MMU wins first home game
Published: Sunday, October 28, 2007
By Bill O'Connor
Free Press Staff Writer
JERICHO -- The Mount Mansfield Cougars became the only Vermont team that has never lost on its home turf with a 19-7 high school football victory over U-32 in the first varsity football game ever played at MountMansfield Union.
Led by Brian Wolcox's 93 yards rushing and 37 yards receiving, Cougar running backs managed to find the end zone three times as they racked up 197 yards on the ground.
"You've got to give this game to our offensive and defensive lines," Mount Mansfield halfback Ian Shaw, who ran for 31 yards and a score, said. "They (the offensive line) controlled (U-32 defensive lineman) Phil Hall and without them we wouldn't have gotten anything."
Shaw also had two key interceptions, picking off U-32 quarterback Lucas Hadden in the end zone 26 seconds before the end of the first half and again in the final minutes of the game.
|
|
| |
| |
| |
|
| |
|
|
In addition to Shaw's picks, Cougar linebacker Jamie Wright pulled a Hadden pass intended for halfback M.J. Rus out of the air with four minutes left in the first quarter and cornerback Ben Dolan brought an abrupt end to a U-32 drive when he intercepted Hadden at the Mt. Mansfield 13-yard line with 3:38 left in the second quarter.
"They (Mount Mansfield) came to play harder than we did and they wanted it more than we did, and they got it," U-32 halfback Tucker Laclair, who rushed for 94 yards and caught for 22, said. "Everybody just needs to get it together and click as a team, and we did not do that today."
Head coach Marty Richards said that playing at home gave the Cougars' players a boost as they were energetic and up at practices all week.
"It's the seniors' first time ever playing at home, it's our last game of the season; it's great for the kids," MountMansfield assistant principal Mike Weston said before the game. "All week they've been pumped up and putting posters all around the building, this is the best thing in the world for these guys."
With the win, Mount Mansfield is projected to be the number two seed in the playoffs, with U-32 falling to third. That means the Cougars would host U-32 in a first round playoff game next weekend.
|