North-South Game Preview

By Tom Haley
THE RUTLAND HERALD
The temperature sign on the bank down the road read 26 degrees, but the players on the South team were oblivious to the cold on Tuesday as they worked out at Rutland High’s Alumni Field.

They were focused on Sunday’s upcoming North-South Senior All-Star Football Game to be played at Norwich University.

The North squad was holding their practice at Norwich’s Sabine Field at the same time. Mount Abraham’s Jeff Stein is the North head coach.

South head coach Chad Gordon will alternate two offensive units. Windsor’s Maison Fortin will be directing one of them and Brattleboro’s Devin Speno will be the quarterback of the other unit.

Fortin described the offensive scheme of his unit as more of a power type of game while Speno will be operating an attack with more Spread principles.

They both love the weapons at their disposal.

“I think we have the two best running backs in the state,” Fortin said of Bellows Falls’ Caden Haskell and Mount Anthony’s Ayman Naser,

“And our line is big. It is the biggest line I have played with.”

“Our receivers are really fast and really smart,” Speno said.

He mentioned two of those receivers as being particularly dangerous — Rutland’s Jonah Bassett and Brattleboro’s Tristian Evans.

Evans and Speno have been a combination for the Colonels that has given defenses headaches.

“I am used to him. We have been playing together since we were about 6 years old,” Speno said.

Kickers Trevor Greene of Burr and Burton Academy and Oxbow’s Chase Lund were both showing off a strong leg in kicking field goals from a distance of 45 yards.

“Trevor has kicked a 50-yarder in practice,” Burr and Burton coach Tom McCoy said.

“The Rutland kids are all together. By the end of the week, they will all be organically mixing with each other,” Springfield coach Todd Aiken said while observing stretching exercises.

Rutland’s Jaheim Hughes said he already saw the players from different schools begin to assimilate during the first practice on Sunday.

“It’s different. I have been playing against a lot of these guys for a long time. But everyone started cracking jokes and having fun,” Hughes said.

“I think we are all pretty confident about the game.”

NOTES: The first North-South game was played in 2001 with the South winning 37-24. … The highest scoring game in the series saw 122 points on the board in 2010, the North winning 74-48. … This will be the first time the game is played at Norwich University.

tom.haley @rutlandherald.com