MILFORD — The countdown to football season is on, and while the Milford High School Scarlet Hawks will feature a younger roster this fall, head coach Dale Olson believes the program is ready for the challenge.
Entering his seventh season leading the Scarlet Hawks, Olson said the team has enjoyed a productive offseason despite lower participation numbers in recent years.
“We’ve had a pretty good offseason,” Olson said. “The numbers in Milford have gone down drastically over the last two to three years, but I’m excited about the group we have.”
As part of their preparation, the Scarlet Hawks recently traveled to the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, for their annual three-day padded camp alongside several other high school programs. Olson said the experience helped lay the groundwork for the upcoming season.
Milford faces the challenge of replacing a talented senior class that graduated following last season, including standout contributors Jason Stokes, Ryan Burns, Dylan Burns and Ethan. With only four seniors expected on this year’s roster, the Scarlet Hawks will lean heavily on several returning underclassmen.
Among those expected to play key roles are junior quarterback Vincent Loscerbo, who started as a sophomore last season, along with wide receiver and defensive back, Eli Rosenberg and offensive lineman John Rainey.
“We’ve got a good core of kids coming back, but we will definitely be young this year,” Olson said.
The Scarlet Hawks won’t have much time to ease into the season.
Milford opens its 2026 campaign at home on Thursday, Sept. 10, against Framingham before facing another demanding stretch that includes Natick, King Philip and Barnstable over the first month of the season.
“We play a really tough schedule, so we challenge our kids,” Olson said. “Every coach wants to get off to a fast start.”
The team will continue preparing later this month at a multi-school padded camp in Ashland alongside Franklin, Lincoln-Sudbury and Bellingham before official preseason practices begin.
While Olson knows the Scarlet Hawks will rely on several younger players, he also believes the Milford football culture remains one of the program’s greatest strengths.
“The community’s support for our program has been fantastic,” Olson said. “Friday nights are special at Milford. The community comes out, the student body comes out, and we’ve been lucky enough to put a really good product on the field.”
After finishing 5-5 last season and falling by one possession to eventual Division finalist North Attleboro in the opening round of the state playoffs, Olson said the program’s goals remain unchanged.
“Our goals are lofty every year,” he said. “First goal is to win Week One, then compete for a Hockomock League championship, earn a playoff berth, and eventually end up at Gillette.”
Olson also hopes more younger athletes throughout Milford will consider giving football a try as participation numbers continue to decline.
“Football is one of the greatest team sports there is,” Olson said. “You might not be the player you want to be at 11 or 12 years old, but stick with it, work hard, and keep developing. I’ve had plenty of kids who weren’t the best players early on become outstanding seniors and go on to play college football.”
The Scarlet Hawks open the 2026 season Thursday, Sept. 10, when they host Framingham under the lights in Milford. MyFM 101.3 and the MyFM Local Sports Network will once again provide coverage throughout the high school football season.
