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Middlebury Tigers Make A Statement With Win Over Colchester

photo by Addison Bolton

photo by Addison Bolton

photo by Addison Bolton

Tuesday October 18, 2011

By Aaron Bolton

   This game was an important game for the Middlebury Tigers for several reasons. There were playoff considerations; at 5 - 1, another win against a fellow playoff contender such as Colchester (4 – 2) would make a playoff berth likely. And the Tigers were coming off of a tough road loss against a large and physical BFA-St Albans football squad that put the first feeling of defeat into the mouths of the Middlebury players. And on a wet and stormy night where MUHS honored its own during a half time show  – they needed a win.And boy, did they win.

   With an offensive ground game that continued to get better as the game went on  and the weather got worse – and a defense that came up big when it needed to, the Middlebury Tigers defeated the Colchester Lakers 25 – 8 Friday night at Doc Collins field in Middlebury.

   The first score came in the second quarter with a Middlebury safety that gave the Lakers a 2 -0 advantage and the ball. On the ensuing kickoff, the Lakers were able to quickly scramble down field and threaten with another score. And with six and a half minutes left in the first half, Lakers quarterback Bobby Brigante hit a receiver in the right corner of the end zone for a fairly elegant pass play touchdown. After a failed point after, Colchester was up 8 – 0.

  But then, even as the rain started to come down the hardest it had all evening, the Tigers got some traction. With steady movement of the ball downfield with solid running plays by both running backs Marshall Hastings and Jordan Connor, and keepers by quarterback Dylan Robinson, Middlebury marched right back and answered the Lakers by putting the ball in their end zone with a little more than 2 minutes left in the half to make it 8 – 6 after a failed two point conversion attempt.

   There were good omens of what was to come as the Tigers started the second half with possession of the ball and a renewed energy. And on the second play of their second possession of the second half, Marshall Hastings ran the ball about 35 yards in to the end zone to put the Tigers up 12 – 8. Another failed two point conversion kept the score there.

   Later, as the rain tried to come down even harder than it did before, Dylan Robinson ran the ball in for a touchdown with less than four minutes left in the third quarter. Once more, Middlebury went for a two point conversion only to see it fail again, leaving the Tigers at 18 – 8 over the Lakers.

   This now total shift of momentum was completed when on the next kickoff, the Laker receiver broke out free and ran down the right sideline where it looked like he might be well on his way to six when Sam Smith shifted left and charging past a blocker had an outstanding open field tackle to keep the Lakers at midfield. Several plays later, a Colchester fumble gave the ball to Middlebury. After a face mask penalty against the Lakers put the Tigers in scoring position, Dylan Robinson on a second and one kept the ball and ran up the gut for a score as time expired in the third quarter. This time opting for the point after, Middlebury went up 25 – 8 for what would be the final score of the game.

   Significant contributions and big plays came from many members of the Tiger team, with Marshall Hastings and Dylan Robinson both running for over a hundred yards and Jordan Connor running very effectively, and the defense led by Sam Smith and contributions from the entire defense when it mattered most. On special teams, both the punting and kickoffs were outstanding for these kinds of conditions, but the runback coverage was porous. And I think it should be noted that Coach Dennis Smith’s wisdom in sticking primarily with a run offense in these conditions proved out; after a slow start, many fans were calling for pass plays, but as the conditions worsened several big running plays made the difference in the offensive game.

   For Colchester, Taylor St. Germain was productive on both sides of the ball, Bobby Brigante kept his team in it, and the defense benefitted from prodigious tackling by Alex Kozlowski and contributions from Jordan Young and Eric Decker.

   The presentation of the four members of the undefeated ’65 football team and the Hall of Fame induction at half time did a nice job of warming up the crowd. Moe Mayonne and Leonard Barrett – significant contributors to Middlebury athletics and indeed since then the greater community - were both present on the field and honored as they were formally  inducted into the MUHS Hall of Fame. It was a fitting scene on a night where Middlebury’s sense of football pride and spirit was so much on display.

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