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Tigers Host BFA Then Travel To Brattleboro

photo by Mike Cameron Offensively the Tigers run the option with #3 Ali Abdul-Sater a Senior halfback with excellent speed to the outside, Oakley Gordon #7 a senior at quarterback, Cort Fischer at the fullback spot #33 and a senior, and Trey Kaufmann a Junior #43 at halfback, seen above against The Patriots of Mount Anthony. When this offense works it is very hard to defend and has been the Tigers mainstay under coach Dennis Smith.

Monday September 7, 2015

By Mike Cameron

After taking the measure of Mount Anthony, Middlebury's Tiger Varsity Football Team will play host to a scrappy BFA Saint Albans, squad that were edged by Rice Memorial in week one, 25-24.  BFA would not want to be 0-2 in Division 1. as they traveled to Doc Collins Field for a Friday night, September 4th showdown.
The Tigers came out of game one with some good news and some question marks to ponder.  They sputtered at times on offense and clicked nicely at others.  Defensively, Middlebury kept the Patriots out of the Red Zone for most of the game.  When MAU got inside the Tiger's 35, Middlebury stopped their run effectively and forced the pass, time after time with good coverage and a decent pass rush.  This was good news for the first game of the season.  After giving up a second play of the game long bomb for a TD, the Tigers defense adjusted, as the game progressed.  The Tigers stopped several MAU drives late in the game to fashion a come from behind win.  The Tigers scored 28 unanswered points in the second half.  It could have been much more, barring penalties and miscues.
BFA Big and Quick
The Bobwhites were impressive in their back and forth battle at Rice.  They play low to the ground for most of their points. This is a team that stayed with a Rice squad that plays a wide open spread offense and can throw the ball deep and accurately.  BFA has a reputation for being able to compete well positionally at the line of scrimmage one on one.  Stopping the triple option or at least containing it for four quarters remains to be seen.  Rice broke through late in the game to secure the win over the Bobwhites at Bill Landers Field.  It was a hard fought and even contest for four quarters.
It's Still Early
As week two rolls in, Division 1 shapes up this way.  The Tigers turned back MAU much bigger than the score indicated, Rutland stops CVU, Colchester wins at Essex in the final seconds with a “Hook-and-Ladder”, Saint Johnsbury notches a win over South Burlington with a solid showing on both sides of the ball.  Hartford is back in the top tier with a high powered running game.  They turned it loose in Brattleboro and won by a big number.
Week two is here and Doc Collins Field will be at capacity once again when Saint Albans comes to town.  
Rest of Tiger Schedule in 2015
After BFA, the Tigers hit the road traveling to Brattleboro and then it will be on to Colchester.  
This will mark the half-way-point for the 2015 season, as Middlebury will then look to a final four regular season of: South Burlington at home, Essex at home and the final two games of the regular season; Rice Memorial and CVU on the road.  It's a tough schedule as the Tigers continue to develop and improve to meet that future challenge.
Team history demonstrates that Middlebury always get's better as the season moves on.  They have a host of young talent chomping at the bit.
The Valley Voice was published prior to the Friday night game due to Labor Day Holiday.  We will include game coverage of the BFA and Brattleboro games in that issue.  

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