Five games down, three to go, CVU hangs on to No. 1

Over the last two weekends, Champlain Valley Union High has hung onto the No. 1 ranking in Division 1 football by keeping its win streak alive, going up 5-0 in the eight-game regular season.

One of the most remarkable things about the RedHawks’ unbeaten streak is that it has scored on its first possession in all five games.

Champlain Valley 52, BFA-St. Albans 0

On Friday, Sept. 20, CVU traveled north to a game against Bellows Free Academy-St. Albans. After the Bobwhites received the opening kickoff and turned the ball over on downs, the Redhawks scored on their initial second down when senior Jacob Armstrong scored on a 35-yard pass from Orion Yates.

It appeared the Redhawks had stopped BFA-St. Albans after four downs on its second possession. Instead, a roughing the kicker penalty gave the Bobwhites another chance, but they couldn’t capitalize.

With 5:37 left in the first quarter, senior running back Nolan Walpole took the ball in from 9 yards out to put the Redhawks ahead 14-0. With 13 seconds left in the first, Walpole scampered 36 yards to score again and give CVU the 21-0 lead it took into the second quarter.

Senior tight end George Taylor put CVU up by four touchdowns with just under 6 minutes left in the first half with a 13-yard run. Sophomore kicker Alex Jovell added 3 more on a 25-yard field goal to put the Redhawks up 31-0.

Less than two minutes into the second half, senior Billy Bates returned a kickoff 95 yards to give CVU a 38-0 advantage.

With 3:42 left in the third quarter, senior Dylan Frere snagged an interception for a pick six from the 35-yard line to make it 45-0.

Senior running back Daniel Tuiqere plowed over the goal line from the 1-yard line with 3:32 left in the game for CVU’s final score in the 52-0 shutout of the Bobwhites on their home field.

Yates was pulled for most of the second half with the Redhawks dominating the scoreboard, but that didn’t mean he was pulled from the game. The sophomore quarterback stayed completely engaged in the action on the field, coaching seniors who replaced him at a position where they were less experienced. There was a level of maturity and cooperation as a team on the sidelines that should stand the Redhawks in good stead as the regular season transitions into playoff competition.

Yates said it “felt awesome” to see his teammates behind center for a change. Both Armstrong and Taylor got some time at quarterback.

Coach Rahn Fleming said that playing quarterback wasn’t completely unique for the two. They played at quarterback on the junior varsity and have filled in at the position in practice on the scout team.

However, playing on the scout team is not the same as game experience, leading your own team’s offense. As Fleming pointed out: “When you’re playing for the scout team, you’re running the other team’s plays.”

Sophomore D’Marcus Riggs even got some experience filling in for Yates as punter.

Special teams coach Sam Fontaine said he was pleased with how well Riggs performed under the pressure of actual game experience.

“This is a great win because, a lot of people that we don’t usually get to see, we got to see play, do a lot of great things and test our depth,” Fontaine said.

Champlain Valley 55, St. Johnsbury 6

The Redhawks returned to their home gridiron this past Saturday afternoon for a matchup with the St. Johnsbury Hilltoppers. Sept. 28 was the birthday of a trio of Redhawks — Bates, Armstrong and junior Dylan Terricciano — and CVU celebrated their natal anniversary in grand style.

Walpole started the festivities with a 33-yard run just over a minute into the contest, and once again the Redhawks were on the scoreboard on their first possession.

Then things turned alarming. CVU found itself in an unaccustomed position, when St. Johnsbury managed a drive that eventually resulted in a 13-yard scoring pass from senior Carter Bunnell to junior Cole Lemieux.

Senior defensive back Lucas Almena-Lee managed to block the extra point attempt, so CVU was only up 7-6, an unfamiliar situation for the Redhawks so far this season.

Almost five minutes into the opening frame, Frere put CVU back into a more comfortable position with a 65-yard pass reception. Jovell added an extra point, and the rout was on.

Just over a minute later, Armstrong gave himself and his team a birthday present with a 30-yard pass reception to put the Redhawks up 21-6.

Armstrong unwrapped another scoring present with a pass from Yates that made the score 28-6 just over 15 seconds into the second quarter.

At the 10:22 mark, Frere returned a kick from 65 yards out. After the extra point, CVU had added to its lead to make it 35-6.

Bates took a pass for a 30-yard score to add another seven points midway into the second quarter.

Armstrong continued his birthday celebration with his third touchdown of the game on a 7-yard reception at 9:05.

After Yates bolted 60 yards to score on a quarterback keeper with 2:46 left in the third period, and Jovell had a rare extra point miss, CVU’s scoring ended for the afternoon with the Redhawks ahead 55-6.

At that point, the CVU coaches were sending in lots of players who don’t normally get many opportunities to have some game-day experience.

“We got everybody in, and that was by design,” Fleming said, clearly pleased. Besides the pleasure of seeing some less-used players enjoy some time in a game, he reveled in the opportunity to make his team’s talent deeper.

“Injuries can come any time,” he said. “You don’t like to say it, but you’re one twisted ankle away from needing your No. 2 to be your No. 1, always, at every position.”

Next up for Champlain Valley: No. 3 Middlebury Union visits Hinesburg this Saturday, Oct. 5. The starting time has been changed to 10:30 a.m.