5 Things from #vthsfootball Week 4

1---Crossman, Patriots knock off Tigers in Middlebury

    The Burlington Free Press has their fearless football picks come out prior to the start of the week.  This week, all but one person had Middlebury over Mount Anthony in week 4.

    This is the part where I give Jack Main of NBC5 his flowers as the Patriots went into Doc Collins Field and came back from a 14-0 deficit to defeat the Tigers 27-17.  Jonathan Crossman continued his amazing run Friday, throwing for 301 yards and 3 TDs (156 yards and 2 TDs to Rowan Behan) as MAU moves to 2-2 on the year with BFA-St. Albans coming to Bennington next Friday.

2---Green Knights defense stymies Tide in shutout at Landers Field

   After an injury to starting QB Jack Tyson, Rice's football team turned to Freshman Liam Aslakson for an important matchup with Spaulding in week 4.  While he wasn't perfect in the Knights win over the Tide, he didn't have to be.

    The Rice defense gave him the spark he needed on a 95+ yard pick 6 from Jack Semprebon and shutting out Spaulding 21-0 on Saturday (though a Tide TD was called back on an inadvertent whistle in the 3rd quarter).  Aslakson did do his part, running for a score late in the first half, then passing for a score to Healy Talbert in the 4th quarter to put the game on ice.

    Rice now hosts Mount Abraham/Vergennes on Saturday looking to give the Eagles their first loss of the season.

3---Officiating emphasis in play after article on video reviews

    While I was at Landers Field on Saturday, there was 1 thing I noticed during the game that got my attention:  at least a half-dozen times the offense was called for an illegal procedure penalty.

    Earlier this week, an article came out from Alex Abrami of the Burlington Free Press regarding film review for officials during the season.  One significant play discussed happened in week 2 when Middlebury's final drive against CVU should have ended on a penalty for illegal touching as the receiver who caught the ball was covered up on the play, making him ineligible.

    These types of pre-snap calls can be important depending on where a team is on offense.  For the Tigers, it's a difference between a 0-4 and 1-3 start.

4---"Helmet Stickers"

Owen Cassan & Sam Gilliam (BBA):  Combined for 6 TDs in Bulldogs 55-14 win against the Seawolves

Ben Hotaling (EHS):  KO return TD, receiving TD, INT on Defense in Hornets' 27-20 win vs. Rutland.

Jack Semprebon (RICE):  3 INTs on defense, including a pick-6 in the first quarter against Spaulding.

Gavin Huntington-Monroe (SJA):  357 passing yards and 5 TDs in 42-7 win at CVU.

Jonathan Crossman (MAU):  301 passing yards and 3 TDs in 27-17 win at Middlebury

Cole Gagnon (MAV):  278 rushing yards, 3 TDs in 44-8 win vs. Woodstock.

Rex Baning (HART):  139 rushing yards, 2 TDs (plus INT on D) in 21-6 win vs. Brattleboro.

5---Games to watch in Week 5

Champlain Valley @ Essex (Friday @ 7PM):  Hornets celebrate 60 years of football with rivalry game between 2-2 opponents.

Middlebury @ Hartford (Friday @ 7PM):  Both teams enter 1-3, but Hurricanes looking to add to QPR with win.

Colchester @ St. Johnsbury (Friday @ 7PM):  Someone will take their first loss as the Lakers head to Fairbanks Field against a tough Hilltoppers offense.

North Country @ Lyndon (Saturday @ 1PM):  Sap Bucket on the line as the Vikings and Falcons do battle.

Mount Abraham/Vergennes @ Rice (Saturday @ 1PM):  Eagles come in at 4-0, but the Knights defense looks good after shutting out Spaulding in week 4.

5 Things from #vthsfootball Week 3

1---Seawolves return to BHS; Jovall, CVU spoil party

    For the first time in 4 years, the Burlington/South Burlington Seawolves hosted a high school football game at Buck Hard Field, BHS' home turf in front of their new school that opened last month.

    Leave it to rival Champlain Valley to ruin the party with a defensive stranglehold of BSB in a 20-6 win.  Alex Jovall was the story for most of the game, picking off 2 Seawolves passes and kicking FGs of 28 and 37 yards in the victory.  Luca D'Agostino provided the other scores for the RedHawks, running for a score in the first and passing for another to Carter Matthews just before half.

    CVU's defense has been impressive early but have a hot St. Johnsbury team at home next Saturday.

2---Patriots end 31-year drought against Rutland

    Mount Anthony was the team to watch going into the 2026 season but home losses to the Seawolves and BBA had them on the ropes early.  A trip to Rutland Friday night became a proverbial must-win for the Patriots and, behind their defense and a pair of Crossman to Baker TDs, managed to pull off the upset 14-12 at Alumni Field.

     Doesn't get any easier for MAU as they're at Middlebury next week.

3---6 Undefeated teams remain

    Burr and Burton & St. Johnsbury in D1; Fair Haven and Colchester in D2; Otter Valley and Mount Abraham/Vergennes in D3.  All 3-0 on the season and in some cases, all 3 were no contests.

    The Bulldogs ran over Hartford on Saturday.  The Hilltoppers pulled away late at Middlebury.  Slaters and Otters shut out Lyndon and Rice, respectively while the Lakers and Eagles ran away in their week 3 games against NCU and Fairfax/Lamoille, respectively.

    The Otters are on a bye next week, but a few of the 3-0 teams have important games in week 4.

4---Week 3 "Helmet Stickers."

Niko Nann (EHS):  170 rushing yards, 3 TDs in Essex's 42-27 win over BFA-St. Albans

Jonathan Crossman & Logan Baker (MAU):  Connected on 2 TDs in the Patriots' 14-12 win at Rutland

Maddox Wilson (SPR):  300 Passing yards, 3 TDs in Cosmos' 32-22 win against Woodstock

James Caforia-Magee (MMU):  180 Passing Yards, 4 TDs (S/O to Nate Fullem who caught 3 of those) in Cougars' 34-14 homecoming win against U-32.

Jack Boulger (MRU):  3 TD Passes and a TD run in the Minutemen's 34-12 win vs. Windsor.

5---Week 4 Games to watch

St. Johnsbury @ Champlain Valley (Saturday @ 1PM):  Hilltoppers bring their high-potent offense to Hinesburg against one of D1's best defenses.

Mount Anthony @ Middlebury (Friday @ 7PM):  Both teams come in at 1-2.  Patriots have the momentum; can they keep it up at Doc Collins Field?

Rutland @ Essex (Friday @ 7PM):  So much history with this rivalry and Hornet Homecoming game makes this one you can't miss.

Spaulding @ Rice (Saturday @ 1PM):  After being shut out at OV, Knights return home against a Tide team that put up 69 in Swanton.

Milton @ Windsor (Saturday @ 1PM):  Yellowjackets are the first to come off a bye this season.  How will they look when they travel south to face the Yellow Jackets (wait, which one is which?)

5 things from #vthsfootball week 2

1---Seawolves rally late, improve to 2-0 with Buck Hard return next

    After losing their starting QB and giving up a TD late in the 4th quarter to make it a 2-score game, Burlington/South Burlington needed a jolt to get them back in the game.

    They got that on the ensuing kickoff when Sheamus Leggett took it 80 yards to the house, making it 31-26.  After recovering the onside kick, Guthrie Safran (who took over for Kyle Knoth) found Colton Bramhall over 4 BFA defenders for the 34-31 win and a 2-0 start as they get set to play their first game at Buck Hard Field in at least 4 years against CVU Friday Night.

2---Lyndon comes back from HT deficit, sets up marquee showdown Friday night.

    Another massive showdown is Fair Haven hosting Lyndon.  But the Vikings nearly fell into the trap of U-32 on Saturday afternoon, trailing 14-8 at halftime.

    But LI were able to score the next 27 points to prevail 35-14 and get to 2-0 before traveling southwest to face the Slaters.

3---Otters building momentum in D3 with victory in Fairfax

    2 years ago, Otter Valley stunned Fairfax/Lamoille in the D3 semifinals to make the title game at St. Johnsbury.  The Otters have continued to have the Bullets' number holding them to just 1 TD in a 24-8 win Saturday.

    OV play their home opener against Rice on Friday night.

4---Week 2's "Helmet Stickers"

    Brody Lloyd (Middlebury):  Multiple fourth down conversions, including 2 on the Tigers' game-winning drive at CVU (26-yard TD pass to Jason Sperry)

    Conor Danaher (Colchester):  Rushing, Recieving and KO return TDs in 28-19 win vs. Essex

    James Caforia-Magee (Mount Mansfield):  3 Passing TDs in loss to Rice

    Jackson Wells (Lyndon):  179 rushing yards, 2 TDs (plus Passing TD) in win vs. U-32.

    Cole Gagnon (Mount Abraham/Vergennes):  40 carries, 263 yards, 4 TDs in 34-16 win at Windsor

5---Games to watch for in Week 3

    BFA-St. Albans @ Essex (Friday @ 7PM):  Hornets play their first home game in a must-win for 0-2 squads.

    St. Johnsbury @ Middlebury (Friday @ 7PM):  Tigers' home opener is a D1 title game rematch against the Hilltoppers.

    Colchester @ North Country (Friday @ 7PM):  Falcons face the defending D2 champs in their home opener.

    Woodstock @ Springfield (Friday @ 7PM):  Wasps in potential must-win against a veteran Cosmos team coming off close loss at Beekmantown, NY.

    Windsor @ Mill River (Saturday @ 1PM):  While the Minutemen are 0-2, they're a tough 0-2 as they host the Yellowjackets.

Rapid Recap: Middlebury score TDs to begin, end thriller at CVU

     In week 1 of the Vermont high school football season, the Middlebury Tigers were shut out by D1 favorites Burr and Burton in Manchester.  It took them the first possession of week 2 in Hinesburg against Champlain Valley to score their first TD of the season.

    Their second TD happened with 13 seconds left in regulation from a reliable source.

    After CVU took the lead in the third, Middlebury would go 84 yards in about 5 minutes with Jason Sperry scoring the game-winner from 26 yards out to knock off the RedHawks 12-7.  The Tigers took the opening possession at their own 6-yard line and drove down the field in over 10 minutes of play before Maverick Gardner-Wacker punched it in for a 6-0 lead.

    Both defenses were unstoppable the rest of the half, including CVU's Alex Schad picking off Brody Lloyd just before halftime to keep it 6-0.  In the 3rd quarter, the RedHawks would get on the board as D'Marcus Riggs was able to find Alex Jovall for the TD to make it 7-6.  In the 4th quarter, Middlebury was able to hold off the CVU offense while Riggs would suffer a significant injury.  The Tigers were outstanding on 4th down with a couple of key conversions during their final drive, setting up Lloyd and Sperry's game-winning connection.

    Jovall would return the ensuing KO into Middlebury territory, and a penalty would give CVU one last chance, but Luca D'Agostino's pass was overthrown and picked off to preserve the Tigers win.

    Middlebury plays its home opener next Friday night against St. Johnsbury while Champlain Valley travels to Burlington's Buck Hard Field for a rivalry matchup with the 2-0 Seawolves.

5 things from #vthsfootball week 1

     The Vermont high school football season got started with some surprising results and early-season contenders proving their worth.  While I couldn't be at any of the games this week (probably allergies), I was able to watch most of them on NSN and can give you 5 things I learned from week 1 of the new season.

1---Knoth, Seawolves surprise Mount Anthony

    The MAU Patriots were one of many people's dark horse going into the 2026 season as they brought back some key skill players and had some very close calls against the best in the state.  Meanwhile, Burlington/South Burlington played game 1 with a new head coach and starting QB in Kyle Knoth, leading to most experts predicting a Patriots win.

    I probably should say "experts" as Knoth ran through the MAU defense, gaining 191 yards and scoring 4 TDs, including an 82 yarder in the 4th quarter to give the Seawolves a lead they wouldn't give up.  Knoth's 4th touchdown gave Mount Anthony 1 last hope but were stopped just inside the red zone and couldn't get another play off, falling 26-18.

    Seawolves travel to St. Albans on Thursday looking to keep the momentum going from a huge week 1 victory.

2---MAV shows off lights; Gagnon shows off vs. Milton

    A new year means major changes to school venues.  At Rice, they added bleachers that were used for the first time Saturday in their win against Fairfax/Lamoille.  At Mount Abraham, lights got added to their field and for the first time, Friday night football was played at Bristol.

    Cole Gagnon wasted no time showing off under the lights, running for 181 yards and 2 TDs as the Eagles defeated D3 newcomer Milton 28-7.  MAV have been a dark horse for the last 3 years in D3 with tough tests coming up this year with the Bullets and Woodstock making trips to Bristol in 2026.

3---Terriers, Falcons shoot out in 105-point opener

    Good news for Bellows Falls fans:  Jaden Bazin has return for his junior season and didn't miss a step.  Unfortunately, the defense didn't show up week 1, leading to a high-scoring contest in Westminster on Friday night.

    Bazin ran for 253 yards and 3 TDs while Saul James ran for 4 TDs and threw for another in BF's 56-49 win over North Country.

4---Unsung heroes for Week 1

    Jackson Wells (LYN):  3 TD Runs and a TD Pass in 34-12 win vs. Spaulding

    Parker Walker (COL):  6 completions, 4 for TDs in 48-13 win vs. Mount Mansfield

    Gavin Huntington-Monroe (SJA):  21-29, 310 yards, 3 TDs in 42-13 win vs. Essex

    Colby Benoit (OV):  238 rushing yards and a TD in 26-14 win vs. Mill River

    Rice Defense:  2 INTs (Lambert, Matarazzo) and TD (Talbert) in 27-18 win vs. Fairfax/Lamoille

5---Games to watch in Week 2    

    Bellows Falls @ Fair Haven (Friday @ 7PM)--Terriers and Slaters had great contests as D2 opponents, especially in the playoffs.  Another high-scoring affair upcoming?

    Hartford @ Rutland (Friday @ 7PM)--Legendary rivalry continues despite Hurricanes in D2

    Mount Abraham/Vergennes @ Windsor (Saturday @ 1PM)--YellowJackets trying to keep momentum going from MSQ win against MAV

    Essex @ Colchester (Thursday @ 7PM)--Hornets looking to rebound after ugly loss at SJA against defending D2 champions.

    North Country @ Woodstock (Friday @ 7PM)--Falcons return south for week 2 while Wasps play first game against VT school (lost to Newport, NH, on Saturday).

5 things from #vthsfootball Preseason

     We are officially in the homestretch of summer vacation as most schools begin the 2026-2027 year this week.  That means games will begin in most sports this week and in Vermont high school football, teams begin final preparation for the 2026 season.  So much change is coming for this year as teams adjust to new divisions and 1 is out of the picture completely.  Here are 5 things you need to know before week 1 of the season begins September 4

1---Poultney is out in 2026 (maybe longer?)

    One of the biggest issues in 2025 for some schools were getting numbers up to play a full season.  For Poultney high school, it was apparent that the number of kids leaving the program would make it difficult to field a team in 2026.

    The Blue Devils made the decision official in the spring with the announcement that the program would go on hiatus.  While the school will have a member-to-member agreement with Fair Haven this year, the hope is that there will be football back at Poultney for 2027.

2---Seawolves see changes in staff and venue

    With the new Burlington High School officially open, there will be more excitement coming from Buck Hard Field in 2026 as the Seawolves will play 2 home games there as well as be the site for the 2026 state championship games on November 14th.

    But the Seawolves will also have a new head coach as Chaddie Wolf stepped down to take a new role as program director.  The schools (Burlington, SB and Winooski) ultimately went with JV coach Josh Safran, who last coached for Winooski in 2015 before that school ended their program.

3---Intriguing division changes

    With Poultney's departure and a lot of concerns about non-competitive games in 2025 after the previous changes, several schools moved to new divisions in 2026.

    In D-1, MMU jumps up while Brattleboro moves down; D-2 will have 9 schools involved as Milton drops to D-3, keeping it at 10 schools.  Another scenario that has played out is that some D-3 schools will play their 8th game against teams from out-of-state (Woodstock vs. Newport, NH and Springfield vs. Beekmantown, NY to name a couple) while others will stick with a 7-game season.

4---Buying tickets?  There's an app for some...

    Over the last few years, the VPA has made getting tickets to championship games more accessible with the GoFan app.  Now, schools across the state are using it to get into certain games, including home football games.

    As of August 26th, these schools are making tickets available on GoFan:  Hartford, Middlebury, Mount Abraham, North Country and Springfield.  The only difference will be a fee for getting them online.  

    It's unknown if those schools will also have people at the field or if they're only going to be available through the app.

5---...Wanna watch?  It's free for all.

    In 2025, the Northeast Sports Network got to about half of the football games that were played across the state of Vermont.  This year's plan is simple:  Get to all of them and make it free for everyone to watch.

    The first time I heard of NSN was in college, when they used what is now the electronic journalism department's facility for equipment used to cover games around the area.  Now the network has expanded so much, they'll do something no one has planned to do and give the people an option to watch the games without leaving their homes.

    Best of luck to Eric Berry and everyone at NSN as they try to get to all Vermont high school football games in 2026.

    As for what 2026 will bring to me, I hope to get to as many games as I can this year.  With work, my Fridays might be difficult to get to a game, but I hope to have most (if not all) Saturdays off and be able to catch games at some venues.  I plan to be at Rice Memorial (with the new bleachers ready to be in use for week 1) and South Burlington (2 games at Munson, 2 at Buck) while other venues will depend on availability.  

    Otherwise, I plan on watching the other games via NSN, give my 5 things every week and try to do spaces on X (formerly Twitter) once the week is up.  There's also a chance I use Instagram more this year than before, so follow me @ploofervt (same on X) for that.

    The excitement is in the air and another football season in the Green Mountain State is upon us.  Enjoy the games and I'll see you there.

5 things to know for Fall 2026 (non-football)

    The 2026-2027 School year is fast approaching and high school athletic fields and gyms have been a buzz going into the fall season.  Soccer, Field Hockey and Volleyball teams begin their seasons this week with many hoping to continue success from 2025 and others going through changes in both rosters and staff.  Here are 5 things you need to know going into the fall 2026 seasons.

1---Winooski's soccer run

    After winning their 3rd straight D4 state championship in 2024, Winooski made the decision to jump back up to D3 for 2025.  It worked out in the end as the Spartans defeated Peoples Academy in PKs to win the title.  A 5th straight banner in on their minds going into 2026 but having to face D1 and D2 powers like Rice, SB and Mount Abe will test them.

    As for the girls, after an amazing run to the title game, the Lady Spartans came up inches short of joining the boys in state champions in D4.  Now, Winooski is on the process of trying to finish their story and capture the program's first state title.

2---CVU Girls' soccer run

    Champlain Valley Union's girls' soccer team have brought home 3 of the last 4 titles in Division 1, including the last 2 in pretty convincing fashion.  Can they continue their dynasty in 2026?

3---Essex girls' volleyball closing in on century

    Looking at the schedule for the fall sports season, October 16-17 will count as the last day of the Vermont high school fall sport season before the playoffs.  The 16th could also be a historic day at Jean Robinson Court as the Essex girls' volleyball team has a chance to get to 100 straight victories, continuing one of the country's longest winning streaks.

    Then again, when you've won so many times, the target is on you.  Could their streak end before 100?

 

4---New place for XC updates

    While most of the focus will be on the main sports (🏈⚽🏐) there are those niche sports that don't get much attention.  Just like with me and Bowling in the winter, there is someone who has taken their time year after year to show their love for Cross Country.

    Now, there's a site you can go to for all information from this year and years' past.  vthsxc.com is your location for HS XC action in the state.  Right now, you can learn about who's coming back for 2026 and preview every meet taking place.

5---Athletic Department changes

    Several schools are undergoing major changes to their athletic departments.  In the north, Essex and Mount Abraham have new ADs (Devin Wendel goes from the Eagles to the Hornets) along with Rutland (Bo McDougall) and Burr and Burton (Geri Witalec-Krupa) in southern VT.  There are also some familiar faces staying where they are like at Missisquoi, South Burlington and Winooski.

    These people will have a handful to deal with throughout the year.  Let's make it easier and give them all the support they need in 2026-2027.