DEDHAM – With Milton Academy’s regular season nearly over, Noble & Greenough will have to wait 24 hours to see if the postseason is in their future.

The Mustangs (4-4) outscored Noble & Greenough 7-0 on an Independent School League defensive offense that produced 243 total yards for both teams throughout the game. Milton Academy’s win was its third in a row, while Noble & Greenough fell to 6-2.

Having struggled with injuries throughout the season, including Division 1 junior playmaker Kuran McNeill, who suffered an elbow injury, Milton Academy did enough to finish the season on a high note.

Owen West scored on a two-yard run on the game’s opening drive, capping off the 62-yard, eight-play streak, and that was enough for Deacon Evriviades to take care of business with two interceptions on the defensive end.

“We lost our starting quarterback, we lost our running back, we lost everybody. But the boys were together and we had a few tough games in the middle of the season but I’m really happy and proud of all my players,” said Milton Academy head coach Michael Mason. “They were a little bit stunted after they scored and we had a hard time recovering from that. “We’re really young up front and the whole line is made up of sophomores, but Nobles did a really good job, using their quickness and being tough on us.”

The Bulldogs struggled with 31 yards of offense in the first half, but moved the ball well in the second half with dynamic play from quarterback Colin Kenney and Braylen Jenkins against Milton, which had a significant size advantage on defense.

Noble & Greenough had opportunities in the second half but Evriviades’ first pick came from midfield on the Bulldogs’ second series.

The Mustangs’ main defensive stop came early in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs were forced to punt to open the final quarter, but Mark Bianchi recovered Milton’s fumble on the punt, returning the ball to Nobles across midfield at the 40-yard line.

Kenney drove the team inside the 22-yard line; On fourth-and-one, the Bulldogs picked up a first down and fumbled only at the 19-yard line.

The Mustangs blew another opportunity with 45 seconds left in the game, but Evriviades ended any comeback speculation with his second pick to end the game and likely give the Bulldogs hope as the NEPSAC bowl awaits the ISL. Committee decision on bowl game matchups.

“The kids played so well and we really didn’t expect to be in this position because this is a school full of athletes that compete in many sports, but it’s great to line up and compete against a team that has a lot of talent and good coaching,” said Nobles head coach Mike Curran. “We are a gritty group and we show up working hard day in and day out since preseason. We are a unique program where eighth graders line up against 12th graders, but they are all equally valuable.”