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Tigers Repeat As Division I Champions

photo by Mike Cameron

photo by Mike Cameron

Tuesday November 11, 2014

By Bill Hinman

It was a battle of the titans on Saturday night with two unbeatens facing off for the first time, the division one championship game. Middlebury faced its biggest challenge of the year against the St. Johnsbury Hilltoppers who’s stats were as impressive as the Tigers.  The Hilltoppers won the coin toss and elected to receive the ball.  With its balanced pass-run offense the Hilltoppers started on the ground with an impressive eight yard gain from their 31 yard line. The next play the Hilltoppers faked a pass and the quarterback was able to catch the Tiger defensive line off guard gaining enough for a first down.  As expected Saint Johnsbury then went to the air.  With some of the fastest secondary players in the state, the Tigers made a statement early and Austin Robinson intercepted on the Middlebury 49.  It would be a long night for the Hilltoppers passing game with Saint Johnsbury struggling to make any headway with their tried and true pass-run offense.  Middlebury started off as predictable as ever running the option five out of the first eight plays to establish the ground game.  To the Hilltoppers credit the defensive ends contained the outside corners for the most part until Robinson, on a play action pass attempt, found the corner and scampered in from the 17 for the Tigers first points of the game.  Lalonde’s point after was good giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 5:34 left in the quarter.  Saint Johnsbury received the ball and unlike the previous two weeks the Tiger defense was on its game from the get go.   Anchored by outstanding play from Ploof, Plouffe and Beauchamp on the line, Saint Johnsbury was unable to find any running room on the inside and were forced to punt after a three and out.  Middlebury received the ball on their own 45 after a lack luster kick from the Hilltoppers.  It was Saint Johnsbury’s turn to flex its muscles forcing Middlebury to kick after a three and out.  Justin Stone’s kick was impressive but also helped by a crushing stop by Matt Dutton leaving the Hilltoppers with a first and ten from their own 12.  Quarterback Colton Hudson advanced the ball on a draw play to the 24 giving the Hilltoppers some breathing room, but that would be all the Tiger eleven would bend, forcing the Hilltoppers to punt from the 32.  Again Middlebury would have good field position but be unable to penetrate the tough line of the Hilltoppers.  In what looked to be a great keeper play by Robinson wound up including a block to the back penalty giving the Tigers a 3rd and 22.  Unable to recoup the loss Middlebury was forced to punt and Saint Johnsbury took over on their 35.  Saint Johnsbury again could not find a solution to Middlebury’s punishing defensive line and was forced to punt after just three plays.  Middlebury looked to take advantage of good field position but turned the ball over after unsuccessfully trying for a first down on a forth and two.  During the play veteran defensive and offensive tackle Lucas Plouffe’s play for the year ended on a sprained knee.  Tempers began to flare and in an unusual call the referee ejected Saint johnsbury’s Hatcher D’Agostino for unsportsman like conduct.  Two plays later the Tigers gave up only the second points of the last six weeks with a pass to Ronni Gobin who outleaped Ritter with a well-timed jump in the end zone.  The Tigers found themselves in unfamiliar territory with the game tied 7-7 with 4:18 left in the second quarter. It didn’t take long for Middlebury to finally find a seam and Justin Stone pounded the ball down to the Saint Johnsbury eight yard line.  Two plays later the Tigers capitalized with Robinson on the keeper from the four leaving the score 13-7 with 2;51 left in the half.  Both the Tigers and Hilltoppers would find no room to move ending the half with a close 13-7 game.  The second half began with an excellent kick from Saint Johnsbury leaving Middlebury with a long field on its ten yard line.  Going back to the basics, the Tigers pounded the ball for 20 plays before the Hilltoppers had Middlebury stopped facing a forth and 23 from the 27 yard line. The Hilltoppers knew the ball was going in the air but were unable to account for Cullen Hathaway who streaked across the end zone picking up a strike from Robinson for the score.  A successful fake on the extra point gave Middlebury a small cushion with the score 21-7 4:46 left in the third quarter.  The Hilltoppers, again unable to find any openings either in the air or on the ground, were forced to punt after three plays giving the Tigers a chance to seal the victory.  An unsportsman like penalty against the Tigers forced them to punt from their own 42.  Receiving the ball on their 18 Cullen Hathaway immediately made the stop once again giving the Hilltoppers a long field.  After three solid plays it looked like the Hilltoppers would begin to push the ball but a holding penalty made a convertible 4th and one into an impossible 4th and 11 forcing Saint Johnsbury to punt.  The next drive Middlebury was finally able to put some running together going 59 yards on seven plays capped by Stone taking the ball in from the nine.  A successful point after left a dejected Hilltoppers squad shaking their heads in disbelief for the first time this year.  Saint Johnsbury had to go to the air in a bid to gets some points on the board but the secondary proved too fast with Connor Quinn intercepting the ball on the 49.  A few more plays and Coach Smith decided to give some time to the second offense which in turn ran the clock successfully not giving the Hilltoppers the ball for the remainder of the game. Final Score Middlebury 28 Saint Johnsbury  7   Middlebury’s balanced team including speedsters Hathaway, Robinson, Ritter, Stone and Fisher were allowed to shine because of the outstanding play of both the offense and defensive line.  Without the players in middle, who are so often not in the headlines, the Tigers would have been a team of athletes not football players who came together as a unit to be perfect for the second season in a row.  Congratulations Middlebury.    

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