Clifton Central forces 20 turnovers, runs away early from Milford in regional quarterfinal

The IHSA postseason has arrived and so has Clifton Central’s defense.

The Comets forced 20 Bearcat turnovers, and scored on eight of them to help wallop Milford 59-32 Monday night at The Crater in the Class 1A Hoopeston Regional quarterfinals. The win improved Clifton Central to 21-9 overall and it will play Heyworth Wednesday night in Hoopeston.

“They really couldn’t handle the pressure of the 1-2-2 [zone defense] last time we played them,” Clifton Central junior guard Mayson Mitchell said. “We knew we had to come out with that, and it worked just like we planned.”

The first quarter started off slowly for both teams. Clifton Central went 0-for-4 from the field to start the game, including 0-for-3 from behind the arc. The Comets did not get their first points until a layup from junior Kaden Neveu assisted by senior Blake Chandler off a steal.

From there the Comets rolled, starting and ending the quarter on a 6-0 run and allowing only one Milford field goal to carry a 17-4 lead through one quarter.

“We didn’t shoot from 3 well [to start], but we still have to keep shooting no matter what,” Clifton Central head coach Brandon Schoon said. “We just had good ball movement and good open looks. I thought that was really big for us.”

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Clifton Central's Mayson Mitchell elevates for a shot as Milford's Isaac Schaumburg guards during a Class A Regional game on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (Nicholas Holstein for Shaw Local)

Milford only managed four made shots from the field in the first half, and was still staring at a large deficit at 31-12 at halftime.

“Being a young team,” Milford head coach Wade Fox said of their offensive struggles. “We came out a little too timid, didn’t get after it as much, and that led to the offensive struggles.”

Clifton Central opened the second half on an 8-0 run and caused a quarter-high nine turnovers in the third to lead 53-19. The Comets would rest their starters for the fourth and comfortably pull out the win.

The Comets are a step closer to the program’s first regional title since Schoon was a senior at Clifton Central, in 2014. The first-year head coach of the Comets knows the road is tough, but the confidence is high.

“Going into the second round, we’re going to have a tough team to battle [in Heyworth],” he said. “We’ll be ready to go, I’m excited for it, and I know the boys are ready to go.”

Mitchell led the Comets with 16 points, followed by classmate Derek Meier’s 11 and Neveu added nine. Clifton Central shot 37 percent from the field.

Milford is young to say the least. Of the Bearcats’ 13 players, eight of them are underclassmen, so experience-wise, a ton of Milford’s games have not been favorable. Even after ending its season at 6-24, it’s those underclassmen that makes Milford excited for what’s to come.

“We got a great group of kids that have done it for years now at the grade school level,” Fox said. “They’re getting used to it here at the high school level, and they’re going to be great.”

Freshman Maddox Muehling led the Bearcats with eight points, and was followed by five points by sophomore Lucas Summers. Milford shot 11 percent from the field.