Windsor
Leading the attack for the defending Division III champion Yellowjackets was senior quarterback Seth Balch, who ran for two scores and passed for two more. Senior Ben Meagher led the defense with three tackles in the backfield.
Springfield won the toss and elected to take the ball. But Windsor’s kick was allowed to hit the ground, and when the Cosmos finally picked up the call, Windsor smothered the carrier, who lost control, and the Yellowjackets took over on the 9-yard line.
Three plays later and just 47 seconds into the game, Windsor took the lead on a Balch keeper. Balch, who also kicked two extra points, ran for the 2-point conversion, and the Jacks were off to the races.
Springfield never got the offense going until late in the second quarter, as senior power back Matt LaChapelle scored on a direct snap with 43 seconds left before the half. LaChapelle finished the game with two touchdowns and a punishing 152 yards on 18 carries.
After Balch scored on a 24-yard run, he passed for the 2-point conversion to Dakota Page to make it 16-0. On Springfield’s second possession of the game, the Cosmos botched the snap on a punt attempt to give Windsor the ball on the 15. Jake Tucker took the ball on the next two plays, going 11 yards on his first carry and for 4 into the end zone on the second try. After Blach’s extra point, it was 23-0 with 5:04 to go in the first.
Despite dominating the play for most of the game Windsor coach Greg Balch, now in his fifth season, still had his misgivings.
“I think we got gassed and that showed we could use some more depth,” he said. “We also have a lot of things to work on. We just have to get better.”
Before the first half ended Windsor scored three more times. A 12-yard pass from Balch to Tucker in the corner of the end zone from the 12 made it 30-0.
Trevor Worrall, back after a knee injury ruined his season a year ago, scored on a burst from the 1 and Page swept outside from the 14 and it was 45-0.
On Windsor’s first possession of the second half, Balch either passed the ball or ran it on nine consecutive plays, eventually taking it in from the 10. Springfield followed with a nice 53-yard drive with LaChapelle rushing for 45 of those yards and taking it in from the three. The Cosmos wrapped up the scoring in fourth quarter as quarterback Kyle Monier connected with Mason Olney from the 13.
“We talked about doing some different things in the second half and I think we accomplished those things,” Springfield coach Rich Saypack said.
The game also had its unpleasant moments as there were ejections and snarling between the coaching staffs.
Notes: Windsor two-way starter Ryland Richardson is out indefinitely with a sprained ankle. … Both teams play again on Friday night, with Windsor going to Mount Abraham and Springfield hosting Woodstock.