MILFORD — Special teams and defense were the facets of Goffstown's game that fueled a 21-point comeback and key Division III win.

“Best feeling ever. It shows that we can dig down deep,” junior difference-maker Ashton Florence said after his team's 30-28 win Friday night at muddy Milford.

Florence infused life into the Grizzlies (5-3 overall, 5-1 Div. III), who struggled with first-half ball protection and dug a 21-0 hole. Seconds after Milford's Morgan Andrews kicked her third extra point, Florence returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards.

Fighting through a neck-twisting tackle near midfield, he was dragged to the turf 3 yards shy of the end zone.

Bulldozer quarterback Connor Benjamin (TD run, TD pass), powered across the goal line for six points, then converted the two-point run. Goffstown's deficit was cut to 21-8 with 3 minutes until halftime.

Milford (5-3, 4-2 Div. III) nearly answered with a score. But Florence intercepted a pass by QB Harrison Urda (two TD passes, TD run). The pick, 5 yards from Goffstown's goal line, was returned to Milford's 25 and soon led to another TD.

Benjamin rifled a 13-yard strike to Christian Marquis in the half's final seconds. Kicker Matthew Garrison successfully stretched for the pylon after scooping an errant extra-point snap.

Ryan Pinard completed the comeback shortly after halftime. Racing up the middle on fourth down, he blocked Evan Perron's punt. Connor Wynn pounced on the ball, which caromed into the end zone.

“The blocked punt for a touchdown. The kick return for, basically, a touchdown. And the interception. That's 21 points,” said Milford head coach Keith Jones, whose team later trailed by nine points courtesy of Peter Shea's 6-yard scoring run and Benjamin's second conversion.

The 30-point barrage ended when Urda appeared to snatch the ball from the grip of teammate Connor Borne, who was stuffed at the 1-yard line.

Urda's carry produced Milford's second short-yardage run for points. Tyler Cooney capped the offense's first drive, an 11-play march.

The Spartans attacked through the air to build a seemingly insurmountable lead. Urda connected with Mitchell Banuskevich (29-yard TD) on fourth-and-10, before lofting a high-arcing six-point pass to Perron.

But that's when the Grizzlies woke up. They have Florence to thank.

“We talked about scoring the next touchdown (when down 21-0). We can't get 21 all back at once,” said Goffstown head coach Justin Hufft, whose club also overcame four of seven turnovers. “Ashton really picked us up with that kick return.”

mthaler@unionleader.com