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Middlebury Stops CVU Upset Bid 40-13 In Regular Season Finale

photo by Mike Cameron Red Hawk Offensive Line blocking vs Tigers in last regular game of season.

photo by Mike Cameron Fischer gets set to gain some yards against CVU in Tiger win.

photo by Mike Cameron Coaches anxious moment at CVU - Tigers win 40-13

Tuesday October 20, 2015

By Mike Cameron

After some first half jitters and key turnovers the MUHS Tigers settled down and made big plays on both sides of the ball. Champlain Valley Union High School playing under portable lights in their first night home game ever responded to the Senior Night festivities quickly.
   CVU's Trevor Kingston blocked an Oakley Gordon punt and the Red hawks were in business inside the Tiger ten yard line.  Quarterback and tri-captain Andy Bortnick threw a soft pass to Kingston in the end zone and the kick was good.  CVU was up 7-0.
   Red Hawk tackling and coverage was very sharp early on and they let Middlebury know that they were in it to win it in front of a big hometown following.
   Middlebury continued to go about their business methodically  and dished out some punishing tackles themselves.  At 10:20 of the second quarter Chase Messner, who would go on to have a great night, made a remarkable one-handed grab of a 27-yard Gordon pass in the end zone with defenders crowding him.  Gordon kicked the point and it was tied at 7-7.
   The Tigers defense was led by Wyatt Laberge, Nick Beauchamp and Bruce Wright in the middle with some solid pressure being applied by Brady Larocque and Jerry Niemo from their defensive end spots.
The Red Hawk wish bone moved the ball on several key third down plays and Bortnick threw several nice passes.  The glare from the portable lighting seemed to be a factor.  The light banks generally used for night construction work, were not quite high enough at full extension and the glare seemed to bother the pass receivers and defenders on both teams.
   The Tigers Trey Kaufmann scored on a sweep from five yards out at 2:32 left in the first half.  The drive was sustained by some of Cortland Fischer's best carries of the season but the point was missed as Middlebury went up 13-7 after a hard fought first half in Hinesburg by both squads.
   Middlebury and CVU went at it hammer and tong in the third quarter.  CVU tied things at 13-13 on a Brad Reynolds blast up the middle in the third quarter and the Red Hawks were storming back when the Tiger defense put the fire out.  
   An offensive pass interference against CVU killed a nice drive in the third quarter. the Tigers responded with  four touchdowns in the third and fourth quarter to end the upset bid.
   Cortland Fisher rushed for over 100 yards with two TDs, Gordon scored on a short plunge, and Andrew Gleason picked off a pass and raced 52-yards to pay dirt in the final quarter as the Tigers ended the regular season impressively with a solid come from behind win at CVU 40-13.  
   Next up will be the post season and Middlebury will have a chance to return to the friendly confines of Doc Collins Field after two wins on the road. The Tigers look  to be the number 2 seed in the post season after  Rutland defeated Hartford by a big score at Hartford.  A probable Tiger opponent in their next game would be Saint Johnsbury Academy- again.      

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