By Adam Aucoin
THE RUTLAND HERALD
When a team is entering the midseason stretch, it wants to be playing its best football. That can be made much harder when the first few weeks hadn’t gone their way. A handful of teams got into the win column during Week 3 of the Vermont high school football season and are hoping to build off that to better their case for a successful playoff run.
For Essex, the feeling had to be a good one. The defending Division I champion Hornets were tied with Rutland in Week 1, but couldn’t finish the job. They led nearly the whole way against Hartford in Week 2, but still couldn’t grab the win.
Things changed last week with their upset win over previously-unbeaten St. Johnsbury and Essex hopes to make it two in a row with its matchup at BFA-St. Albans on Friday.
The Bobwhites are looking to get back on track after two straight losses and make sure they don’t continue to sink in the race for a high seed in Division I.
Spaulding has just 22 players on its roster, but the Crimson Tide showed up in a big way in Week 3, blanking previously-unbeaten Rice. Zack Wilson did it all for Spaulding in that win, contributing in the passing game, the running game and the kicking game.
The Crimson Tide will need all of that once again as they host Lyndon Institute on Friday night. The Vikings are hoping to get back on crack after a rough defensive showing last week against Fair Haven.
Otter Valley finally put it together on offense, after some shaky showings on that side of the ball in the opening two weeks, with a 29-point outing against Springfield in Week 3.
The Otters will be challenged to keep that going, hosting Mount Abraham on Saturday. The Eagles are coming off a dominating effort against the Missisquoi.
Otter Valley would figure to be a tougher challenge than the T-Birds, but Mount Abraham has to be coming in with some confidence.
Middlebury joined the winning side last week, but will be tested trying to keep it rolling in Week 4 when Rutland comes to town on Friday night. RHS is surely looking to bounce back from a blowout loss on its home field against Burr and Burton Academy.
Rutland and Middlebury’s game last year came right down to the wire and that’s been commonplace in their rivalry. It wouldn’t be surprising if that happens again.
Colchester also got in the win column in Week 3. They played out of division on Thursday, hosting the Seawolves. BBA has had no problem winning in the early going. The Bulldogs are rolling 3-0 and both of their last two wins have been in blowout fashion. Hartford will be a good test Saturday afternoon in Manchester. The Hurricanes are winners of two straight games.
St. Johnsbury’s dream start muddied last week against Essex, but the Hilltoppers have a chance bounce back in a big way if they can knock off CVU Friday night at home. The Redhawks are 2-1 with their lone loss coming against out-of-state power Exeter, in New Hampshire.
Bellows Falls hopes to keep it rolling Saturday afternoon at U-32. The Terriers passed a big test last week against rival Mount Anthony and figure to be a favorite in most games they play the rest of the way.
The Raiders are a scrappy team that hung with undefeated North Country for stretches of their game last week.
MAU looks to bounce back from the BF loss, playing at Mount Mansfield on Friday night. The Cougars have had a bumpy entry into Division II and are still in search of their first win.
North Country hopes to keep its record spotless against a 2-1 Milton club Friday night at home.
Brattleboro is coming off a blowout loss to Hartford in Week 3 and this week won’t be any easier for the Colonels as they welcome Fair Haven to town Friday night.
The Slaters are coming in confident after winning comfortably against Lyndon last week. Fair Haven quarterback Joe Buxton is breaking out in a big way and tossed four touchdown passes in the Week 3 win.
Undefeated Windsor hosts Rice Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets are averaging 45.3 points per game and just blasted Milton in Week 3.
Woodstock hosts Mill River Friday night. The Wasps earned a multiple-touchdown win against an improved Oxbow club in Week 3, while the formerly-unbeaten Minutemen came crashing down to earth with a blowout loss against BFA-Fairfax/Lamoille.
Oxbow tries to get back to the .500 mark, hosting winless Missisquoi Saturday afternoon.
Poultney and Springfield are also winless in Division III. That will change for one of them Saturday afternoon when Blue Devils welcome the Cosmos to town on Homecoming.
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adam.aucoin
@rutlandherald.com
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