Raiders defeat Eagles Sylvain leads U-32 with 3 interceptions in 34-30 win
Toolbox
By TOM HALEY Staff Writer - Published: September 26, 2004
BRISTOL — A ball-hawking freshman defensive back, a sophomore quarterback savvy beyond his years and two hard-charging running backs helped lead the U-32 Raiders to a 34-30 victory over Mount Abraham in the biggest 8-man football game of the season.
Freshman Ethan Sylvain led the high-powered Raiders defense with three interceptions and a number of pass breakups. Kyle Martel ran the U-32 offense and scored on a 7-yard bootleg to push the lead to 34-22 just when it appeared the Eagles had seized the momentum. Dwight Lipsey and Dewald Steenkamp both eclipsed the 100-yard rushing standard.
This is the game both teams look forward to, having met in the state title game three of the last four years.
"We knew this was going to be the hardest game of the season," U-32 senior linebacker Logan Wells said. "We knew this game meant who was going to be No. 1.
"We were focused. There was no nonsense on the bus on the way over here. We were focusing on what we had to do."
U-32 coach Mike Law left the field proud of his team's effort but he is well aware there is another meeting with the Eagles in the regular season and, very likely, their annual clash in the state title game in November.
Mount Abe coach Bill Leggett also had plenty to be proud of as far as his own squad was concerned. They could have been buried when Steenkamp scored on a 23-yard run to give the Raiders a seemingly comfortable 28-6 lead two minutes into the second quarter.
Instead, the Eagles roared back and the outcome was in doubt until U-32's Dana Ayer covered Mount Abraham's onside kick with 46 ticks left on the clock.
"Our team showed its true colors in the second half," Leggett said.
It was sweet redemption for the Raider players who fell to Mount Abraham in a one-sided championship game in 2003.
"The guys that were on that team had a real sour taste in their mouth after that championship game," Wells said.
It didn't take the Raiders long to send the message: They had come to play. Lipsey broke outside and sped down the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown run on the game's third play. Martel then flipped a pass to Lipsey for the two points and the 8-0 lead 1:26 into the game.
The Eagles also struck quickly. Quarterback Matt Paul fired a 67-yard touchdown pass to Matt Huizenga on their first offensive play of the game. The pass for the two points was incomplete, but the Raiders would feel the wrath of the Paul-Huizenga combination plenty more times.
Lipsey, playing organized football for the first time this year, bounced outside again and covered 32 yards for a touchdown with 4:16 still remaining in the opening period. Mount Abe's Ryan Kimbell sacked Martel when he tried to pass for the two points.
Steenkamp scored the next two TDs for the Raiders, swelling the lead to 28-6.
But Law has a wealth of respect for the Eagles and he said to his quarterback Martel on the sideline, "It's a long way from done." Thewords were more prophetic than he wanted them to be.
Running back Scott Curtis took a pitch from Paul, straightened up, and lofted a 39-yard touchdown pass to Huizenga 2:20 before the half. Curtis then ran over for the conversion and the Raiders' halftime lead was 28-14.
The passing game was the centerpiece of the Mount Abe offense on this day and it continued in the second half. Paul connected with Ryan Cornellier on a 41-yard scoring pass and Curtis again ran over for the two points to cut the lead to 28-22 with 6:05 left in the third period.
The intensity was turned up in the fourth quarter and the defenses caused plenty of turnovers. Sylvain pulled in his third interception and Huizenga recovered a U-32 fumble. An errant snap to Paul in shotgun formation was recovered by U-32's Gordon Matheson.
Matheson was a wrecking crew on defense with 12 tackles as well.
Martel's score on the second play of the final quarter cushioned the lead to 34-22, but the Eagles weren't done.
Paul's TD pass to the shifty and fleet Huizenga covered 68 yards and came with 46 seconds remaining. Curtis bulled over for the two points and everyone in Bristol knew the onside kick was coming.
Law had the good-hands people ready and Ayer's hands were good enough to preserve the victory.
The game was a contrast in styles as U-32 rushed for 478 yards, including 305 in the first half. Paul was 15-of-23 for 352 yards through the air and Curtis had two big completions out of the backfield. Huizenga had nine catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns.
Steenkamp rushed for 167 yards and Lipsey for 132 for the 3-0 Raiders.
"I knew they weren't done (down 28-6) with the job coach Leggett has done here and with the athletes he's got," Law said. "We have a lot of respect for what he's done. With Zinger (Huizenga) as a receiver along with Cornellier and with Paul running the offense, we knew they weren't done."
But on this day the 1-2 punch of Lipsey and Steenkamp helped produce enough points to avenge the loss of last November.
"They are two different kinds of runners," Law said. "Dewald is more of a power runner. This is Dwight's first year of football but he's an athlete. I think he was fourth in the state in the 100-meter dash."
The 2-1 Eagles and the Raiders have a date on Oct. 29 under the lights in East Montpelier. Nobody wants to look that far ahead, but for certain games, you just can't help it.
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