WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Down go the Hurricanes.
Champlain Valley’s Max Destito found Jack Sumner for a touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal from the 4-yard line with 1:28 left to play for the go-ahead score for the Redhakws, who topped host Hartford High, 14-13, on Friday night in the VPA Division I semifinals.
Each team had three turnovers in an often sloppy first half. CVU scored midway through the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.
Hartford’s Brody Tyburski capped a Canes scoring drive with a 12-yard touchdown run later in the first. Tarin Prior converted the extra point to knot the score at 7-7, where it would remain at halftime.
Tyburski and Colin Vielleux each had interceptions in the first half, Tyburski’s on the ensuing CVU drive following the Hartford touchdown.
After a scoreless third quarter, Tyburski put Hartford in front with 5:40 left to play when he found Brandon Potter on a halfback option pass from 8 yards out to put the Canes in front, 13-7. Prior’s extra point kick was no good, leaving Hartford nursing just a six-point lead.
The second-seeded Canes took possession with just over a minute to play, down by a point after the Destito-Sumner touchdown for CVU on fourth down. Hartford did advance the ball into CVU territory but had to settle for a 43-yard field goal try with 10 seconds left on the clock. Prior’s game-winning attempt from long range was blocked, ending the Canes’ season with a home loss in the semifinals.
Hartford (7-3) will graduate Vielleux, Potter, Prior, Devin Sinclair, Jacob Seaver, Harry Gaudet, Noah Arsenault and Drew Boyce.
No. 3 seed CVU will face No. 4 seed Essex, which upset top-seeded Rutland, 42-28, in the other semifinal game, in the D-I title game at Rutland High School on Nov. 13.
DOVER, N.H. — No. 5 Hanover was shut out in its bid to advance to the NHIAA Division II semifinals.
After a scoreless first half, fourth-ranked St. Thomas broke through with a 1-yard touchdown plunge four minutes into the third quarter. The hosts would add a pair of touchdowns in the fourth to pull away.
Hanover, which opened the season with five straight wins, then stumbled to lose four of its next five games to finish at 6-4 overall. Hanover graduates captains Seamus Murphy, Colin Pierce, Josh Bucci and Jack Crandell along with Taj Bagnato, Connor Chambers, Declan Flynn, Ethan Gailey, Ian Hedgepeth and Jerad Mercado.