By Andy Walter

MILFORD — Aaron Sivels has waited a long time for the chance to be Milford High’s top running back.

When he finally got the opportunity on Friday night, he didn’t waste it.

Sivels busted loose for 262 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries as the Buccaneers opened the season with a 34-14 win over Cambridge-South Dorchester, Md. in a non-conference football matchup.

Milford coach Shaun Strickland said he knew the senior running back was ready to have a breakout game.

“He’s never been selfish, he’s been a team guy — ‘you play me when you need me,’ ” said Strickland. “You saw it last year. He might get six carries (in a game) but he’d run six carries as hard as he possibly can run them.

“He worked all summer. He put on weight and got faster and stronger. He looks phenomenal. He’s earned it and deserves everything he had tonight. There was never a doubt in my mind in what he’s going to accomplish this season.”

Ironically enough, Sivels began his big night by fumbling the ball on his second carry. But he said that only gave him more motivation.

“I just didn’t secure the ball well,” said Sivels. “But, after that, I made an oath to my team that I had them the rest of the game.”

Sivels kept that promise when he put the Buccaneers ahead for good late in the first quarter. He broke free for a 52-yard scoring run after getting some good blocks to spring him.

“It was good blocking on the perimeter so I couldn’t help but score,” he said. “It was wide-open grass.

“I haven’t really gotten many touches up until now. So it feels pretty good knowing I can do good when I get the ball in my hands.”

He added TD runs of 33 and three yards in the second quarter as Milford’s advantage grew to 21-0 at halftime.

The second of those touchdowns was set up by a sack and fumble that lineman Ke’Shawn White picked up and returned 45 yards to the Vikings’ three. It was one of four turnovers that the Bucs forced in the contest.

Milford pushed its lead to 28-0 late in the third quarter when quarterback Shawn Saxon found junior receiver A.J. Kravitz on an 18-yard touchdown pass. Kravitz, a basketball standout who decided to come out for football this fall, made a nice leaping catch in the back of the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, however, it was the Vikings’ turn to get their offense going.

Cambridge-South Dorchester got on the board when Dario Belizaire scored on a 43-yard run with 9:54 left in the contest.

Then, when the Bucs failed to pick up the ball on the ensuing kickoff, the Vikings got the ball right back at the Milford 29.

A penalty and a play later, QB Blake Labelle found Kanye Pinder for a 35-yard scoring pass and CSD was quickly back within 28-14 with 8:22 still remaining.

But the Bucs simply put the ball in Sivels’ hands on three straight plays and he covered all 82 yards on the scoring drive. He went 40 yards on the last play for a touchdown that gave Milford its 34-14 lead with 7:07 on the clock.

Milford, which is playing its first season as part of the newly formed Class 2A, went 2-3 last fall. The Bucs have only eight seniors on this year’s roster.

“It’s always nice getting that first win,” said Strickland. “Luckily for us, there’s things we need to fix so there’s no time for us to waste. We get to go back and watch film and tighten up some errors.”

The Bucs return to action next Friday with a 6:30 p.m. contest at North County, Md.

“We had a lot of guys who never played under the lights before on Friday night,” said Sivels. “It felt good for them to get off to a good start. They see that winning feels good. They know they don’t want to lose.

“It feels good to get off to a good start so they can bring the same energy every game.”