia. Add in sophomores Gavin Urda and Matt Hannon and the Spartans have had an offense that has seen multiple players contributing game in and game out.

O'Shaughnessy has been leading the way, as he became the first Milford player since 2014 to reach a hundred points, doing so in a 7-6 win over ConVal.

In that win, Milford had to fight to hold off the Cougars down the stretch, including a bit of a change in game plan in the final moments.

"I set up a ride the last 40 seconds and we were able to get a turnover," Rick Urda said. "They're adjusting on the fly really well. It's nice they are working hard and they see there is room to improve."

Milford will send those seniors off on Friday in a 4 p.m. start against Hopkinton (13-0). The Hawks haven't allowed more than seven goals all season and score an average of 13.2 goals per game.

"It'd be huge," Urda said of getting to the playoffs. "We haven't made the playoffs since 2014 with a five-win team. It'd be great to get these guys into the playoffs. It's not getting them in, it's that they earned it by working so hard on their game."