Stevens Wins on the Road; Bellows Falls Defeated at Home

By Bill Murphy
Eagle Times Correspondent
Their sights are set on the biggest prize possible at the end of the season, but there are several differences between the Stevens and Bellows Falls high school football teams.

Stevens convincingly won their most recent game soundly defeating Epping/Newmarket 36-0. Bellows Falls lost a high-level struggle against Fair Haven 27-20 on the same Saturday afternoon, Sept. 30.

The Cardinals are now entirely focused on keeping their playoff hopes alive when they host Fall Mountain Friday night, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. At the same exact time, the Terriers host Brattleboro.

The victory for the Cardinals was their second straight following the difficult pattern of three opening season losses. Although they knew they had a big match-up with archrival Fall Mountain (FM) on the horizon, they focused on and took care of business on the road.

Josh Duford said the key was simple in his team’s triumph.

“We controlled the line of scrimmage to establish our game,” Duford said.

Obviously the 36-0 final score shows this proved true on both sides of the ball. The Cardinals established themselves 14-0 by the time the first 12 minutes were in the books. They hit pay dirt on each of their first 2 possessions with Tyler “Tank” Christian finding the end zone on runs of 35 and 4 yards.

The head coach was a little disappointed that “holding penalties stopped us in the second quarter,” but the Thynes connected to put the team on the board. Karson Thyne found twin brother Karter Thyne on a 35-yard scoring connection for a 20-0 halftime advantage.

Christian was able to complete both Stevens long methodical drives in the third quarter with short TD runs to put the final points on the board.

All this sets up two area teams at Barnes Park Friday night for a contest that will most likely keep one team alive for postseason play. Stevens has dominated this series but Duford realizes the Wildcats are getting better each season. It was just two seasons ago the Cats made the playoffs in Division 4 and pulled a stunning postseason upset to end Newport’s season.

“Orion [Binney] has done such a tremendous job since he took over that program. This is one of those old time CVL rivalries where you have the full respect of your opponent,” Duford said. “This is for the Ralph Silva Cup and is a critical game for both of us.”

Most everyone who follows Vermont Division II football expects Bellows Falls and Fair Haven to end up meeting each other in Rutland, VT, on Saturday, Nov. 11, in the state’s Division 2 title game. The two teams met last Saturday and Fair Haven prevailed 27-20 in an encounter that had the feel of a championship match-up.

The Slaters Trey Lee made all the big plays down the stretch including getting open behind the Purple and White secondary and hauling in a 21-yard touchdown pass to break a 20-20 tie.

“It was anybody’s game. We just ran out of time and didn’t have as many points as they did. Play another quarter and maybe we win this game,” said Bellows Falls Coach Bob Lockerby. “My kids would enjoy playing them again. We’re hoping we’ll get to do that.”

He figuratively took off his hat and tipped it to the Slaters.

“I say that could have been either teams’ game; they won. Hats off to Jimmy Hill and his Fair Haven boys,” Lockerby said. “Their seniors have lost their entire career to us. They came out today, they played great, they won and they deserve credit for it.”

Fair Haven showed they meant business from the opening kick-off. Five minutes into the contest, star quarterback Joe Buxton found Lee on a 14-yard scoring pass to complete an 11-play drive to take a 6-0 lead. It took the host Terriers only 11 seconds to even the count as Walker James took the ensuing kick-off and outraced everyone to the endzone to knot things at 6-6.

The Slaters drove the football right back at Bellows Falls until Blake Betrand ended their fun by intercepting a Buxton aerial. Bellows Falls then went on a long drive of their own of 13 plays and 70 yards to take the lead on a Cole Moore to Betrand scoring pass as Bertrand finished off what he started from 13 yards out with 8:26 remaining until halftime.

Lee was prevalent in the Slater’s return scoring drive as he took the kick-off back 32 yards to near midfield and then four plays later watched teammate Bill Lussier score a 3-yard TD. The conversion kick attempt failed leaving Bellows Falls in front 13-12 with 6:11 left until intermission. Lee also caught a 38-yard pass in the drive to set up the score.

Bellows Falls’ next possession ended up in Lee’s hands as he picked off a pass at the Bellows Falls 34 with 1:58 remaining before halftime. The Slaters would score exactly 30 seconds later when Buxton found Phil Bean on a second down screen pass that should have gone for about 20yards. Bean broke two tackles and then carried three Purple and White tacklers into the endzone, which resulted in a 20-13 halftime advantage when Buxton rushed for the extra points.

James would excite the home faithful seconds later with another sterling kick-off return of 36 yards before an ankle grab kept him from taking it to the house.

The hosts would tie up the score in the third quarter as James would intercept a pass at his own 46 and would watch Moore connect with Betrand again to his left open in the secondary on a 38-yard scoring play with 3:08 showing on the scoreboard. Dearborn would kick the tying conversion point. The teams would then trade possessions until the Slater winning drive.

In his post-game presser, Lockerby made it clear he didn’t like to lose.

“I told the players, ‘This is how you learn who people really are. I want you to walk out of here being proud of yourself and each other because we just got slowed down. It’s not over,’” he said.

Bellows Falls plays their final home game at Hadley Field at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 6, versus Brattleboro.