Strong Second Half Propels Jacks

By Christopher Shaban
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The two-time defending state champion Windsor Yellow Jackets found themselves in a war on Saturday, but the halftime speeches from their coaches lit a fire for the Jacks to help them overcome a determined Cosmos team and head back up I-91 with a 34-14 win.

If you like a smash mouth, physical football game, then Springfield was the place to be on Saturday, as the Cosmos and Yellow Jackets went toe-to-toe in front of a big Springfield homecoming crowd. Travis McAllister brought the opening kickoff back 82 yards for a touchdown, but a holding call took points off the board for Windsor as it looked like the Jacks were going to run all over the Cosmos. McAllister would get his score later in the drive, and when Bradley Adams recovered the Jacks’ onside kick, it looked like Windsor was looking for a knockout punch early.

Not so fast. Cameron Williams made a big hit for the Cosmos that was followed up by a Carson Clark stick, as the pads and helmets were being smacked all over the field, Springfield was fired up and playing with tons of emotion. “We were going toe-to-toe with the defending state champions, we were playing our kind of football,” said Springfield Head Coach Todd Aiken as Windsor failed on a 4th down, giving Springfield the ball at midfield.

Springfield pounded the run game with bits and pieces of yardage, but the big play came in the air, as Carson Clark hit Gintoff for a big 22-yard pass play. Luke Stocker followed his line into the endzone and just like that Springfield had cut the lead to 7-6 as the first quarter ended.

Windsor would extend their lead thanks to a facemask penalty that the Jacks took advantage of, that ended with a Maison Fortin 5-yard scramble for a touchdown as Olivia MacLeay hit her second extra point to make it 14-6 Windsor.

Springfield put together a drive that lasted six minutes, heavily featuring the running game of Stocker and Gintof that resulted in a 5-yard plow job by Gintoff and the two point conversion from Clark to Gintof tied the game 14-14 with less than a minute remaining in the half. The Springfield sidelines and bleachers were looking at the biggest upset in Vermont this season.

Maison went to the air hitting Roger Peterman then McAllister with time left for one more play. Clark made a spectacular one handed touchdown saving play on a Fortin pass as the half ended deadlocked with Springfield feeling on top of the world while Windsor was in a tie at the half for the first time all season. “We played how we are capable of playing. I think we put fear into them,” said Gintof. “We are in this, we need to keep being aggressive,” said Aiken at the break, while Windsor Head Coach Greg Balch and his staff told his team, “We need to step it up.”

Springfield received the kick to open the second half and ended up punting as McAllister busted in to throw Clark for a big loss. Fortin took charge for Windsor hitting Logan Worrall for a 10-yard reception after Worrall punched his way for a 19-yard gain. Fortin would blast down the sidelines pushing tacklers to the ground and refusing to go down. McAllister would get the hand off and run right up the gut of Springfield for a 20-yard TD run giving Windsor a 21-14 lead entering the final quarter.

The nasty Windsor defense took over when Bradley Bowers recovered a fumble caused by a McAllister strip sack. The Jacks would keep it on the ground behind the hungry line of Bowers, Tanney Moody, Charles Palmer and Vance Martin. Worrall, Fortin, McAllister and Gavin Martin would all push Springfield backwards with runs then a Fortin 9-yard run pushed the Jacks lead to 27-14 midway in the final quarter. “We did what the coaches told us to do at the half, we played our game,” said Fortin.

Windsor would tack on one more score as Fortin grabbed his second score with a tough 16-yard run with the extra point making it 34-14 with just over four minutes remaining, as the Cosmos had run out of gas. Windsor headed home with a very physical 34-14 win. “Championship teams can have zero letdown, ever. Everyone wants to knock us off and we need to be sharp and hungry every time we step on the field, we can’t lay an egg,” said Balch and added, “Springfield played very well tonight, I tip my hat off to them.”

Windsor (6-0) will head to Oxbow (3-3) on Saturday, while things don’t get any easier for Springfield as they will host Bellows Falls (6-0) for their 109th meeting on Friday night.

“I am so damn proud of my team; the game could have gone either way, but Windsor is just a great team with a great coach. They have a very impressive program,” said Aiken after the game.