ADDISON COUNTY — Only Otter Valley won among local teams as the high school football season opened this past weekend: OV won at home, while Middlebury lost on the road and Mount Abraham-Vergennes fell at home.
LAKERS OVER TIGERS
Host Colchester held the Tigers scoreless in the second half and rallied from a 28-20 first-half hole to win, 34-28. Bailey Olson scored the winning touchdown in the final minute, taking a short flat pass on fourth down from quarterback Llewey Powell and eluding a couple defensive backs for a long run down the right sideline.
The Tigers scored in the first half on Ian Ploof’s 88-yard kickoff return, CJ Bryant’s 69-yard run, and two short runs by QB Tim Goettelmann, each of which followed longer Goettelmann runs.
The Tigers then took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched inside the Laker 10, but the drive stalled and they were unable to move the ball again.
TIGER JUNIOR TYLER Buxton eludes Laker tacklers when MUHS visited Colchester on Aug. 31. Colchester won the game, 34-28.
Colchester Sun photo/Josh Kaufmann
Bryant finished with 14 carries for 120 yards, and Goettelmann added five for 51.
The Lakers ran the ball effectively, with Charlie Cusson-Ducharme (117 yards), Quentin Hoskins and Max Anderson combining for 217 yards. Olson caught three passes for 50 yards and ran six times for 36 yards.
The Tigers will host Hartford on Saturday at 7 p.m.
OTTERS DOWN MILTON
In Brandon quarterback Tyler Rowe and receiver Dylan Mackie put on a show as the Otters topped visiting Milton, 24-6. Rowe completed 19 of 26 passes for roughly 300 yards and ran for three short TDs, while Mackie caught nine passes for about 200 yards.
Nate Claessens added a 28-yard field goal for OV.
Cam Barnier’s 5-yard run provided Milton’s points, and Eric Godin ran for 68 yards.
The Otters visit Fair Haven on Friday at 7 p.m.
U-32 DOUBLES UP EAGLES
In Bristol host Mount Abe-VUHS ran for about 300 yards, but fumbled five times and struggled to stop U-32’s ground game in a 28-14 setback.
“The effort was there. We’ve just got to work on the fundamentals,” said Eagle Coach Lee Hodsden.
Martin McMahon (128 yards) and Logan Wedge (83 yards) paced the Raiders, who rushed 41 times for 348 yards.  
Nevin Jemison carried 14 times for 160 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles, while Carmelo Miceli (four carries for 58 yards), Kevin Pearsall (nine for 37 yards) and quarterback Parker Hines (seven for 29 yards) also contributed to the rushing attack. Hines also threw a 23-yard TD pass to Miceli.  
Pearsall led the defense with nine tackles, and Jacob Thomas and Jemison added seven apiece.
The Eagles host Lyndon at 7 p.m. on Friday.