Windsor
Mission accomplished: The Yellowjackets came out of the game injury-free with a 37-6 win to advance to Saturday’s semifinal game at home against U-32, a 35-21 winner over Mill River in its quarterfinal on Friday night.
Windsor, now 9-0, was the heavy favorite, having beaten Poultney-MSJ earlier this year, 57-7. Nonetheless, there are pitfalls in games like this.
“We just looked at it like any other game we played,” said Windsor junior Dakota Page, who intercepted two passes, picked up a fumble and ran from scrimmage for a touchdown. “We were not looking towards next week.”
Windsor coach Greg Balch said his team came out of the game without additional injuries. While running back Trevor Worrall is out for the season, “I expect the other guys to be ready next week,” Balch added, referring to absent linebacker Jake Tucker and lineman Kyler Lato, Caleb Harrington and Gavin Harriman.
Despite not having any of those lineman, “that Windsor offensive line is one of the best in the league,” Poultney-MSJ coach Dave Capman said.
Capman also said that while his team finished 2-7, he didn’t consider it a lost season and is looking forward the second year of the two-year program. “I wish we were in more games, but we were within a touchdown of Woodstock for awhile and challenged in some other games,” Capman added.
The game, which at times was played in hard, cold rain, was Windsor’s from start to finish as the Jackets scored two quick touchdowns and built a 37-0 lead at the half to kick in running time in the fourth quarter.
However, there were some adventures along the way.
On Poultney-MSJ’s first possession, a bad snap on a punt attempt rolled into the end zone.
When the punter chased the ball down and kicked it out of play, not only was Windsor awarded two points for a safety, but Poultney-MSJ was penalized half the distance and had to kick the ball from the 10.
Windsor returned the ensuing free kick to the Poultney-MSJ 34-yard line. After Page ran for 24 yards to the 10, Hunter Judd found a gaping hole on the left side and waltzed in untouched.
A three-and-out gave the Jacks the ball on their own 42 and, on play one, scored on a 58-yard pass-and-run from quarterback Seth Balch to Judd for a 16-0 lead with 7:30 to go in the first quarter after Judd, the Hartford transfer, ran in the two-point conversion.
Poultney-MSJ was not without its moments, including a 30-yard pass from quarterback Damien Olden to Trent Rogers as the visitors got all the way to the Windsor 27. However, their effort to get back into the game was thwarted when Balch intercepted the ball to end the threat.
As the game moved into the second quarter, the lead got to 23-0 for the Jacks.
The Poultney-MSJ kicking game again cost the visitors as a punt was blocked by Dahkota Sanderson and recovered in the end zone by Ben Meagher for a Windsor touchdown.
The hosts scored twice more before the half, with Page taking it in from the 12 and Balch hitting Hunter Patenaude for a 14-yard score. The latter touchdown followed a Page fumble recovery.
Audibles: Poultney-MSJ got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter when Dave Capman’s grandson, Caden Capman, playing quarterback, scored on a 17-yard run. … Poultney-MSJ’s Jacob Allen rushed for 63 yards on 14 carries. … Seth Bach was three-for-three in extra point kicks. … Seven officials were used in preparation for the championship games that will be played in two weeks at Rutland High.