Scarlet Hawks competed with some of state’s best

By Chris Villani

Milford Boys’ Volleyball Head Coach Andrew Mainini did not know what to expect from his team this year with only one varsity starter coming back. But the Scarlet Hawks won 13 games and upset a higher seed in the state tournament. 

Mainini said defense was key to Milford’s success. “We quickly became a really strong defensive team,” he said. “So, even when we did not have the firepower or the experience to win matches, we were competing in every match that we played.”

Mainini said it was not uncommon, even after a 3-0 or 3-1 loss, to have the other team say that it was one of the toughest matches they had all season.

Milford lines up before a game this season, the Hawks finished 13-9 overall. Courtesy photo

 “I thought it was cool to see us really compete against some great volleyball programs,” he said. “It was exciting to see what this team could develop into.”

Leading the offense for the Hawks was Gus Da Silva, who finished the season with around 350 kills. On the defensive side, Mayck Moreira and Jude Moffitt split time at libero and anchored what became Milford’s biggest asset.

“They were the two main guys who kept us competitive in a lot of these matches,” Mainini said. “They came up with some big digs and made the other team run their offense multiple times before they could score.”

Colin Greco was the Scarlet Hawks’ most experienced middle hitter this spring, and his experience was crucial in key moments all year. Mainini also welcomed two new setters in Jason Comisky and Eston LeBron, who both played their first varsity seasons.

“They came a long way by the end of the season,” Mainini said. “We were running a complex offense at the end, which was great to see.”

That improvement and a stout defense helped Milford, a 22 seed in the state tournament, go on the road and knock off 11th seeded Chelmsford in the first round of the playoffs. Although the season came to an end in the next round with a loss to Taunton, Mainini said he was pleased with the season and the 13-9 overall record.

“I think it was a good reflection of where we were at, skill wise,” he said.

And, unlike this year’s squad, the 2026 edition of the Scarlet Hawks will not lack experience.

“We are returning almost the entire starting lineup,” Mainini noted. “We have people coming back at every position who were getting regular time on the court this year.”