U-32 football to play in 8th straight title contest
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Mount Mansfield sophomore Brian Wilcox wraps up U-32 senior running back Gordon Matheson as senior Silas Dowen, left, blocks during the Raiders' 55-0 regular-season victory over the Cougars in September. Jeb Wallace-Brodeur/Times Argus File |
Toolbox
By Mike Schaefer Times Argus Staff - Published: November 10, 2006
EAST MONTPELIER — For the U-32 football team, tonight's Division IV championship game has a familiar feeling. The Raiders have been in the title game each year for the past eight seasons — picking up three titles — and they have already faced Mount Mansfield once this season.
And even with all the momentum they have coming into the game, as well as the confidence of being the only undefeated team in Division IV, U-32(10-0) will have to work hard to keep Mount Mansfield down.
The Cougars have been surging as of late, eliminating perennial postseason powerhouse Otter Valley in Saturday's semifinals, 59-34. Led by running back Greg Pinnette, who posted 174 yards of his own, the team rushed for 612 yards in the win.
"I do believe Mount Mansfield is a much better team and are playing much better than they were when we faced them two months ago when we beat them, 55-0," said U-32 coach Mike Law. "I think it's going to be pretty intense. It's another Friday night for us, but the ante goes a little bit more for a championship game and we need to step up and play at that level."
Law said he's watched Mount Mansfield improve throughout the season. This week in practice the Raiders have been busy tightening up their defense and preparing for the Cougars' running game, which has carried them through a 6-2 regular season.
"Our whole focus this week is to do things at a higher level. For us to play this team, we cannot make mistakes on the line both defensively and offensively," said Law. "They are very athletic and there's a whole scheme to what they do. The first game we were able to disrupt it some, and we caused some turnovers. Marcus (Hass) had two interceptions and ran them back for touchdowns. We need to make them play on a longer field and not give them a shorter field to play their running game on. They don't like to pass the ball."
The Cougars will also look to Jack Dubuque, an all-around athlete who runs the ball well, kicks, and shares the quarterbacking with Nathan Dolan. Dolan connected for two touchdowns in a 27-0 defeat of Burr and Burton on Sept. 20. Connor Gallagher is also an offensive threat, scoring two touchdowns for MMU in the Otter Valley playoff game.
But the Raiders are an anomaly in local football. Not only are they undefeated, but they have only allowed opponents to score 27 total points against them this season. The team has scored more than 60 points in a game three times this season.
"Maybe our advantage is that we can go from running to passing and change it up," said Law. "Passing is not something MMU wants to do. We can do both and well."
Most likely both teams are heeding the same advice and leaving the Sept. 8 game behind them. The Cougars are looking to hold onto the ball better and avoid the turnover (they committed five in the first meeting with U-32), while the Raiders are committed to keeping the MMU runners grounded and forcing the throwing game.
The Raiders will look to Hass, MJ Rus and Todd Murphy to lead the offensive game and quarterback Ethan Sylvain to utilize his strong and accurate passing to lead the air attack. Hass is also a key receiver for U-32. On defense, the Raiders will look to Rus, Silas Dowen and Rob Keene to keep the Cougars searching for new ways around them.
Murphy has piled up close to 900 yards this season, but only carried the ball 47 times and scored 16 touchdowns.
"We have to take care of the ball. I'm sure that's what Marty's (Richards, MMU coach) telling his kids," said Law. "We're not looking for any breaks, this year we're trying to make our own."
But familiarity with the championship-game anxiety is also a component of tonight's battle. Law said his team has done a good job of not looking too far into the future all season long, and instead the Raiders have focused on the next team. Tonight, the next team doesn't just want another win they want the title.
"We had a pretty intense week this week preparing for this," said Law. "I told the kids, 'you need to be ready for this.' I think everyone's on edge."
U-32 will play Mount Mansfield tonight at 7 p.m. in the Division IV state championship football game at Colchester High School.
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