Up-tempo Otters too much for Cosmos

Otter Valley, with its 17 seniors and an up-tempo game, was too much for a very young Springfield team Friday night as the Otters rolled to a 48-6 Division II win at Brown Memorial Field.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120901/SPORTS02/709019893

Published September 1, 2012 in the Rutland Herald Up-tempo Otters too much for Cosmos By POODY WALSH Herald Correspondent SPRINGFIELD — Otter Valley, with its 17 seniors and an up-tempo game, was too much for a very young Springfield team Friday night as the Otters rolled to a 48-6 Division II win at Brown Memorial Field. Springfield has been saddled with number problems all season. Last night there were 35 players in the program, but 25 of them were freshmen and sophomores. “We have 13 varsity players,” first-year Springfield coach Kevin Tallmansaid. “We have 11 players going both ways and two reserves. I’m not making this a pity party, but there were times tonight when we had 14-year-olds going up against 17 year-olds. But hey, we’re not crying here. Springfield once had a proud tradition in football and we’re going to bring that tradition back.” The Springfield program was also hampered when it lost its starting quarterback for half the season for violating team rules. However, nothing would have mattered on this night as Otter Valley put the ball in the air , raced out to a 35-6 halftime lead and went to the bench in the second half. The Otters got three first-half touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback John Winslow and three touchdowns from the fleet-footed senior Brett Peterson. “He’s real special,” Otter Valley coach Jim Hill said of Patterson. “He can really fly.” Springfield’s lack of numbers and youth showed as there were bad snaps and four turnovers in the first half. “We’re still in the learning process,” Tallmansaid. While Otter Valley was the big favorite with its load of upperclassmen, it was Springfield that had the early jump, taking the opening kickoff and marching all the way 2, but things went awry quickly when on a first-and-goal play the Cosmos fumbled. It was all Otter Valley after that and nothing went right for Springfield. Even the scoreboard clock malfunctioned but nothing seemed to bother the Otters. Even when the score was 0-0,Otter Valley lost what looked like sure touchdown when Winslow connected with Patterson, who was off to the races for a sure score when an inadvertent whistle stopped the play. When the Otters got the ball back they just continued to march, with the same duo — Winslow and Patterson — connecting on a 43-yard score. A high snap then gave the Otters a safety and when Cody Gutzman sliced in from the 5, it was 16-0. Then it was Winslow to Patterson from 33 yard to make it 21-0. It got to be 27-0 on a Winslow to Winslow TD, with John passing to his brother Mike from 36 yards. Springfield got on the board in dramatic fashion as Sean Jeffers exploded from scrimmage on a 74-yard TD romp. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Patterson returned it 80 yards for a score and a 35-6 lead at the half. While Hill was delighted with the win, he is a little concerned about his game with Lyndon next week. “Big physical teams worry me,” he said. “We got a nice up-tempo game with a lot of speed, but physical teams have me worried.” Meanwhile Tallman is expecting some additional players. “We’ve got to get this train back on the tracks.” Fair Haven come to Springfield next Friday night.