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Tigers Post Back To Back Wins Against BFA And Brattleboro

photo by Photo Provided

Tuesday September 15, 2015

By Mike Cameron

Middlebury 20 BFA 7
Middlebury was able to stop the BFA ground game cold.  Led by a Senior Front Four of Nick Beauchamp, Bruce Wright, Wyatt Laberge and Pat Messinger, Middlebury slammed the door on the Bob White running attack  for most of the game. Chris Grier and Cort Fischer also had a solid game on defense. BFA was not allowed a touchdown except  for a kick-off-return TD.
   It was only in the second half when BFA Coach Geoff Murray went to a power I formation with the additional blocker that they were able to move the ball on the ground only to have the Tiger secondary led by Senior Jerry Niemo and Senior Oakley Gordon roll up on the formation and make solid stops.  BFA Senior Quarterback Mark Connor and Halfback Jordan Deso led the BFA attack.  Deso burned Middlebury with an 82-yard kickoff return just before the half.  The Tigers had already established a 20-0 lead on the preceding series.  
 Gordon ran the offense well for just his second varsity start.  He took two monster hits from the BFA defense, one of them of questionable timing and shook them off, kicked off, punted and kicked extra points, tipped passes and picked one off.  His 50-yard punt ruturn for a touchdown caught BFA flat-footed.  
   Tiger Cortland Fischer also came into his own at the fullback spot bulling his way for excellent yardage on the ground and scoring a TD in the first half.  Fischer was also solid on defense for Middlebury.  Tailback Trey Kayfmann had a rushing TD in the first half for Middlebury.  Middlebury was held scoreless in the second half.  BFA could not get it going offensively against the ever improving Middlebury Tiger Defense.  BFA was a very good 0-2 football team and will make noise as the season progresses. Don't count them out for a possible playoff spot in October.  
Middlebury 27 Brattleboro 13
   Friday night Sept. 11th  the Tigers played Bratteboro, a team with a new look, and a new coach, now in his second year.  The Tigers were challenged and meet that challenge in this one played at Natowich Field in Brattleboro on a warm and muggy night.  Oakley Gordon played inspired football and led the Tiger attack.  Middlebury’s defense was tested by the Colonel offense but they made some very big plays when they had to. Gerry Niemo was outstanding defensively for Middlebury as the Tigers were able to hold Bratt power-back Cheick Diakite to one touchdown on the night.  Diakite had scored 5-TD s the pevious week at Saint Johnsbury in a doubble overtime win for the Colonels.  The Tigers scored on their first posession, with Gordon slashing over from the 15 and they kicked the point. Bratt came right back with a solid drive to the Tiger five and were stopped on 4th down with Messner and Beauchamp stopping Tony Martinez inside the five.  The back and forth momentum continued and Gordon scored again and kicked another extra point making it 14-0 Middlebury.  A bobbled punt after a fair catch call gave Bratt the ball inside the Tiger 30. Middlebury held again as time expired in the first half with the Tigers up 14-0.  Taylor King returned the second half kick-off 47-yards for Bratt to the Tiger 30 and the Colonels scored on a sweep of 15-yards by Trey Ryan the kick was good.  It was 14-7 after the Tiger turnover.  Jack Haunchell lugged the ensuing kickoff 58-yards but had to run out of bounds when his hamstring cramped up.  He was all alone.  The Tigers moved to the 20 and fumbled.  Bratt recovered.  Bratt tailback Ty Grannum also got a cramp. It slowed their team momentum.  The Tigers would score again on a 3-yard plunge by Gordon after two holding calls in a row forced Bratt to give up the ball again.  Leading 20-7, Middlebury stopped another Bratt drive late in the 3rd quarter.   Bratt’s Diakite scored from the 4-yard line with 11:35 left in the game.  With the score 20-13 and Brattleboro looking like they were getting their second wind, Middlebury closed the door once and for all. Gordon had a key TD saving pic for Middlebury.  At the 9:32 mark of the 4th quarter the Tigers moved the ball to the Bratt 5-yard line with Cortland Fisher and Trey Kaufmann getting key yardage on big carries.  Kaufmann’s five yard TD sweep and Gordon’s kick ended the scoring. The Tigers win this one in a hard fought battle at Brattleboro 27-13 and are now 3-0 in 2015.  Next is Colchester on the road.          

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