#vthsfootball Why...

...will the D2 championship be the game of the day?

    Of all the Vermont high school football games on championship Saturday, only one involve teams not seeded #1 or #2.  That's Fair Haven vs. Colchester in the D2 final.

    The Slaters come in at #5, but winners of 6 in a row and an upset of top-seed Hartford in the semifinals last Friday.  Sam Kyhill has been the biggest piece of that success, but Cody Adams stepped up big time in Hartford to get them to Munson Field.

    The Lakers have used their Metro division schedule to toughen up at the right time, dominating on D in both wins against Rice and Lyndon to make it to the title game for the 2nd time in 3 years.  Colton Lefebvre's 4 TD passes in the semifinal win played a key role for an offense that has used the running game to find their success all season.

    In the end, these two programs will have to handle both sides of the ball and make key plays late to get the job done.  But how will the Munson turf play in the game between two teams who have had little experience on turf in 2025?  That's what could make this an exciting final and close at the end.

...will the D3 championship game be a low scoring affair?

    In week 8 of the season, Bellows Falls traveled to Woodstock for a game that would decide the top seed in the Division 3 playoffs.  Both teams found success in a high scoring game that went to double overtime before a winner was determined.

    The Wasps would end up winning 60-52 and clinch the #1 seed with other week 8 results going their way.  But it hasn't stopped the Terriers from getting to the final, dispatching of Mill River and MAV in the playoffs to get to South Burlington and the D3 final.

    Meanwhile, Woodstock have shut out each of their playoff opponents (Windsor and Otter Valley) to get to 9 straight wins after an opening week loss to D2 U-32.  

    Top 2 teams in D3 and 2 great offenses going head-to-head with Bazin and Conners for BF against Emery and Oates for Woodstock.  But if you're expecting a similar result from the regular season finale, I have a feeling both teams will push their defense to get better, leading to a lower scoring game on Saturday.  Maybe both teams get to 35 in the end, but I can't see another triple-digit combined performance from these teams just 3 weeks after the first one.

...will the D1 final come down to the passing game?

    Middlebury is one of the most prolific programs when it comes to running the football and finding success with it.  St. Johnsbury has the Palmeri duo (Davis and Vincent) who have pushed their way to a combined 13 TD runs with QB Maddox McFarland adding another 13 on the ground.

    But McFarland also has 13 TD passes and I think that arm will come into play when it's needed most.  While the Tigers D have been able to stop the passing game (Marshall Eddy has 12 PBUs this season), they haven't played against Maddox and SJA this year.  It will be up to the sophomore QB to find his receivers to keep the Hilltoppers in the title game.

    With game time slated for 5PM, it's going to be a chilly night and could lead to more running plays.  But all it takes is one play from a QB to change the complexion of the game.

Okay, one more.

...will this championship Saturday at South Burlington be the best one yet?

    because the support of the fans, the players and everyone at Munson Field will showcase the positive of high school athletics.  As long as everyone keeps a positive vibe on Saturday, every game will deliver and finish with an experience no one will forget.

Thank you, best of luck to all the teams and enjoy the games on Saturday!

#vthsfootball QF recaps

     12 teams down, 12 teams remain on the road to Munson Field and championship Saturday.  Here's a recap of Quarterfinal/Wild Card week in Vermont high school football:

Division 1:  OT thriller and a key injury

    Burr and Burton and Essex went through an offensive struggle in the rain on Friday night with a late drive leading to the Bulldogs' game-tying TD that would force overtime.  After Essex was stopped on their goal-to-go possession (HS OT rules in VT), BBA scored on a Sam Dowd TD Pass to Caleb Perry to knock off the Hornets in the Quarterfinals.  The Bulldogs will travel to Middlebury in the Semifinals after the Tigers took care of BFA in similar conditions at home Thursday night.

    In the other half of the bracket, Rutland pulled away from Mount Anthony in the second half of their contest while St. Johnsbury went wire-to-wire once again vs. CVU.  The Hilltoppers did lose their star QB Maddox McFarland in the game with an ankle injury, leaving his status unknown for Friday's semifinal against Rutland.

 

Division 2:  Baning dominance as favorites prevail

    Hartford's undefeated run nearly came to an end against Colchester in week 8, but the Hurricanes left no doubt early against 8-seed MMU.  RB Rex Baning had 4 rushing TDs on only 5 carries to lead Hartford to a 49-21 victory Thursday night.  Up next for the top-seed Hurricanes:  the defending D2 champs Fair Haven on Friday night after the Slaters took care of business at U-32 Saturday night.

    Meanwhile, Lyndon and Colchester dominated in their Quarterfinal matchups against Spaulding and Rice, respectively, to set up their semifinal game at LI Saturday.

Division 3:  Otters' run continues while top 3 shut out competition

    While the top 3 seeds in D3 all advanced to the semifinals without allowing a point (WOOD and BF Thursday night; MAV on Saturday), Otter Valley's winning streak went to 6 with a 34-24 road win against Fairfax/Lamoille.  While the Otters did lose starting RB Keegan Reid to injury in the game, Zac Dragon returned to form, finding Chase Razanouski 3 times for TDs on Saturday en route to their second straight playoff win at Fairfax.

    Now Otter Valley will have the same route as last year:  Beat the Bullets, face Woodstock in the next round.  This time, it's in the semifinals on the road.  Meanwhile, Mount Abe/Vergennes travel to Bellows Falls in the other semifinal.  Both games at 7PM Friday night.

Stats and notes from BFP.

#vthsfootball Playoff Predictions

     Normally, this would be the time to do my 5 Things from Week 8 of the Vermont high school football season.  Maybe it would include how Essex showed their dominance early and resilience late against Rutland?  How about Otter Valley defeating Rice and giving Woodstock #1 in D3 after the Wasps' 2OT thriller against Bellows Falls?  What do we make of Hartford's undefeated season in D2?

    Well, I thought I'd do something different...something I hadn't done all year but, since it's postseason time, makes sense to do.  Here are my picks for EVERY playoff game in all 3 divisions.

Division 1

Middlebury over BFA

St. Johnsbury over CVU

Rutland over Mount Anthony

Burr and Burton over Essex

Semifinals

Middlebury over BBA

Rutland over SJA

Final:  Middlebury 28, Rutland 24

Tigers end 11-year title drought with defensive stop late vs. Rutland.

Division 2

Hartford over Mount Mansfield

Lyndon over Spaulding

Colchester over Rice

Fair Haven over U-32

Semifinals

Hartford over Fair Haven

Colchester over Lyndon

Final:  Hartford 31, Colchester 14

Hurricanes complete undefeated season with complete game vs. Lakers

Division 3

Woodstock over Windsor

Bellows Falls over Mill River

Mount Abraham over Springfield

Otter Valley over Fairfax/Lamoille

Semifinals

Woodstock over Otter Valley

Bellows Falls over Mount Abraham

Final:  Bellows Falls 33, Woodstock 22

Terriers get revenge on lone loss and win first state title since 2021

5 Things from #vthsfootball week 7

     The final week of the 2025 Vermont high school football regular season is a few days away and the best teams in the state have solidified their spots in the playoffs.  But there are still some seeding questions left to be answered as we head into this week.  Those seeding scenarios (with the help of our friend Pat Lynch of WCAX) are the five things from week 7.

1---Bellows Falls/Woodstock for D3 regular season crown?

    While the Terriers are undefeated in 2025, Woodstock have dominated their opponents since the week 1 loss to U-32.  But even if the Wasps knock off BF on Friday night, they need a multi-team "Parlay" to have any shot of the #1 seed.

2---Milton could be passed by 1-win teams after week 8.

    I mentioned it last week, but the QPR system hasn't helped the Yellow Jackets one bit in an attempt to make the 2025 D2 playoffs (but neither has their play as I saw in their 40-12 loss to Rice on Saturday).  

    Milton could beat Springfield on Friday night and still finish outside the postseason if MMU knocks off BFA and both Poultney and Missisquoi lose on Saturday.  If North Country can knock off Brattleboro Friday night, MMU only need one of those Saturday results to happen for them to make it.

3---Rutland, Essex and a D1 home playoff game

    One of the greatest rivalries between teams on both sides of the "Middlebury-Dixie Line," The Hornets and former Raiders battle in week 8 for not just bragging rights, but also to host a playoff game in the Quarterfinals.

    An Essex win guarantees them #4 (#3 if 7 different games go right); a loss forces them on the road if BBA wins.  A Rutland win and "The Game" between LI and SJA might determine #2.

4---VFN shines in 2025

    As we head into the final week of the season, I have to applaud Eric Berry and the crew from Northeast Sports Network who have been the driving force of getting to as many games as possible during the high school football season.

    Berry, Alan Ruggles, Ken Wells and Paul Wheeler are among the main crew who have called their fair share of games during the 2025 season (mostly involving NCU, LI and SJA).  Last week, NSN covered 7 of the 8 Friday night games that took place (the only one they missed was Seawolves/Colchester) and have become the must-have app/website to watch future sporting events for the rest of the school year and hopefully beyond.

    While their playoff coverage may move to NFHS (a subscription-based service), it won't take away from how important they have been to covering the student-athletes who make every Friday night and Saturday afternoon (and sometimes Thursday nights) must-see.

5---Week 8 Slate

Mount Anthony (3-4) @ Fair Haven (3-4) (Thursday @ 6:30PM)

Mount Mansfield (1-6) @ BFA-St. Albans (2-5) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

North Country (0-7) @ Brattleboro (0-7) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Champlain Valley (2-5) @ Burr and Burton (4-3) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Essex (4-3) @ Rutland (5-2) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Middlebury (6-1) @ Burlington/South Burlington (0-7) (Friday @ 7PM) (NFHS)

Colchester (5-2) @ Hartford (7-0) (Friday @ 7PM) (NFHS)

Springfield (4-3) @ Milton (2-5) (Friday @ 6:30PM) (LCATV)

U-32 (3-4) @ Spaulding (3-4) (Friday @ 7PM) (CVT)

Bellows Falls (7-0) @ Woodstock (6-1) (Friday @ 7PM)

Otter Valley (4-3) @ Rice (4-3) (Saturday @ 1PM)

Windsor (2-5) @ BFA-Fairfax (5-2) (Saturday @ 1PM)

Mill River (3-4) @ Missisquoi (0-7) (Saturday @ 1PM) (NSN)

Mount Abraham/Vergennes (6-1) @ Poultney (0-7) (Saturday @ 1PM) (NYVT)

Lyndon (6-1) @ St. Johnsbury (6-1) (Saturday @ 5PM) (NSN)

5 Things from #vthsfootball week 6

     2 weeks remain but still a lot to be determine as far as who will make the playoffs and where those teams will be seeded.  Also, another underclassman has found his way into the race for Vermont's top player, and while a couple of divisions have their playoff hopefuls, one could be determined by who loses in week 8 instead of who wins.  Here are this week's 5 things:

1---Bobwhites, Yellow Jackets pull ahead in respective 8-seed battle

    On a chilly Thursday night at Munson Field, BFA-St. Albans defeated Burlington/South Burlington 10-7 to take a 2-game lead in the race for 8th place in Division 1.  Saturday, Windsor came back to defeat Poultney 29-20, improving to 2-4 and likely solidifying their spot in 8th as well.

2---Maddox, Hilltoppers ruin Essex's homecoming & senior night

    It's been an amazing season for St. Johnsbury Academy, and they can thank Sophomore Maddox McFarland for their 5-1 record.  

    The Hilltoppers have relied on McFarland's arm in most of their games.  But on Friday night, it was Maddox's running that contributed the most with 4 rushing TDs and a game-sealing 74-yard carry to outlast the Hornets on their homecoming and senior nights.

    McFarland's recent success puts him in the same category as Jaden Bazin as far as underclassmen who can help lead a program to success down the line.

3---Another week, more D1 wins for Colchester, Hartford

    The Lakers knocked off defending D1 champs CVU 20-7 in a very complete game on both sides of the ball, while the Hurricanes won at home 37-7 to Burr and Burton in a game that was competitive at the start until Hartford pulled away in the second half.

4---A wacky scenario in D2 playoffs

    On Friday night, Milton and Mount Mansfield both lost in convincing fashion against MAV and U-32, respectively.  The Yellowjackets are 2-4 and the Cougars are 1-5, but when you look at the QPR rankings, a unique scenario has come into play.

    Both teams have an identical number of points (1.25), but it's MMU that is ahead in 8th place.  This means that even with losses in their final 2 games, the Cougars can make the playoffs at 1-7 if Milton loses their final 2 games (@ Rice and home to Springfield).  Easily put, we could see some chaos in week 8 depending on outcomes from week 7.

5---Week 7 Slate (streaming info unofficial)

Essex (3-3) @ BFA-St. Albans (2-4) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Brattleboro (0-6) @ Mount Anthony (2-4) (Friday @ 7PM) (NFHS)

Burr and Burton (4-2) @ Middlebury (5-1) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Champlain Valley (2-4) @ St. Johnsbury (5-1) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Rutland (5-1) @ Hartford (6-0) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Burlington/South Burlington (0-6) @ Colchester (3-3) (Friday @ 7PM) (LCATV)

Fair Haven (2-4) @ U-32 (3-3) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Lyndon (5-1) @ North Country (0-6) (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Milton (2-4) @ Rice (3-3) (Saturday @ 1PM) (NSN)

Bellows Falls (6-0) @ Mount Mansfield (1-5) (Saturday @ 1PM) (MMCTV)

Spaulding (3-3) @ Mount Abraham (5-1) (Saturday @ 1PM) (NFHS)

BFA-Fairfax (4-2) @ Missisquoi (0-6) (Saturday @ 1PM) (NSN)

Springfield (4-2) @ Mill River (2-4) (Saturday @ 1PM)

Poultney (0-6) @ Otter Valley (3-3) (Saturday @ 6:30PM) (NSN)

Woodstock (5-1) @ Windsor (2-4) (Saturday @ 1PM)

5 Things from #vthsfootball Week 5

     In my last 5 things, I noted the strong performances from teams in the southern part of the Vermont high school football realm.  So, it wasn't any surprise that part of the state had the most dramatic and exciting performances from Week 5 of the season.  Here are this week's 5 things.

1---Rutland/MAU play offensive classic

    It was a back-and-forth matchup in Bennington as Mount Anthony had their homecoming game vs. Rutland.  Asa Reis and Grady Gallagher made big plays on offense, but it was Gio Spalleri finding Cellan Wood (a BFP breakout performer) for the go-ahead score late in the 4th quarter and an INT from Jon Crossman that gave the team formerly known as the Raiders a 42-39 win, spoiling the Patriots festivities.

 

2---This season's best player is...just a sophomore?

    Bellows Falls may be in D3, but after defeating the defending D2 state champions Friday night, they're 5-0 on the season.  One of the biggest reasons for their success is Sophomore RB/DB Jaden Bazin, who scored 5 TDs and came up with an INT on defense in the Terriers' 52-27 win over Fair Haven on Friday Night.  As the great Jack Healy of NSN noted, Bazin did "Everything except play in the band and sell popcorn in the stands."

3---SJA rebounds from Rutland loss in dominant fashion

    While they did face a rebuilding Seawolves team on Saturday, seeing St. Johnsbury up close gave me a chance to see one of the contenders in Division 1.  Maddox McFarland looked great both running and throwing the ball; Vincent Palmeri made guys miss all day and the defense kept Burlington/South Burlington under duress throughout their 49-7 win at Munson Field, a venue the Hilltoppers hope to get back to next month. 

4---D2 Hartford outplays D1 Middlebury

    It was a battle of undefeated teams in Middlebury, but it was Hartford who came out firing on Friday night en route to a 28-13 win over the Tigers.  Rex Baning had another great game with 2 total TDs while the Hurricanes D held Middlebury to 7 points in the first half.  At the moment, it might come down to Rutland in 2 weeks to try and stop Hartford from ending the year undefeated.

5---More realignment?  8-Man football?  The future of the sport.

    Every week, once the final games finish off (or in this case as BFA/Colchester was going on), I'll head on the X app to recap the week's action.  On the Week 5 Recap Show, we had a discussion about the future of the sport in the state of Vermont.

    This came after NSN's Eric Berry had posted on his blog (top post) his idea of realigning the teams into 4 divisions.  I encourage all who see this to look at Eric's post, then tap the other link to check out the space from Saturday for my thoughts on the situation.

5 things from #vthsfootball Week 4

     We have made it to the halfway point of the Vermont High School Football season.  Most of the top 4 teams in each division is either 4-0 or 3-1 but there are still opportunities for those in the bottom of the division to make a move and give those at the top a run for their money.  For now, let's look back at Week 4 and see what we've learned heading down the homestretch.

1---Burr and Burton uses strong 2nd half to knock off Essex

    After both teams' quarterbacks (Dowd for BBA, Bent for EHS) scored in the first half for a 7-6 Bulldogs lead.  Both teams would score to start the second half, and the Hornets were looking to respond after a big 4th down conversion, only for Burr and Burton to force a fumble and return it all the way for a TD to take control of the game.  Owen Cassan had 2 rushing touchdowns in that half as part of the Bulldogs run of 20 unanswered points as they knocked off Essex 27-13 in a pivotal Division 1 matchup.

2---Patriots run away from Rice; ready for D1 test

    Mount Anthony improved to 2-2 on the season with a 43-6 win vs. Rice on Saturday.  Both wins have come against D2 opponents (other being MMU) with a pair of massive D1 games coming up next (vs. Rutland, vs. Middlebury).

3---Rutland's Gallagher plays hero against St. Johnsbury

    Grady Gallagher was among the star players from the 2024 Rutland football team that made the D1 championship game vs. CVU.  He played that role perfectly on Friday night at home against a St. J squad that came in undefeated.

    Gallagher ran for 2 TDs and had a game-sealing INT to hand the Hilltoppers their first loss of the season 21-13, part of a major weekend for teams south of the "Middlebury-Dixie Line" in VT high school football.

4---Game that looked good on paper ended up as drubbings

    It was the 112th meeting between Springfield and Bellows Falls, but for the 15th year in a row, it's the Terriers bringing the trophy home after a dominant performance against the Cosmos on Friday night.

5---Week 5 slate of games (to be updated before Friday)

Hartford @ Middlebury (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Rutland @ Mount Anthony (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

St. Johnsbury @ Burlington/South Burlington (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

North Country @ U-32 (Friday @ 7PM) (CVT Sport?)

Fair Haven @ Bellows Falls (Friday @ 7PM) (NSN)

Mill River @ Woodstock (Friday @ 7PM)

Poultney @ Springfield (Friday @ 7PM) (NFHS/YT)

Lyndon @ Mount Mansfield (Saturday @ 1PM) (NSN)

Missisquoi @ Milton (Saturday @ 1PM) (LCATV)

BFA-St. Albans @ Colchester (Saturday @ 7PM) (NSN/LCATV)

Brattleboro @ Burr and Burton (Saturday @ 1PM) (NSN)

Essex @ Champlain Valley (Saturday @ 1PM) (NFHS)

Rice @ Mount Abraham (Saturday @ 1PM) (NFHS)

BFA-Fairfax @ Spaulding (Saturday @ 6PM) (CVT Sport?)

Otter Valley @ Windsor (Saturday @ 1PM)