Articles

The Green Mountain state shows balance from year to year in Divisions II and III with both defending champions already dismissed from the competition. In Division III, a new champion was actually going to be crowned from the start, because Bellows Falls was moved up to Division II. Rice, the defending title holder in Division II, was in the mix for most of the campaign, but was eliminated in the final week of play. Hartford, in Division I, is presently unbeaten and seeded number one and is the only team in the post season with a chance to claim back to back titles.

Mike Stone's Hurricanes host a dangerous number four seeded South Burlington Rebel team ((7-2) on Friday night. The two teams did not meet in the regular season. "For me it does not really feel strange to play a new opponent. Remember, I was coaching back when the north met the south in the championship game and the two usually did not meet in the regular season," Stone offered to the Northeast Sports Network. The veteran Hartford mentor was asked if the Rebels were a team that presented any special problems to his team, which is considered by many to be the best team in Vermont hands down. "Each of the contenders presents their own set of problems. Whether its' South Burlington or somebody else, you wait and see what happens and then you make adjustments. They will do the same," Stone remarked.

Second seeded Bellows Free Academy of St. Albans and Middlebury, their second round opponent, met previously this season in Week 6. For the second time this fall, they will play in St. Albans. Both teams are 8-1 with BFA's only loss to Hartford and the Tigers blemish coming in that earlier St. Albans match-up 23-7. Although the current Vermont system of home field advantage is working perfectly, it would be wonderful for fans to be able to see these two Friday night games. A doubleheader or a Friday-Saturday set-up would have been wonderful.

North Country (9-0) survived the regular season finale against second place Milton (7-2) 30-25 and is ready to host Burr + Burton in the Division II semis. Coach Bob Davis really enjoys working with his present team and they controlled action early in the Milton contest, but "we made several mental errors that cost us. I have to think though that Milton coming back was a good thing. overall. It showed we had things to work on. We have had a good week of practice and are as ready as we can be."

Can anyone ever be fully ready for Burr + Burton? The fourth seeded Bulldogs (6-3) are a challenge to every opponent they play defensively and the Falcons are no exception. North Country had their number in their Week eight encounter at NC 36-26, but Davis still does not feel completely comfortable facing them. "They are so tough to defend the way they run things. They are a scary team," were Davis' words Thursday afternoon just before practice. Davis believes in his team fully, but he realizes there are a number of tough teams in his division.

For those readers not familiar with Division II football, the Bulldogs have one unusual weapon which has proven to be very successful for them: the onside kick. Just a couple of examples of note: 1) versus Bellows Falls they chose to kick-off and two times in a row to start the game, they onside kicked, recovered the ball  and went on to score, 2) versus North Country, they successfully recovered three onside kicks in the game. Davis passes along some incredibly interesting information from an article he read last winter. "It said that at the high school level there is close to a 50% success rate in recovering onside kicks. Combine that with the fact high school teams usually start their possession following a kick-off between the 35 and 45 yard lines  and it said it isn't that big a risk." Hmmm!!! One wonders if Thomas read the same article.

Milton hosts Fair Haven (7-2) in the other Division II semi-final game. Just like in Division I, these games are both Friday at 7 p.m. affairs. Too bad they could not be slated so those interested could see both get togethers. In Week six, the Yellow Jackets turned back the Slaters 28-19. It is interesting to note in both Division I and II, homefield advantage for second place for the post season was gained when the eventual second place team utilized home field advantage to win the regular season meeting with this weeks' opponent.

Moving along to Division III, Woodstock opened the fall with back to back losses to Bellows Free Academy of Fairfax and Mount Abraham and has not lost since. The Wasps at 7-2 finished first by QPR to an also 7-2 Mill River team, whom they defeated in Week six 28-21 at home. They meet fourth seed Mount Abe, whom they lost to 20-0 in the opening week. The second seeded Minutemen host Windsor in the only Saturday game (1 p.m.) on this play-off weekend. Windsor beat Mill River 64-43 on opening weekend, meaning in the Division III play-offs, both lower seeds beat the higher seeds they face in a regular season game. That makes this Division kind of wide open, as it has proven to be all season.

For Woodstock Coach Jim McLaughlin, it has been one fine season. The Wasps started with the two losses and his squad, which has only one senior, picked up the pieces and have beaten everyone since. "We have had a good week of practice and are ready to go," he says, adding "a year ago we were 5-4 and did not get into the play-offs. These kids have grown up a lot this season and we seem to be coming along at the right time." The earlier game with Mt. Abe was on the road. The Wasps have looked different since. Woodstock, who seemed to be a part of the play-offs every year since they began in 1992, amazingly have not appeared once since they were champions in 2006. That is unreal. This, like just about every battle this week, should be a good one.  It looks like the weather will cooperate. Hank Williams cannot say it any more, but The Northeast Sports Network can,  "Are you ready for some football?"