Windsor routs Springfield under the lights

Windsor High’s football team rolled all over Springfield, 40-8, in the first night game played in Windsor.
http://www.vnews.com/sports/13824167-95/windsor-routs-springfield-under-the-lights

Windsor Routs Springfield Under the Lights Windsor's Trevor Worrall evades Springfield's Michael Kollman during the game in Windsor, Vt., on Oct. 4, 2014. (Valley News - Ariana van den Akker) Windsor's Trevor Worrall evades Springfield's Michael Kollman during the game in Windsor, Vt., on Oct. 4, 2014. (Valley News - Ariana van den Akker) Windsor's Trevor Worrall evades Springfield's Michael Kollman during the game in Windsor, Vt., on Oct. 4, 2014. (Valley News - Ariana van den Akker)Fans try to stay dry during the Windsor football game against Springfield in Windsor, Vt., on Oct. 4, 2014. (Valley News - Ariana van den Akker)Windsor's Russell Simonds runs the ball with Springfield's Parker Day in pursuit during the game in Windsor, Vt., on Oct. 4, 2014. (Valley News - Ariana van den Akker) By Poody Walsh Valley News Correspondent Saturday, October 4, 2014 Windsor — Russell Simonds scored two first-half touchdowns and had an interception as Windsor High’s football team rolled all over Springfield, 40-8, in the first night game played in Windsor. The game was played in a heavy rain that drenched the crowd and players. Still it didn’t seem to bother Windsor coach Greg Balch until the game was over. “Hey, I’m drenched,” Balch said. “I didn’t realize how wet I was during the game.” The portable lighting was provided by a parents group. Windsor Athletic Director Bob Hingston said despite the all-day drenching, he never thought about postponing the game. The nighttime atmosphere perhaps led to the intensity of the game and a situation in the third quarter when a Springfield player was injured near his own bench that resulted in 30 yards in Springfield penalties, the ejection of a Springfield player and a Springfield coach. Hingston referred to the situation as a “powder keg” at the time, and additional police were called in. Immediately after the game, the Springfield players skipped the usual post-game on-field meeting and boarded their buses and left. The last minutes of the third quarter and all of the fourth quarter were played with a continuous clock. Simonds entered the weekend as the Upper Valley’s leading scorer and now has 14 touchdowns this season. Balch, however, was quick to point out that while Simonds is in the midst of a big season the team has depth in that department. “That’s what makes us so hard to defend,” the coach said. Windsor (4-2) is in good shape to finish in at least the top eight in Vermont Division III, but there is still a shot at one of the top four spots that would give the Yellowjackets a home game in the first round of the playoffs. But Woodstock looms ahead. The Jacks have next week off, but in two weeks go to Woodstock, which is now pretty much a “must” game for Windsor. While Windsor eventually won with ease, it didn’t start out that way. The first quarter was not only scoreless, but less than artistic as there were five penalties, three punts and not one possession of more than four plays. The scoring started on a 29-yard run for a score by Simonds early in the second quarter when he found room on the outside and beat the defense into the end zone. On the next Springfield possession, the Jacks’ Caleb Harrington sacked Springfield’s Michael Kollman for a big loss, which forced a punt that came up short on the Windsor 41. On the next play, Simonds shot outside again and scored from 59 yards out. Springfield got its initial first down and had decent drive thwarted when Simonds picked off Justin Gomez’s aerial. The game got quickly out of hand in the third quarter as Windsor scored on three consecutive possessions. Quarterback Nick Kapuscinski went up the middle from 52 yards, Simonds hit pay dirt from 35 and Hunter Patenaude scored from the 25. The score was 34-0 as the third quarter drew to a close. Ben Meagher closed out the Windsor scoring with a run from the 9-yard line in the fourth quarter. The Springfield touchdown was a nifty 75-yard kickoff return by Ben Tubbs. The Cosmos (1-4) go to U-32 for their next game.