Week 2 preview: Talented Milford has tall task against defending state champion Mansfield

The Upstarts against the Establishment.

That might be the most accurate way to describe Saturday’s Kelley-Rex showdown between defending Div. 2 state champion Mansfield and a talent-laden Milford squad. The host Scarlet Hawks are looking to get to where the Hornets have been for a long, long time.

As much as Milford has been looking to this game as a true measuring stick, first-year head coach Dale Olson was happy with the way his team handled the opening week. There was no looking past Attleboro, there was a business-like approach to the game and the season.

“We’ve got a big senior class, we have 17 seniors and 10 of them will be playing college football,” Olson said. “Because of the shorter season, there is going to be excitement for every game we played.”

Both teams opened up the season with one-sided wins leading to this game. Mansfield cruised to a 49-7 win over Franklin, while Milford turned in a terrific two-way effort in beating Attleboro, 34-0.

“They are a very impressive team,” said Mansfield coach Mike Redding, who knows a thing or three about that topic. “We saw (Milford quarterback Brady) Olson play last year at Bishop Feehan when we were scouting them against New Bedford, a team we thought we might play in the playoffs. When I heard that he was transferring to Milford, that wasn’t good news.

“He’s one of the better pocket passers in the state. He’s a big kid with a collection of four good receivers in the spread. They are all around 5-foot-10, fast and they have good hands. They have a good offensive package.”

The UMass-bound Olson threw for 296 yards and four touchdowns in the season-opening 34-0 win over Attleboro. As impressive as the offense was, Olson (the quarterback’s uncle) raved about his defense.

“I was talking to my brother (assistant coach Dana Olson) after the game and we both couldn’t remember a dominant defensive effort like that,” Olson said. “I don’t think they had 50 yards in offense and we limited them to two first downs, one coming at the end of the half when we were in a prevent and the other one came late in the game.”

With all due respect, the Milford defense will certainly be tested a lot more this week. Speedy back Cincere Gill touched the ball just six times last week, yet he amassed 148 yards and three touchdowns. First-year starting quarterback Matt Boen acted like a seasoned veteran as the offense was clicking on all cylinders.

“They’re an explosive team, definitely a top-five team in the state,” Olson said. “T.J. Guy is a problem, Boen is a problem, Cincere Gill is a problem. Mike does a great job coaching and it’s going to be a good test for us.”

The Mansfield-Milford matchup isn’t the only spicy contest on the docket for Saturday.

A key Catholic Conference matchup features BC High at St. John’s Prep. Elsewhere, Winchester is at Reading, Abington will host Rockland at Hingham High School, while Newburyport travels to Lynnfield.

It’s going to be Thanksgiving Day in Needham this evening as Wellesley heads to Needham in what is usually a historic Turkey Day matchup. Called the oldest public high school rivalry, the teams will be meeting for the 133rd time dating back to 1882.

Defending Div. 6 state champion Ashland opens its season on the road at Westwood. Stoughton hosts Foxboro, while Whitman-Hanson awaits visiting Marshfield.

Closer to home, Brighton travels to East Boston Stadium to square off against the Jets of East Boston.