By DAN BARILE
Eagle Times Correspondent
WESTMINSTER, Vt. — Bellows Falls had been waiting more than 10 months for another chance against North Country after last season’s 21-20 loss in the Division 2 semifinals. That opportunity came Friday night, and the Terriers did not disappoint, cruising to a 40-8 victory in front of their home crowd.
It took the Terriers only 17 seconds to take a lead they would never lose, as Jaden Bazin ran 65 yards to the endzone on the first offensive play of the game. Tristan Boylan added his first of four extra points to give Bellows Falls a 7-0 lead.
The Terriers defense set up the next score when Will Hallock pounced on a fumble forced by Andrew Goyette at North Country’s 27-yard line. Bellows Falls found the endzone three plays later on a 1-yard run by Josh Streeter with 6:53 remaining until halftime.
The defense struck again for the Terriers on the following possession, forcing fumbles on each of the Falcons plays. Conner Perry opened the drive by forcing a fumble while throwing the quarterback to the ground for a 13-yard loss. North Country managed to recover Perry’s forced fumble, but on the following play, Carson Clark ripped the ball out of the receiver’s hands to regain possession for Bellows Falls at the Falcons’ 20-yard line. Three plays later, the Terriers reached paydirt again on a 5-yard run by Eli Allbee.
Following a half where they ran the ball on 26 out of 28 plays, Bellows Falls did more of the same in the second half after entering the break with a 21-0 advantage.
Bellows Falls scored on each of its first two possessions of the second half, as Patrick Connors and Allbee each rushed for 1-yard touchdowns to extend the Terriers lead to 33-0.
North Country managed its only score of the night with less than eight minutes to play on a 35-yard screen pass from Jacob Gregoire to Gage Beaumont. Bellows Falls responded with one more score before time expired when Stefan James pounded the ball in from 3 yards out.
The Terriers ran for over 300 yards as a team, led by 113 yards from Carson Clark. The defense also played a major role in the Terriers victory, recovering 3 fumbles and holding North Country to only 14 yards in the first half.
Bellows Falls (2-1) will play in front of its home crowd again this week, squaring-off against Mt. Mansfield (0-3) on Saturday at 3 p.m.
