Serving the Vermont Champlain Valley Area for 45 Years
Tuesday October 12, 2010 Edition
Main Sections
Front Page SportsValley VitalsIt's in the StarsStarwiseArchivesLinksAbout The VoiceContact Us







Tigers Ground Red Hawks 27-6 Now 6-0

Tuesday October 12, 2010

By Mike Cameron

On a night that saw difficult footing on soggy turf and a steady second half rain, the Champlain Valley Union High School Red Hawks knew right from the start that they were in a battle royal with the Middlebury Union High School Tigers Varsity Football Team.  Both clubs were highly touted going in with undefeated Division 2 league records.

    Middlebury bottled up the Hawks deep in the CVU end for most of the first half and took to the mud and quaking turf like true amphibians.  The Red Hawks high powered option offense could not get going on the slippery surface. Quarterback Konnor Fleming, one of the best roll-out signal callers in the state was only able to generate 6 out of 22 passes for completions and was under constant pressure from the Tigers front five and folks out of the box.  The Tigers dug in and made big defensive plays one after another including some great work up front at the snub by Joey Zeno and nice range by Jerry Hoffman in the secondary.  Hoffman had a great punt return and a pic for large yardage in this one. Dylan Robinson was equally effective with big plays from his position as well.  Steel White was “the man of Steel” on both sides of the ball.

    The Tigers struck first in the first quarter at the 3:45 mark on a 16-yard run through the muck by sure footed quarterback Brendan Burrell.  Burrell was solid as a rock under difficult circumstances throughout the game.  The kick for the point after was no good.   Tigers up 6-0.

    CVU was in it for most of the game.  Their defensive unit came to play.  Tyler Barnes, Cameron Fitzgerald, Ian Solomon and Eric Palmer up front and  the Flemings Konnor and Ryan, Drew Nick, Derek Goodwin and Tyler Barnes out of the secondary.  They were stopping Middlebury on their side of the field in the first half but had to give the ball up time and time again on the soggiest part of the playing surface including a big stop  on Marshall Hastings at the CVU 5-yard line with 3:00 minutes left before intermission.  A Tiger field goal attempt raised a few eye-brows and it trickled wide.  The Tigers led 6-0 at the Half.

    In the second half Middlebury took the Red Hawks out of the ball game with a demoralizing 67-yard 13-play drive featuring “the man of steel” Steel White up the middle and the Tigers offensive line that robbed the Hawks of almost half of the third quarter.  The capper was a pitch to Robinson for a score and a two point conversion pass to Hastings who made a prone finger tip grab giving the Tigers a lead pad and momentum 14-0 after 3.

    The 4th quarter was rain swept and with the turf looking more like one of Howard Cosell's old toupee's.

    Both teams dug in as best they could.   The Tigers moved to the CVU 15 and Burrell hit Ashley-Selleck on the numbers for 6-more right in the middle of a swarm of Hawks.  The kick was good and the Tigers were up 21-0.  

    CVU drove deep into Tiger territory late in the 4th quarter and gave it up on downs.  Marshall Hastings then went 85-yards on a blast play up the middle to end it.  The folks scouting this one got an eye full as Hastings launched through the Hawks like a rocket and covered the wet turf in amazing time.  Tigers 27-0 after the extra point failed.

    The Red Hawks got a TD with seconds ticking off the clock...Flemming hit Taylor Gingras on a 4-yard toss as the horn sounded ending the game.  Middlebury 27  CVU 6  Next up Burr and Burton at Collins Friday night 7 p.m. October 15th.  The Tigers are 6-0 and played a great game. CVU is still in the hunt.


 Printer Friendly  Top
Advertisements


Search our Archives


· More Options



   

Agricultural Weather Forecast:

© 2006-18 The Valley Voice • 656 Exchange St., Middlebury, VT 05753 • 802-388-6366 • 802-388-6368 (fax)
Valleywides: [email protected] • Classifieds: [email protected] • Info: [email protected]