CVU football, field hockey teams marching through postseason
Football
CVU 49, Burlington-South Burlington 20
After beating the Seawolves 49-20 last Saturday, Oct. 29, one more hurdle stands between the Champlain Valley Union Redhawks and a repeat appearance in the state finals.
Redhawk junior Calvin Steele makes one would-be tackler fall down as he runs with the ball.
The Redhawks will play Essex High at CVU at 1 p.m. this Saturday. The winner of Saturday’s contest will earn the right to play the winner of the Middlebury-Burr and Burton semifinals game in the state championship game in Rutland on the following Saturday, Nov. 12.
CVU earned the right to advance to the semifinals with a game that coach Rahn Fleming characterized as the Jack Sumner show.
Sumner had a hand in five of the Redhawks’ seven touchdowns.
The game was close at half with CVU up 21-13, but the second half was virtually all Redhawks. The Seawolves managed one last score with 2 seconds left in the game to pull within a somewhat more respectable 19 points
The score was more lopsided than the level of play. The Seawolves were in the game for most of the first half.
Late in the second quarter, a pair of plays seemed to turn the momentum decisively in the Redhawks’ favor. Just up by eight points, Champlain Valley fumbled the ball, but on the first play of the ensuing possession, the Redhawks intercepted a pass to regain possession. From then on, the Redhawks appeared to be in control.
Besides crediting his players for the second half rout, Fleming gave kudos to his coaching staff.
“I have a very intelligent coaching staff and we’re able to look and see what’s happened on the ball field and make adjustments,” Fleming said. “And something kicks into gear with the kids and they come out the second half ready to rock and roll.”
CVU 42, BFA-St. Albans 14
Much of the credit for the Redhawks’ continuing success has to go to Ollie Cheer.
When senior starting quarterback Max Destito went down towards the end of the regular season with a leg injury that put him out through the postseason, the junior stepped into the position with little drop off at the quarterback position.
Cheer’s production at quarterback is probably due to his familiarity in the role. Fleming is noteworthy for giving lots of players lots of time on the field and not just when the outcome is no longer in doubt.
Against Bellows Falls Academy-St. Albans, Cheer finished with 54 yards rushing which included a 47-yard touchdown. He was 15 of 24 in passing with five touchdown tosses.
“Ollie sees and interprets the field so quickly,” Fleming said. “He had a hand in all six touchdowns.”
Alex Provost had eight catches for 126 yards and a touchdown catch.
Sumner had three catches for 55 yards to go with 32 yards running the ball. He scored a touchdown on both a run and a pass.
Billy Bates and Dylan Frere both had touchdown catches.
Sumner, Chase Leonard and Lucien Griffin all had interceptions.
This game was Senior Day and the coach was pleased that he was able to play all of his seniors.
“They were able to get quality reps in the third quarter, not just in the last five minutes of the game,” Fleming said.
Girls field hockey
CVU 4, Mount Mansfield 0
Another Champlain Valley team headed to the semifinals is the girls field hockey team.
After a 4-0 dismantling of the Cougars on Friday, Oct. 28, the Redhawks were set for the penultimate game of the field hockey season against Bellows Falls Union High. That game was set to be played on Tuesday afternoon, which was played after press time for this newspaper.
If the Redhawks won Tuesday’s game, the team is headed to the state championships this Saturday, Nov. 5, at the University of Vermont to face the winner of the semifinal match between South Burlington and Essex. The time for the championship game was still to be determined at press time.
In the Mount Mansfield game, at the half the outcome did not appear to be in doubt with the Redhawks already up 4-0.
Claire Marcoe scored three of CVU’s goals. Two came on assists from Carly Strobeck, Sophie Madden and Tess Everett. One of Marcoe’s goals she scored herself without an assist.
CVU’s goalies Grace Ferguson and Rianne Nagelhout combined for two saves.
CVU 8, Middlebury 0
The Redhawks scored an even more dominating win over Middlebury 8-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 25.