Carrollton vs. Millington

Perennial power Millington faces a rising Carrollton program in the first round of the football playoffs

Hugh Bernreuter | The Saginaw News, October 28, 2009 9:14 p.m.

They are not strangers, just estranged.

Carrollton and Millington take each other on for the first time in 20 years to open the Division 5 football playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday at Millington.

The schools are original members of the Tri-Valley Conference, although Millington left briefly to join the Thumb B Association. When Millington returned, the TVC split into two divisions, with Millington in the East and Carrollton in the West.

They have not played since 1988, but that changes Friday with the first football playoff game between the two schools.

"We are similar teams," Carrollton coach Greg Wasmer said. "They may not be as big as they have been in the past, but they take on the personality of their coach (Tim Furno). They're tenacious. They keep coming at you."

Both teams are 8-1, with Carrollton's lone loss coming against Ithaca, 48-27, and Millington's defeat coming against Essexville Garber, 14-7.

"I watched that film and came away very impressed," Wasmer said. "They had four turnovers in that game, plus some questionable penalties. In my eyes, they should be 9-0."

And both teams rely on standout backs. Millington features senior Justin Stutler, who set a school record this season with 1,521 yards rushing.

The 5-foot-9 back has scored 16 touchdowns and averages 8.7 yards per carry behind an offensive line that includes two three-year starters in Matt Berlin and Cory Barbersek.

Carrollton counters with Robert Essex, who ran for 1,749 yards last season but has eclipsed that with 1,778 yards this season. He has run for 21 touchdowns and returned a punt for another.

"He's a tough kid," Furno said. "He's got a lot of speed.

"Our strength is in our line. We've got a nice back, plus a very good defense. We have turned the ball over a lot this season."

That's music to Wasmer's ears. Under Wasmer, the Cavaliers have specialized in causing turnovers and limiting their own.

"We're very opportunistic," Wasmer said. "We need to play well, force some turnovers, and score off them to have a chance because Millington is a very, very good team."

While both teams are 8-1, Millington hosts the game based on playoff points, a given because of the teams' schedules. Millington plays in the TVC East, a Class B league, while Carrollton is in the TVC West and faces Class C and Class D teams.

The winner advances to the district final against the winner of Friday's game between 6-3 Vassar and 9-0 Flint Beecher.

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