By Jack Healey

MSJ has decided to cancel the rest of its 2018 football schedule. School officials cited that the roster size was no longer adequate to continue to play.
MSJ has been one of the most successful football programs in the state. It has won 17 Division 1 state championships including 12 in the state championship game era that started in 1970. 12 is the most by any Division 1 program. MSJ is 12-4 in Division 1 state championship games with its last state title in 2005.
In comparison BFA of St. Albans is 0-4 in D 1 state title games, Brattleboro is 1-2 and hasn’t won since 1973, Mt. Anthony is 2-3 with its last title in 1994. Burlington is 1-3 in D1 state title games, ironically beating MSJ in the first title game in 1970, but MSJ handed Burlington all three of its D1 state championship game losses in 1974, 1985 and 1986.
It’s week #5 in high school football and Division 1 is more and more intriguing every week as there are five teams at 3-1 right now.

Tough to pick this year as I went 10-6 last week and I now stand at 41-21.
Friday September 28th
Rutland over Middlebury that game on NSN that’s nsnsports.net
St. Johnsbury over Brattleboro on NSN
Mt. Anthony over Lyndon on NSN
North Country over U32 on NSN
BFA of St. Albans over Hartford on NSN
Mt. Abraham over Milton on NSN
Burr and Burton over Spaulding
Saturday September 29th
Burlington/South Burtlington over CVU on NSN
Rice over Essex on NSN
Bellows Falls over Otter Valley
Woodstock over Mill River
Fair Haven over Poultney
Springfield over Missisquoi
Windsor over Oxbow
Mt. Mansfield over Colchester