Vermont Football Games to Watch

By Adam Aucoin
THE RUTLAND HERALD
A heatwave hit Vermont like a Joe Frazier left hook this week, meaning the start of high school football is just around the corner.

Those hot early-season practices will soon give way to chilly fall game days with teams across the state dreaming of getting to Championship Saturday at Rutland High School in mid-November.

In the Rutland Herald coverage area, we have teams with plenty to prove this fall, meaning the stakes will be high every time they take the field.

Let’s take a look at some matchups that catch my eye for area teams.

Essex at Rutland, 9/2This is a marquee matchup right out of the gate and a chance for revenge if you’re Rutland.

The Raiders were on the brink of a perfect season last year, but were ousted by eventual Division I state champion Essex in the state semifinals.

That memory will surely be on the mind of those Rutland players that return this year and lived through it.

Both sides lost a bunch of really strong talent, but they usually restock pretty well, so this could be a fun one to watch.

OV at Rice, 9/3There was a lot of movement with teams shifting divisions for the upcoming fall football season.

Rice was one of those teams on the move, going from Division II to D-III.

Just like Otter Valley’s Jordan Tolar, Rice has a new coach of its own with Chad Cioffi.

This is also a matchup of schools you won’t see all that often. Football is one of the few sports, where you’ll see Otter Valley and Rice athletes going at it.

OV at Mill River, 9/10There’s plenty of storylines to follow in this game.

First, you have the Rutland County rivalry aspect. These are two teams located just 30 minutes from each other.

Second, you have two new coaches going at it. At Otter Valley, Jordan Tolar’s transition should be seamless having been an assistant in past years and Mill River’s Phil Hall is hoping to make a seamless one in North Clarendon as well.

Third, you have recent history. The Minutemen gave the heavily-favored Otters all they could handle in the playoffs last year and would love to make an early-season statement against one of their biggest rivals.

Fair Haven at BF, 9/9Bellows Falls has the target on its back this year after a dominating undefeated season last fall.

The Terriers lost a lot of major contributors from that club to graduation, but they always find a way to remain their elite self.

Fair Haven was a middle of the road club last fall, but is a proud program with plenty of recent success. With its young core having another year under its belt, I could see them reentering the echelon of elite in Division II if things go their way.

Two proud and successful programs makes for a fun game every day of the week.

Rutland at Midd, 9/23It seems like every time these two teams play a close matchup is on the horizon.

Last year’s game in Middlebury was no different.

Rutland trailed 12-0 at one point, but stormed back to pull out a 21-18 win on that early October night.

These are two historically successful programs that are always well-coached. You can expect another classic on Sept. 23.

Poultney at Mill River, 10/1The ultimate juxtaposition in coaching. You have Poultney’s Dave Capman who has been coaching the Blue Devils for decades against Mill River’s Phil Hall, just beginning to lay his footprint with the Minutemen.

Poultney had a rebuilding year last year, but one of its bets efforts came against rival Mill River, where the Blue Devils lost by touchdown.

I’m sure both teams would love to see a few more ticks in the win column as they try to climb back up the D-III ladder.

BF at Springfield, 10/14Springfield and Bellows Falls are local rivals so their athletes know each other very well. The teams have played more than 100 times in football.

The Cosmos lost a talented senior class, but still has the talent to be a contender in D-III with rising sophomore Carson Clark at quarterback and rising senior Logan Roundy as two big building blocks on offense.

This game is part of a tough late-season schedule for Springfield. The Cosmos will have hosted defending D-III champion Windsor the weekend before.

Rutland at Hartford, 10/21

I’ve heard a lot of people talking about Hartford as a potential top contender in Division I and for good reason.

It all starts with the quarterback and Hurricanes signal caller Brayden Trombly is one that is special. As a sophomore last year, he broke onto the scene and with another year of experience with a good core around him, Hartford could be even more dangerous.

The Hurricanes got blown out on Rutland’s home field last year. That will surely be on their mind.

This game looks like one that could have big playoff implications.

Poultney at Fair Haven, 10/21These schools are located just seven miles from each other, so there’s bound to be a lot of familiarity between their athletes.

Games like these against higher-division opponents are only going to be beneficial for teams like Poultney, even if the score is highly in the other team’s favor, as it was last year when the Blue Devils hosted Fair Haven.

Newport at Mill River, 10/22This is a big change of pace game for Mill River late in the season, playing out of state Newport, from New Hampshire.

Newport has had lots of recent success in the Granite State, so this will be a fun late-season test for a young Mill River team.

adam.aucoin @rutlandherald.com