White River Junction
The Hurricanes built a 24-10 halftime lead, then withstood a charge by fellow once-beaten BFA-St. Albans and hung on for a 24-23 win in their second annual Patriot Game. The Hurricanes honored U.S. military servicemen with special game jerseys and raised donations for The Veterans Place transitional housing facility in Northfield, Vt.
Senior Hartford quarterback Tyler Hamilton was 7-for-7 for 145 yards — including 3-for-3 for 83 and a touchdown to classmate Austin Gaudette during a key late first-half sequence — as the Hurricanes (5-1) won their fifth straight following an opening-night loss to St. Johnsbury. The Bobwhites’ only loss had also come against the Hilltoppers last week.
Hartford turned the ball over on downs twice and fumbled in its own territory in the second half, allowing St. Albans (4-2) to get within an extra point of tying the game on an early fourth-quarter touchdown. Sophomore Kam Densmore, who’d earlier converted a 26-yard field goal and two extra points, clanked his third PAT attempt off the left upright to keep it 24-23, and Hartford forced a turnover on downs with 49 seconds left to preserve the win.
“When push came to shove, we made enough plays,” Hartford coach Matt Trombly said. “We were able to start fast and overcome some mistakes. Our defense came up big when we needed it.”
Hartford scored on each of its three first-half possessions, overcoming a third-and-19 on its opening drive when Hamilton found Nick Porter for 13 yards and Porter bounced off the line to sweep in from 9 yards out on fourth down. Kody Rhodes brought in the 2-point conversion to make it 8-0.
The Canes answered Densmore’s field goal with another touchdown drive, taking advantage of runs of 10 yards or longer by Hunter Perkins, Rhodes and Hamilton to set up another 9-yard scoring rush on a Hamilton keeper 4:17 before halftime. Rhodes again rushed for a 2-point conversion to make it 16-3.
“In the first half, I feel like we never got off the bus, because we couldn’t tackle,” Bobwhites coach Geoff Murray said. “If you give Hartford backs space up the middle, they’re going to crush you.”
BFA converted its own set of explosive plays on the ensuing possession, with senior Griffin Knapp going for 22 yards before a 50-yard dash by Nate Parady (19 carries, 111 yards) to make it 16-10 with 3:23 left in the half.
Hamilton and Gaudette took over from there in what turned out to be a vital touchdown before the half, the seniors connecting for 25 and 39 yards before a 19-yard strike in the front of the end zone with 42.5 seconds left. Hamilton found Perkins to make the Hurricanes 3-for-3 on 2-point attempts, making the score 24-10.
Gaudette has 17 catches for 380 yards and five touchdowns this season, all team highs.
“He’s definitely my favorite target,” Hamilton said of the receiver. “He always knows where the defender is and gets separation.”
Hartford drove to the 7-yard line on its opening march of the second half, eschewing a 25-yard field goal attempt and turning the ball over on downs when Hamilton was sacked.
Hartford has no field goals and just one extra point this season, none since opening night.
“We had mixed results kicking last year, so this year we’re kind of playing the percentages,” said Trombly, whose team is 10-for-10 on 2-point attempts during its last two games.
BFA marched 80 yards in 15 plays, converting on fourth-and-goal from the 1 on a Parady plunge to make it 24-17 with 1:15 left in the third.
Hartford committed the game’s lone turnover one play later on a botched snap at the Hurricane 36.
A horse-collar tackle against the Canes on a fourth-down run — Bobwhites QB Nate Loughlin was very close to getting a first down anyway — extended BFA’s drive, and the visitors scored when Loughlin squirted a pass to a streaking Haven Zada under pressure to make it 24-23.
After Densmore’s miss, Hartford again turned the football over on downs in the red zone, with Hamilton’s throw to Perkins on fourth-and-16 coming up a yard short.
BFA marched to the Hartford 31 before a holding penalty, and Hartford linebacker Reece Thompson made a big tackle on Loughlin headed for the sideline to keep the clock moving and set up second-and-long. A 3-yard loss on a fumble and two incompletions later — Hamilton defending the latter — Hartford wrapped up its latest win.
“I’d say our lines on both sides of the ball is what won it for us tonight,” Hamilton said. “They gave us what we needed both offensively and defensively.”
Hartford visits Mount Mansfield next week.
Jared Pendak can be reached at jpendak@vnews.com or 603-727-3225.