HARTFORD, Vt. — The No. 8-seeded Mount Mansfield Cougars were making the program’s first postseason appearance in seven years on Thursday night.
The undefeated, top-seeded Hartford High Hurricanes did not give the Cougars a very warm welcome back to the playoffs.
Hartford’s dominant rushing attack and stingy defense built a 42-7 halftime lead in the quarterfinal game en route to a 49-21 victory in a game notable for the number of long touchdown runs.
“I thought we came out and did the things that we wanted to do — control the ball, run the clock as best we could, run the ball, and just play sound defense,” Hartford head coach Matt Trombley said after the game.
Junior running back Rex Baning finished the night with five carries for 266 yards and four touchdowns — an average of 53 yards per carry.
True to Hartford’s style, senior quarterback Owen Mock did not attempt a pass, as the Hurricanes’ ground game piled up 566 rushing yards.
After forcing a Mount Mansfield punt, it took just one play for the Hurricanes to find the end zone.
Baning took a pitch to the left and sprinted untouched for an 80-yard touchdown. The extra point was missed, giving Hartford a 6-0 lead.
Following another Cougars three-and-out, Baning struck again — this time on a pitch to the right side for a 71-yard touchdown. Another missed extra point made it 12-0.
Mount Mansfield moved the ball on its third drive and attempted a 39-yard field goal, but the kick sailed wide right.
Eight plays later, on his third carry of the game, Baning broke free up the middle on a counter play for a 54-yard touchdown, giving him 205 rushing yards in the first quarter alone. The Hurricanes converted a two-point try, as senior running back Noah Danieli powered it in for a 20-0 lead.
After another Cougars punt, Hartford again needed just one play to score. Danieli found a wide-open lane up the middle and sprinted 71 yards to the end zone. With another successful two-point conversion, the Hurricanes led 28-0 entering the second quarter.
Baning continued his dominance early in the second, taking his first carry of the quarter 51 yards for another touchdown. After yet another Mount Mansfield punt, senior running back Matt Nubin joined the scoring barrage with a 42-yard touchdown run to make it 42-0.
The Cougars finally got on the board before halftime with an 80-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 42-7 at the break.
Hartford opened the third quarter the same way it started the game — with a big play. On the first snap of the half, senior running back Connor Peyton went 80 yards untouched to extend the lead to 49-7.
Mount Mansfield added two late scores, one on a 60-yard screen pass and another on an 80-yard run.
“Our preparation, definitely,” Baning said when asked about his performance. “We like to practice fast, practice hard. All week we prepare for Friday nights — or Thursday nights — and that’s what we did this week.”
On defense, Danieli, senior lineman and captain Richard Rosenback, and senior linebacker Ryan Murphy each recorded a sack.
Hartford will stay home next weekend to face the winner of the Fair Haven–U-32.