http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20151024/SPORTS02/151029674
Jeb Wallace-Brodeur / Staff Photo U-32 sophomore Zach Schneider runs for a 92-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the Raiders’ playoff win over Springfield on Friday.
Published October 24, 2015 in the Rutland Herald
Raiders blank Springfield, 69-0
By BRADLEY SMART
CORRESPONDENT
EAST MONTPELIER — The first U-32 football playoff victory since 2006 wasn’t exactly a close one. The second-seeded Raiders dominated from the opening snap, piling up more than 400 yards of rushing and cruising to a 69-0 shutout of No. 7 Springfield.
“They’re a young team, but they know and understand they have to execute,” U-32 coach Brian Divelbliss said. “They did that tonight. They played hard all night and executed well on every play.”
Colby Brochu, who ran for four touchdowns and 146 yards, ran for a 20-yard score on just the third play of the game. Springfield was forced to punt on its next three possessions, while U-32 quickly ran up the score.
Zach Schneider broke free around the right side and ran virtually untouched for a 92-yard touchdown, and then Brochu added back-to-back scores on runs of 62 and 46 yards.
The 46-yard run, which came near the end of the first quarter, pushed the lead to 28 and featured Brochu shaking multiple defenders and running through another.
It was more of the same in the second. After a botched snap on a punt put the Raiders on the one-yard line, Schneider easily ran it in. He finished with a pair of touchdowns and a team-high 194 rushing yards.
U-32’s Devin Hanson added a pair of touchdowns on his birthday, with identical sweeps of 25 and 6 yards.
Brochu capped his night with an 18-yard score in which the defense didn’t touch him.
The Raiders defense was on all night, as Cullen Partin came away with an interception and Quintin Pelzel recovered a fumble at the Springfield 6-yard line to set up scores.
With a running clock and the second-string in, the second half was much slower.
Still, the Raiders pushed across a pair of scores. Logan Wedge scored on a counter from 9 yards out, and Ian Voyer finished off a 70-yard night with a 24-yard touchdown up the middle to finish the scoring.
Voyer’s touchdown was the lone extra point that kicker Ford Porter missed, as he went an impressive nine-for-10.
Springfield’s best and only real chance to score came at the end of the game, when kicker Zeb Reardon missed a 25-yard field goal as time expired.
“Our guys are very consistent on defense and it just carried over from last week,” Divelbliss said.
“We made some adjustments this week, and scheme wise it really helped out. The guys executed.”
U-32 moves on to the D-II semifinals, where Woodstock awaits.
“It’s a great win for the program moving forward,” Divelbliss said of the importance of the first playoff win in several years for U-32.
“I hope our players enjoy this win because they built the program, and we’re going to be ready for next week.”
What they failed to report is that Springfield was lacking a lot of key players. Cedric Gray, Chris Ficklin, Ben Tubbs, Josh Stebbins and Zack Tubbs were all not on the starting roster. Most out with injury. Senior Josh Hoy got hurt in the 2nd and didn't return. The team was basically Freshman and Sophomores against a bigger and more mature team.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that all the armchair quarterbacks who love to post as anonymous will have a field day with the beating the kids endured. I for one am proud of the kids for at least making it to the playoffs. Don't listen to the losers who like to hide behind their keyboards.
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DeleteCongratulations to the Cosmos for giving it their all. Yes, it was a losing effort but the point is they never quit, regardless of how shorthanded they were.
DeletePlease note that my name is listed. I am proud to say I once covered them on the radio. I'm disappointed there is no local broadcasts of their games now but hopefully in the future, that will change.
Thank You Cosmos Dad for pointing this out to those "armchair quarterbacks"! This Cosmos Mom watched a mainly underclassmen team hold their heads high after this game. They knew going in that it was going to be a tough one. It was great practice for next season! Extremely proud of each and every single one of them! From my seat I didn't see much of any giving up on the field when the 3rd and 4th quarters rolled around and many of U32's first string team was still on the field. I want to wish those seniors Good Luck and say that I'm going to miss seeing you all on the field next year but I'm super excited to see what the future holds for this young team!!
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