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Tigers 4th Quarter Rally Stops Colchester 18-14 Trey Kaufmann Has Break-out Game

photo by Mike Cameron Tigers Junior Trey Kaufmann #43 scores one of his three 4th quarter touchdowns to lead Middlebury to an 18-14 come from behind win over colchester. #72 Junior Pat Messenger provided blocking on the play

photo by Mike Cameron Tigers Trey Kaufman #43 lines up Colchester #11 Justin Evans for short gain as another defender Ben Shepherd attempts to strip the ball. Tigers won with three 4th quarter td’s by Kaufmann 18-14

Tuesday September 22, 2015

By Mike Cameron

The undefeated MiddleburyTigers, 3-0, traveled to Colchester (2-1) to take on the Lakers Friday evening last. This shaped up to be a good one and it was. The Tigers have shown improvements  with each passing week and were ready to take on Colchester at the home of the Lakers. The Colchester fans were out in force. With most of them dressed in “Laker Blue”, the game had a  play-off atmosphere.
   The Tigers had a decided advantage going into the contest having scored 68 points and allowing 33 while the Lakers had scored 60 points while allowing 52, a distinct advantage on defense.
Fast Start For Lakers
A fake punt run by the speedy Dakota Navari gave the Lakers the ball near the Tiger 30-yard line before most of the fans had settled into their seats.  On the next play, Laker quarterback Travis Boutin threw a perfect pass to Justin Evans for the TD. The kick was good and the Lakers were up 7-0.
Battle of Attrition Begins
The lightning strike by the Lakers was the only touchdown in the first half.  After that, the struggle at the line of scrimmage began on both sides of the ball and it was intense.  The Lakers stopped the Tiger option with solid and deciphered positional football, great tackling and solid secondary coverage. With Nick Rogers and Ben Shepherd leading the Laker defense, Middlebury was forced with third and long yardage several times.  
   The Tigers were led on defense by Nick Beauchamp, Wyatt Laberge, Bruce Wright and Chris Grier along with River Payne and Jerry Neimo.  The first half was a standoff. Colchester had two chances to score before intermission and two passes were dropped near the end zone with wide open receivers. It was 7-0 Lakers at the Half.  It could have been 21-0.
Tigers Roar Back
   The Tigers came out of half time a different team. More determined, more fire. Colchester would have none of it. With two minutes expired in the 3rd quarter, Boutin, under a big pass rush, threw a soft spiral to a wide open Justin Evans for a 35-yard touch down and the kick again was good.  This score made it 14-0 Colchester. Middlebury was on the ropes but not for long. From mid-third quarter on Middlebury began to make plays on defense and then on offense and Trey Kaufmann found his niche at wing back in Coach Dennis Smith's offense.  Kaufmann, Fischer, Niemo and Ali Abdul-Sater ground out some tough yardage after being held to less than 40-yards rushing in the first half.  The Tiger offensive line got their second wind and things began to click.
   Kaufmann ripped up through the middle and scored early in the 4th quarter, then again on a sweep near the six minute mark.  Now trailing 14-12 the Tiger defensive unit stopped Colchester with a key Jerry Niemo interception of Boutin.  Middlebury pushed the ball into the Red Zone with Fischer who had a outstanding game against the best option defense that Middlebury has faced all year.  
Another TD sweep by Kaufmann to his left proved to be the game winner and the Tigers held on to a 8-14 thriller at Colchester.  The Tigers are 4-0 on the year.  Colchester is now 2-2.  Middlebury will be back to the friendly confines of Doc Collins Field on Friday night September 25th, for a game against the So. Burlington Rebels.

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