By Ray Curren
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
WOODSTOCK, Vt. — For most of Friday evening, Springfield quarterback Carson Clark could do whatever he wanted in the pocket. It was clear from the opening kickoff of the VPA Division III wildcard that the Cosmos were bigger than host Woodstock and their offensive line acted accordingly.
But needing a play late in a game that could not have been closer, senior Alex Rice finally found a way through to sack Clark. Clark’s desperation heave was intercepted on the next play and the fourth-seeded Wasps advanced with a hard-fought 20-16 win over No. 5 Springfield at a chilly McLaughlin Field.
While it was a higher seed, it was still a landmark win for Woodstock (6-3), which went winless in 2019 while battling low numbers (forfeiting one game) and then not having a tackle football season (like the rest of Vermont) last year due to COVID-19 protocols.
“When we started this year [we were] coming off of really not ever playing for two years,” said Woodstock coach Ramsey Worrell. “This has been a long road to get these guys where they are now. Just feeling like we’re playing real football again here has been some journey.”
Both teams were able to move the ball early, but Springfield (4-5) held a slim 8-7 lead at halftime after Sam Presch answered Corey White’s 36-yard touchdown run by going untouched from 5 yards out. Clark connected with Cameron Harriman for the conversion.
Despite that touchdown carry, Springfield largely did a good job containing the speedy White, who finished with 92 yards on 16 carries. Senior Chris Stearns made several stops in the Wasp backfield to stall drives.
On the other side of the ball, Springfield was successful throwing early with Clark — just a freshman — completing his first three passes and Presch going 2-2 on a couple of trick plays. But Clark would complete just two of his final 13 passes as Woodstock adjusted.
However, the Cosmos made their own tweaks, including taking advantage of their size. The second half saw a steady diet of Riley Ward running right up the middle. Trailing 14-8, Springfield was turned away on downs early in the fourth quarter, but Woodstock fumbled three plays later and soon after, Ward (13 carries, 71 yards) was in the end zone after a 16-yard touchdown run. On the ensuing conversion, Presch appeared to have little chance of getting in, but dove at the pylon on the right sideline after dodging several would-be tacklers to to reach pay-dirt giving the Cosmos a 16-14 lead with 9:07 left.
The Wasps marched right back down the field, though, taking only seven plays to go 72 yards, finished by junior fullback Conner Dinn’s 5-yard run for the game’s final score with 6:25 left. It was Dinn (20 carries, 120 yards), along with substitute Robby Macri (5-58) who picked up the slack with the Cosmos keying on White.
“We don’t really have size,” Worrell said. “We have to rely on speed and quickness. If we’re not going to beat them off the ball, then we’re going to have a long night and they certainly gave us problems. There are some things that I would have liked to run more tonight, but didn’t run any of because I wasn’t sure we were going to get off the ball fast enough to do it.”
On what turned out to be Springfield’s final possession, the Wasps finally stuffed Ward, then came Rice’s sack, leading to a 4th-and-20 with White intercepting Clark.
“We had them on their heels, but we just came up short,” said Springfield coach Todd Aiken. “That (Woodstock) is a good team, they’re well coached. Our guys fought until the very end, we hit hard and we have nothing to hang our hats about. We played hard, I’m proud of every single one of them.”
Woodstock advances to meet the winner of Windsor and Poultney in the semifinals next week.
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