North-South football game is today

Springfield High School football coach Rich Saypack has been chosen as head coach for the Southern Vermont team in the 17th annual North-South Senior All-Star Football Game on Nov. 18 at Middlebury College. Springfield's Matt LaChappelle (#21) and Mason Olney (#86) are on the roster of players.


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Rosters for the 17th North-South senior all-star football game were finalized last week.

The state's top senior high school football players will take part in the annual gridiron showdown on Saturday at Middlebury College's Youngman-Alumni Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students, and will be available at the gate starting an hour prior to game time. All proceeds benefit the scholarship and grant programs of the Vermont Chapter of the National Football Foundation, according to a news release.

All 31 of the state's high school football programs from all three divisions are represented on the rosters, that are subject to change prior to the game. Lonnie Wade of North Country will lead the North squad and Springfield’s Rich Saypack is in charge of the South.

The rosters:

SOUTH

Bellows Falls: Shane Clark, Logan Cota, Jared Zobkiw. 

Brattleboro: Durin Hoyer, Isaiah Gilbeau. 

Burr and Burton: Cameron Hedberg, Bryce Little, Jay McCoy, Rach Robinson, Connor Simonds, Mark Wade. 

Fair Haven: Drew Eddy, Austin Ellis, Tim Fyles, Seth Parks, Jacob Stoodley. 

Hartford: Tyler Hamilton, Hunter Perkins, Kody Rhodes. 

Middlebury: Jack Deppman, Brian Foote, Tyler Hotte, Jaro Perera, Cody Pomainville. 

Mill River: Brian Eaton, Nate Kapusta. Otter Valley: Payson Williams. 

Poultney-MSJ: James Mars. 

Mount Anthony: Will Fischer,  Aaron Mattison. 

Rutland: Brendan Crossman, Jared Migliorie, Dylan Moore, Austin Pear. 

Springfield: Matt LaChappelle, Mason Olney. 

Windsor: Seth Balch, Duncan Frazer, Ben Meagher, Dakota Page, Jacob Tucker. 

Woodstock: Pat Potter, Brendan Schwartz, Elliot Shoemaker.

NORTH

BFA-Fairfax: Nate Selby. 

BFA-St. Albans: Ben Bruso, Tucker Gaudette, Griffin Knapp, Nate Parady, Nate Wilson. Burlington: Gunnar Bierbaum, Ryan Mitchell, Nelson Myal, Brody Snow. 

Champlain Valley: Jacob Bortnick. 

Colchester: Steven Cadieux, Stephen Emmons, Zach Morin, Andrew Spencer. 

Essex: Samuel Couture, Jordan Hines, Brendan McCormick,  Alexey Rizvanov. 

Lyndon: Justin Duncanson. 

Milton: Trent Cross, Seth Herrity, Nick Johnson, Tre Sherwood. 

Missisquoi: Hunter Tardy. Mount Abraham: Casey Kimball. 

Mount Mansfield: Griffin Erickson, Adam Fischer, Sylas Hallock. 

North Country: Kaine Gray, Skylar Stone, Justin Wade. 

Rice: Greg Bolger, Cavan Lamontagne, Alex Ritchie. 

St. Johnsbury: Shane Alercio, Jake Choiniere, Tom Emery, Jasper Rankin, Mat Roy. 

South Burlington: Andrew Cunningham. 

Spaulding: Matteo Perantoni. 

U-32: Logan Wolf, Cooper Lamb.

Five area football players were named as participants in the Vermont North-South football game to be held at Middlebury College at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18. The South squad will be coached by Rich Saypack of Springfield. The Bellows Falls Terriers will have three representatives: Shane Clark, Logan Cota, and Jared Zobkiw. Meanwhile, there will be two Cosmos on the team: Matt LaChapelle and Mason Olney. This is the 16th annual game and tickets are for sale. Springfield’s 2017 football season came to an end last Saturday in Windsor and what a difference eight weeks make. The Cosmos fell to Windsor 36-0, but it was nowhere near the same Green and White 11, who were not one bit competitive in their opener versus the same team on the same field. Springfield fumbled away the opening kick-off in the opener and the Yellow Jackets were on the scoreboard before some people realized the game had begun. If possible, that game went downhill from there. This time around, the Cosmos were within a touchdown into the second period and “at times it felt like we were in the game,” said Coach Rich Saypack. Springfield lost standout running back LaChapelle in the second quarter. Once it was 22-0 at the half, it was too long a road without their leading running back. But this edition of Springfield football should be able to see their growth in a division. The Cosmos played well when they should have and, thanks to their perseverance, finished their season respectfully. Saypack felt his team “became much more physical during the season and played some consistent football; but when it comes to Windsor, they are just too fast.” Coach, they were just too fast for a lot of people.