Milton’s four-game winning streak ended with a 21-0 home loss to Walpole on Friday, Oct. 16, leaving the Wildcats at 4-2 with two scheduled games remaining before the MIAA football playoff cutoff.

The Wildcats entered the game at No. 7 in the MIAA Division 3 power rankings. That Oct. 16 release included results reported through 4 a.m., so it reflected Milton’s 4-1 record before the loss. The next update is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 20.

Milton had averaged 34.8 points through its first five games. Walpole handed the Wildcats their first shutout since Sept. 6, 2024, against Needham, according to MassLive’s game report.

Walpole intercepted three passes and limited Milton’s longest play to a 24-yard screen pass. Jack Benner collected two interceptions, while Aidan Hoyle added another.

The loss also tightened Milton’s path to a Bay State Conference Herget Division title. Walpole improved to 2-0 in division play, while Milton dropped to 1-1. Weymouth remains unbeaten in the Herget at 1-0 despite a 21-8 non-league loss to Brockton.

Milton would need help from other results to earn a share of the division championship, along with wins in its remaining league games against Weymouth and Braintree.

The immediate focus is the state tournament. Milton hosts Franklin in a non-league game Friday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m., then visits Weymouth on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m., according to its schedule.

Both games fall before the Oct. 31 tournament cutoff. The MIAA plans to release brackets Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. The top 16 eligible teams in each division qualify, with teams required to have at least three wins and seven games played.

The power ratings combine average scoring margin, capped at 14 points per game, with opponents’ ratings. Individual statistics such as interceptions do not directly enter the formula.

Milton’s Thanksgiving home game against Braintree is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 26, at 10 a.m. That game remains part of the Herget race but comes after tournament seeding. Playoff or consolation games can fill the intervening November schedule.