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Tigers Blitz Bratt 55-14...Stay Undefeated

Tuesday September 28, 2010

By Mike Cameron

    Before a huge Homecoming crowd at Doc Collins field and on a night that saw new members of the MUHS Sports Hall of Fame inducted and a salute to the Tiger Gridders of 1960, the Tiger Varsity football team was in rare form.

    Even as the first quarter of this one unfolded it was impossible for the visiting Brattleboro Colonels, a Division 1 football team looking to rebuild, to know what was in store for them.  It ended up being first year head coach Mike Hatt's worst nightmare. Hatt who has done some remarkable work in his coaching career brought a championship to Springfield just up the river a couple of years ago after re-tooling the Cosmos.  The Tigers were ready.

    Three of Middlebury's first 4 offensive plays went for TD's.  They were up 21-zip before you could say...looks like rain doesn't it?  The pace was relentless and the offensive line was clicking.  The Colonels were stunned.

    Brendon Burell got it started by scoring on a 38-yard keeper, Marshall Hastings added a 54-yard runaway touchdown and Steel White rocked the house with a 47-yard blast through the middle before the hot dogs had begun to steam in the concession booth.  All the points after were knocked through the sticks by Alex Bowdish and even the long time Tiger faithful were hard pressed to realize what was happening.  Middlebury 21-0 with only moments gone in the first quarter.  Text book execution, great team play on both sides of the ball.  Dennis Smith had to have been pleased and cautious at the same time.  Was this bubble going to burst?  The answer was; not on this night.

    Bratt did not fold.  Paced by power-back Ivan Jackson, they climbed out of a hole and roared back down the field.  Colonel quarterback Nate Forrett went to the air and the visitors.  A 1-yard run by Mac Page set up by a 68-yard pass play got the Colonels into the end-zone.  The P.A.T. was blocked by Austin Quesnel.  At 21-6 Middlebury went back to work and caused even more damage before the half.

    Bryan Ashley-Selleck, Jordan Connor, Mitchel Delancey and Hastings added 4-more touchdowns before the half.  It was 48-6.

    In the second half the Tigers got plenty of folks into the game while giving their first team defense plenty of opportunities to quell a Colonel come-back-bid.  Mitchel Delancey led the offensive charge with lug after lug.  He will be a factor later in the year as the Tigers continue to groom their stable of runners and the blocking up-front remains crisp.  Coach Smith would not pile on and it was noted on the visitors sideline.  The Tigers are prime and need to keep their edge and attitude heading into a trip to Mt. Anthony on Friday night October 1st.  Peculiar things have happened at MAU under the lights over the years.

    A Delancey 68-yard interception TD late in the game nullified a short lived Bratt offensive bid early in the 4th quarter when they moved the ball to the 8 and Page rammed in a score with two point conversion captured with a pass.  It was in the books and the Tigers are now undefeated and ready to go on the road.  

    Final score Middlebury 55 and Brattleboro 14.

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