By Bill Murphy
Eagle Times Correspondent
NEWPORT, VT — About 10 days ago a North Country football player was interviewed by WCAX after a Falcon victory, and he said he was looking forward to the upcoming match up with Bellows Falls.
“We want to be the best and to be the best you have to go through Bellows Falls,” he said.
Last Saturday, Oct. 21, the North Country Falcons went through Bellows Falls 27-7.
Bellows Falls trailed 14-0 at halftime and believed they always had a chance to win. A driving rain dominated much of the contest and the Terriers kept holding out hope, especially in the fourth quarter for a comeback. This was especially true when Cole Moore put the only Purple and White points on the board on the final stanza’s first play on a third down, 1-yard run. Tristan Boylan’s conversion made the count 14-7 with basically a whole quarter left to play.
A little less than 4 minutes later Hayden Boivin ran the pigskin in from 17 yards out, and the wet conditions made it improbable for the Fallsmen to catch up from a 21-7 deficit—and they didn’t. In fact, the hosts still put one final touchdown on the board.
The elements were not the only obstacle limiting Bellows Falls on both sides of the ball. Walker James, most likely their best player on both sides of the ball, missed his second straight game to an ankle injury. When the mud dried, Terrier Coach Bob Lockerby had more than one emotion looking back at the defeat.
“I thought we played very well outside of putting the ball on the ground and turning it over,” said Lockerby. “That cost us a lot, but we did a number of good things. too.”
Falling behind early was not one of the things the Terriers did well, and it was that turnover bug that helped create a 14-0 Falcon advantage at the half. Bellows Falls won the toss, elected to receive and turned the ball over in the pouring rain in their own territory at the 40. North Country took care of the ball and an 8-yard drive concluded with a Justin Young 5-yard carry for the score and a 7-0 advantage.
The spread doubled by halftime as North Country quarterback Watson Laffoon went to the air and found Boivin on a 17-yard scoring play.
Lockerby and the Terriers now face sixth seeded Spaulding (4-4) in the opening play-off contest Friday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. at Hadley Field. The Crimson Tide played a much less challenging schedule than Bellows Falls did, making the hosts the favorites in the opening round.
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