My trip to Foxborough and the MIAA HS Football championships

     When I took the week of my birthday off, my initial hope was to see a New England Patriots game, just like I did when I turned 8 years old in 1996.  Unfortunately, the Pats were on a bye this week and I had to hope for something different to come into play.

    Then, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association announced that their "Super Bowl" football games would take place that same week and, after thinking long and hard about it, I took the chance and made it out to be part of this special event.  Did I see every game?  Well, between the weather and number of games played each day, not even close.  But it didn't stop me from having the experience of a lifetime at Foxborough.

    The trip down was pretty simple:  Making it to my hotel and being able to check in early so I can enjoy the calm before the storm.  After lunch with my dad (who brought me down from home), I relaxed for the night and got ready for the week.

    On day 1, it was all about enjoying the Gillette experience.  My first trip was to the Patriots Hall of Fame, spending time looking at the exhibits and talking with the son of the great Gil Santos.  Between Gil, George Commo and Sean McDonough, they were the first voices I remember hearing as a child and made me want to be a sports commentator so meeting Mr. Santos sent me through a case of emotions.  Then getting to see the footballs, rings, legendary jerseys and those Super Bowl trophies was a moment I'll never forget.  I didn't take any photos at the Hall, but that's because while they say a picture is worth a thousand words, I can promise you this is something that photos won't do justice.  You have to actually go there to see it.  After getting lunch and resting in my hotel a bit longer, I went to the lighthouse and was able to take photos from the top of it while also getting my picture taken from the point.

    Then the first game of the MIAA state championships began with Uxbridge and Mashpee.  The Spartans and Falcons were evenly matched, but with the score 28-20 in the fourth, Mashpee kicked the ball deep and Uxbridge scored on the very next play to take the momentum away and win the D7 title.  I tried staying for the D6 title game between Hudson and Fairhaven, but the rain started falling and I had to call it a night.  The Hawks knocked off the Blue Devils 21-14 in that game.

    On day 2, I took it easy early, then back to Gillette for the D4 title game between Scituate and Duxbury.  The Sailors won the coin toss, elected to receive, scored their first TD in about 3 minutes and took the momentum with it en route to a 29-13 win.  I made it through the first quarter of the D1 final between Xaverian and Needham, but the cold did in fact bother me and I checked out early again and watched the last 2 games in my room.  The Hawks won 14-7 while Catholic Memorial took the D2 title over King Philip.

    Day 3 was the coldest of the week.  With the wind picking up, the wind chill was in the teens, so I was hoping to get through at least 1 game and that's exactly what I did.  After heading to the Patriot pro shop and grabbing some new gloves (hoping the extra layers would work), I took in the D8 title game as Randolph (MA) faced West Boylston.  The Lions (who actually have the Detroit logo) got off to an early lead, but the Blue Devils came back.  Randolph turned a 22-3 deficit into a one-possession game late, but a miscue on an onside kick saw WBHS run out the clock and win the title.  After that, I got some food at the concessions, but I was already feeling the effects of the weather and ended my trip to the stadium early.

    In the end, I only got to see 3 games in full, but I still got enough out of being at Gillette Stadium and seeing the field up close (photos coming on my social accounts), going to the Patriots HOF and seeing all the exhibits (including one on New England football for my VT friends), and being on top of the lighthouse at the stadium.  So, it really doesn't matter how many games I saw or how cold it was each day (though it will come into play next time I try something like this); all that matters is being there and having a trip that I will never forget.

My day in St. Johnsbury and the #vthsfootball championship games

     For the first time ever, I had the opportunity to be a part of a day-long extravaganza in high school sports.  Well, first time may be an understatement as I was at the baseball finals at Centennial Field back in June, but I wasn't going to miss out on this occasion.  I heard so many people talk about the experience of being at Rutland for championship Saturday in football, but never had a chance to get down there (work or transportation issues).  But this year, I knew I needed to get down there.

    I left my place at around 6:30AM yesterday, got to St. Johnsbury at 8AM and had breakfast at Anthony's Diner on Railroad Street.  The food there was delicious, and it definitely felt like an old-school diner experience.  After that, it was a walk down memory lane (as a grad of Lyndon State College) heading to Fairbanks Field for the 3 title games taking place.  Meeting so many people before and during the games (media, coaches, officials, administrators) was such an exciting experience and made it feel like an event.

    The Division 2 final between Rice and Fair Haven was first off.  The Knights got off to a great start with 2 long TD passes from Dallas St. Peter, but the Slaters responded with a prolific defensive game and a running game that could not be stopped.  The game was close throughout, but Fair Haven put it away late with a time-consuming final drive and an INT late to secure their first title since 2017.

    After that was the D3 final and it was all Woodstock from the opening kick.  The Wasps pulled away to a 65-14 win over Otter Valley to secure their 12th state title, tying the record for most in the sport (Hartford and Bellows Falls also have 12).  The 65 points were the most all time in a high school football championship game.

    Then came the main event:  The D1 title game, which featured CVU and Rutland.  The Redhawks have been the most dominant team in D1 post-Covid, making the title game for the 3rd time in 4 years and looking for their second title in this run.  Not only did they do just that, but it was another dominant performance for a team that has done just that during their undefeated season.

    Nolan Walpole shined all game long (even after suffering an ankle injury late in Q2) and Orion Yates was able to find his receivers all game long for an impressive 41-14 win that gave CVU their 6th state title in the fall season (Girls XC, Boys and Girls golf, Boys and Girls soccer).

    There have been talks as to whether or not this team is the best D1 team ever and it's tough to go against them.  The Redhawks outscored their opponents by nearly 400 points!  Some may say that 2009 Essex is up there as well and, while I knew most of the players on that team (2007 EHS alum), 2024 CVU has a run for that top spot after Saturday's performance.

    At the end of the day, the scores didn't matter to me.  It was being at St. Johnsbury, being part of something that was so special and meeting people who put their heart and soul into Vermont high school football.  Thanks to all of you who were nice enough to let me talk about the game.  Thank you to St. Johnsbury Academy for being an amazing host after 12 years at Rutland.  Thanks to the officials who did a great job during their games.  Thanks to the fans who were able to make this even more special (no matter how far they had to travel to get there).

    Thank you to everyone who made this day one I will never forget!  The fall sports season is over and winter is coming.

    You know what that means?  🎳

Instant Reaction: Rice ends decade-long title game drought, survives Lyndon 27-20.

     The 2024 Rice Memorial football team has had a somewhat easy schedule this year with half of their games against D3 schools (including their only loss vs. BFA-Fairfax).  Coming into the postseason, the odds were against them and, after surviving a scare from U-32 a week ago, it felt like Lyndon would take advantage of that schedule.

But as the old saying goes, the Green Knights survived and advanced.

Rice used a 4th quarter rally and pressure on the Vikings offense to stamp their ticket to the D2 final with a 27-20 win at Bill Landers Field Saturday.  It's the Knights' first title game appearance since 2014.

Rice got the ball to start the game and drove down the field with a couple of big runs from Eric Poso before Dallas St. Peter finished the drive for the TD.  After Lyndon were unable to do anything on their first drive, St. Peter would capitalize again, busting through the defense to make it 13-0 (PAT blocked after the second TD).

But before halftime, the Vikings would gain the momentum with a TD pass from Ethan Lussier to Logan Wheeler with 24 seconds left.  LI would then pull off the onside kick and Lussier would find Wyatt Mason who rumbled down the sidelines to give them the lead at halftime.

Neither team could garner much on offense in the 3rd quarter as Rice would pick off Lussier twice in the quarter.  Then, needing the drive of his HS career, St. Peter would deliver a pass to Isaias Lagasse for the go-ahead score.  Lussier would be picked again on the ensuing drive and St. Peter would connect with Poso to put the game out of reach.

The Vikings would score at the buzzer for the 27-20 final.

Rice (9-1) will face Fair Haven in the Division 2 final (a rematch of that 2014 title game), who knocked out Bellows Falls in the semifinals.  Lyndon's season ends at 6-4.

Week 8 Vermont High School Football Predictions

     It's the final week of the 2024 Vermont High School football regular season, so let's make these picks count.  After a 9-5 run last week, I'm looking to get a perfect run this week.  Here are my picks for Week 8.

Rice @ Milton:  Yellowjackets are in a must-win at home to make the playoffs, but the Knights have looked strong all season and will continue that as they look for the #1 seed in Division 2.

Mount Anthony @ Brattleboro:  The Bears are winless and have nothing to lose while a Patriots loss could force them into a matchup with CVU in the playoffs.  While the upset looks good here, I like MAU to come out of this one with the win.

Poultney @ Fair Haven:  Slaters looking to guarantee a top 4 seed in the D2 playoffs while the Blue Devils have an outside chance to do the same with a win.  In the end, Fair Haven will be too much and send Poultney into the playoffs on a 3-game skid.

Essex @ BFA-St. Albans:  The Bobwhites have given up 50+ in more than half of their games this year.  Don't know if Essex gets to that many, but this should be an easy W for the Hornets on senior night.

Champlain Valley @ Seawolves:  CVU hasn't scored less than 30 since week 1, but might face their biggest test at Munson Field against the Burlington/South Burlington co-op.  I'll take the Redhawks to end the regular season undefeated, but I'm also hoping for a shootout and hope the Seawolves will make it a close one Friday.

Spaulding @ U-32:  The Barre-(E)Montpelier showdown has some D2 playoff implications.  Both teams are coming off impressive wins last week, but I like U-32 to hang on against the Tide.

Hartford @ Rutland:  Doesn't get simpler than this; the winner is guaranteed a home playoff game while the loser could finish as low as 6th.  The Hurricanes have spent the last 2 weeks facing D2 squads while Rutland overcame their first loss of the season with a 54-point explosion at St. Albans.  In this rivalry matchup, I like Rutland to take care of business at home.

Mount Mansfield @ Colchester:  The Lakers have only loss once against a D2 foe in the last two seasons (the 2023 D2 final vs. NCU); I like them against the Cougars at home.

Mount Abraham @ North Country:  A long trek for MAV as they head to Newport with hopes of moving up the ladder in the D2 playoffs.  The Eagles should take care of business in the all-birds showdown with the Falcons.

Middlebury @ Burr and Burton:  This game is at Applejack Stadium as BBA hosts their senior night, but the Tigers look to have the momentum after a huge win at home vs. Essex last week.  Give me Middlebury in this one.

Sanborn (NH) @ Bellows Falls:  While this game will have no playoff implications for the Terriers, I still like them to win this inter-state contest.

Woodstock @ Windsor:  Longtime rivals and opponents in the 2023 D3 finals, but two different teams in 2024.  The Wasps are undefeated and hungry for a title while the Yellow Jackets are young and looking for an upset.  I still like Woodstock in this one.

Missisquoi @ Fairfax/Lamoille:  The Bullets are looking to finish off an undefeated season while the Thunderbirds are looking for win #1.  Going with Fairfax to finish 8-0.

Otter Valley @ Mill River:  The Otters are coming off a bye while the Minutemen have momentum after last week's win vs. Poultney at Castleton.  Another huge rivalry with playoff implications, I like MRU at home.

St. Johnsbury @ Lyndon:  It's the 119th meeting between these two schools, but this means more for the Vikings with a chance at the top seed in D2.  The Hilltoppers are stuck in the 7/8 position in D1 but would like to prove themselves going into the playoffs.  I like SJA on the road.

Week 7 Vermont High School Football Predictions

     Last week, I went 12-2-1 (yeah, I forgot MAU/RICE, so it's a tie for me), but Week 7 should be an easy one with these predictions.  Several games should be easy, but there are a few to keep an eye on in Week 7.  Here are this week's picks:

Burr and Burton @ Champlain Valley:  This is a battle between the last two D1 state champs, but the Bulldogs have lost some key players from 2023, and it's shown all season.  The Redhawks should be able to pull away from BBA.

U-32 @ Mount Mansfield:  A spot in the D2 playoffs may be on the line here with these two 1-5 teams.  The Raiders have lost 5 in a row after winning week 1 and the Cougars won last week ending their own 5-game skid.  It's a toss-up, but I like the Cougars to get win #2.

Brattleboro @ Seawolves:  This looks like a no-contest for Burlington/South Burlington, but don't think it will be easy against a team still with a chance to make the playoffs.  I'll take the Seawolves, but it will be closer than anticipated.

Lyndon @ Woodstock:  The Wasps are one of four unbeatens left in the state but are going up a division this week as they face the Vikings.  Lyndon is coming off a win in the Barrel Bowl but are in a trap game with "the game" vs. St. J next week.   I like Woodstock to stay unbeaten.

North Country @ Hartford:  The Hurricanes play their second straight against a D2 opponent, and this one should be an easy win at home.

Fair Haven @ Mount Anthony:  This one should be a doozy with the Slaters and Patriots in Bennington on Friday.  I'll take Fair Haven to get it done.

Colchester @ St. Johnsbury:  A battle of 2 teams at .500 in their respective divisions, but the D1 Hilltoppers should prevail on the home turf.

Bellows Falls @ Springfield:  The 111th meeting between these two rivals, I like the Terriers to come back from last week's loss at Hartford.

Spaulding @ Missisquoi:  Someone's getting Win #1 in Swanton on Saturday.  I'll take the Tide over the Thunderbirds.

Milton @ Mount Abraham:  The Yellowjackets have battled throughout the season but are still on the outside looking in for a playoff spot.  With the Eagles and Rice ahead, things are looking bleak to get that 8th and final spot.  I'll take Mount Abe at home.

Rutland @ BFA-St. Albans:  After a very difficult 4OT loss at Essex last week, Rutland are poised to rebound this week at St. Albans.

Poultney vs. Mill River:  This one takes place at Castleton and you think that gives MRU the advantage as they have played on Rice's turf field earlier this year.  I still like the Blue Devils to rebound from last week's loss at Windsor.

BFA-Fairfax @ Rice:  The only matchup of undefeated teams at the turf field and it will be a classic matchup of the Bullets running game vs. the Knights' D.  This one will be close, but I think Rice will prevail at home.

Essex @ Middlebury:  We are in October and the Hornets are taking a trip to a venue that may be their version of a haunted house.  A Saturday night showdown at Middlebury with so much on the line.  The Hornets have played 6 extra sessions in the last 2 games while the Tigers are coming off an early morning loss at CVU.

This one has instant classic written all over it and I'm calling for another Hornets win on the road. 

Week 6 Vermont High School Football Predictions

    As we wrap up the 2024 Vermont High School football season, I thought it would be a good idea to give my picks for who will win the remaining games of the year, starting with this week's schedule.  There could be some matchups that could be seen as "instant classics" while a few of them might just be another long day/night for teams who have had rough seasons.

Here's a look at week 6's showdowns and my winners for the week

Bellows Falls @ Hartford:  A battle of longtime rivals kicks off the week Thursday night.  The Terriers are riding a 4-game winning streak and seem locked for a top 4 seed in the playoffs.  Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are coming off a shutout performance at Mount Anthony and are hoping to make a run late in the season.

BF may have the edge in running the ball, but I think Hartford's defense will be too much for them to pick up the upset.

Springfield @ Milton:  Another non-divisional game as Springfield makes the long trek to Milton for a 6:30PM start.  The Cosmos are looking to rebound after a heartbreaking OT loss where they were stopped on a 2-point try to win at Poultney.  The Yellowjackets are 2-3 on the year and fighting for a spot in the playoffs but those Ws have been against winless teams (MSQ and SPA) and they have yet to score 20 points in a game.

Give me Springfield in this one.

Rutland @ Essex:  I may be a homer for my alma mater and the history of this matchup still gives me nightmares, but I will try to be unbiased knowing how good Rutland have been.  But the last 2 games against VT opponents were close contests vs. MIDD and at BBA and Essex are led by Carter Crete and Griffin Randell so this could have all the makings of an upset.

Yeah, I'm going to be biased here...give me the Hornets!

Colchester @ Burlington/South Burlington:  The Lakers come off an impressive upset win against Essex last Thursday, while the Seawolves scored 69 at BFA-St. Albans the next day.  Colchester is no BFA, but B/SB have something special going on this year and start a 3-game homestand to finish 2024.

In this D2 vs. D1 matchup, I'll go with the D1 Seawolves here.

Middlebury @ Champlain Valley:  The Biggest game in week 6 and the earliest game on Saturday (10:30AM) is in Hinesburg as the Tigers and Redhawks battle for the top of division 1.  Both teams come in a week removed from blowout wins against BRAT and SJA, respectively.

The biggest question for this one will be which D can stop each team's top performers:  CVU vs. the Tigers' running attack and MIDD vs. Orion Yates and his big receivers.

This is the biggest toss-up game of the week and maybe even the season.  I think Middlebury will do enough in the end and get an emotional win on the road.

Other Week 6 Picks

Burr and Burton @ St. Johnsbury:  The host Hilltoppers are the Jekel and Hyde of D1.  The Dr. should be in at home against the Bulldogs.

Fair Haven @ U-32:  Slaters get revenge after suffering their first loss last week vs. Bellows Falls.

Keene (NH) @ Brattleboro:  The Bears are 0-5 and allowing 40+ points in their last 4 games.  I'll take the Blackbirds here.

Fairfax/Lamoille @ Mount Abraham:  Another toss-up, but the Bullets should do enough in Bristol to keep their perfect season alive.

Otter Valley @ Missisquoi:  After Dominating Milton a week ago, the Otters take care of business against the Thunderbirds.

BFA-St. Albans @ Mount Mansfield:  Someone's going to get their first W of the season (because HS football games can't end in ties).  Give me the Cougars in the battle of 0-5s.

North Country @ Lyndon:  In the Barrel Bowl game, the Vikings D should be able to stop Hayden Boiven and the Falcons enough to take home the jug.

Woodstock @ Mill River:  Wasps remain undefeated in another high-powered performance.

Poultney @ Windsor:  The Blue Devils will be able to carry the momentum from last week's fantastic finish at home to Windsor and get above 500.

Division 3 Vermont High School Football "Midseason Report"

     Week 4 of the Vermont high school football season finished up on Saturday, meaning we have officially reached the halfway point.  While not all 30 teams have played 4 games thus far, enough games have occurred to give us a good look at which teams have shined this year and which ones have fallen off from 2023.

    With Divisions 1 and 2 out of the way earlier this week, it is time to look at Division 3, where 8 teams are vying for the title, but a couple have already broken from the pack through 4 weeks.

#1--Fairfax/Lamoille (4-0):  Led by a balanced running game, the cooperative team representing BFA-Fairfax and Lamoille are undefeated at the halfway point, including a victory over D2's Milton.  They have 3 more D2 teams upcoming with Spaulding, Mount Abe and Rice before facing Missisquoi to wrap up the season.

#2--Woodstock (3-0):  After a bye in week 4, the Wasps are ready for the homestretch of the season.  They host D2 teams U-32 and Lyndon, while traveling to Mill River and rival Windsor to cap off the season.

#3--Springfield (3-1):  The Cosmos were shut out at Woodstock in week 3 to dampen an otherwise exciting start to the season.  Their final game of 2024 is actually a week early when they host Bellows Falls after Oxbow bowed out at the start of the season.

#4--Otter Valley (1-3):  The Otters may be in D3, but they play a perennial D2 schedule.  They host Milton in their final game at Murkowski before traveling to Missisquoi and Mill River.

#5--Mill River (1-3):  The Minutemen have played stellar defense in their last two games, but scoring has been an issue as they've been held to 6 points in 2 of their losses.  It doesn't get any easier as they travel to Rice in week 5, then face Woodstock, Poultney and Otter Valley to wrap up the season.

#6--Poultney (1-2):  The Blue Devils have only played 3 games, but at 1-2 and with Windsor and Mill River upcoming, they could find their way into a top 4 seed discussion.

#7--Missisquoi (0-4):  The Thunderbirds have scored 6 points in 3 of their 4 losses while giving up 30+ in each game.  They travel to Mount Abe before facing Otter Valley, Spaulding and BFA-Fairfax.

#8--Windsor (0-5):  This definitely isn't the same Yellow Jackets team that won 3-straight D3 championships after graduating several key players in 2023.  Windsor has been shut out in nearly every contest and already forfeited their week 5 game against Lyndon.