JERICHO — What was overall a successful Middlebury Union High School football season came to an end on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon, when host No. 1 seed Mount Mansfield defeated the No. 5 Tigers, 38-8, in a Division I semifinal.
The Cougars improved to 8-2 and will face No. 2 Rutland, also 8-2, for the title this coming Saturday at Rutland High School.
The Tigers saw a four-game winning streak snapped and concluded their season at 6-4. That streak included a road quarterfinal win at Rice the week before; a road victory over otherwise unbeaten Burr & Burton, D-II’s top seed; and a dramatic comeback at Burlington-South Burlington.
But on Saturday the Cougars took charge early with a productive rushing attack and led at the break, 30-0.
Cougar quarterback Asa Carlson ran 24 times for 158 yards and three touchdowns, and running back Jehric Hackney rushed 27 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns, one a 54-yard run that made it 22-0 in the second quarter. 
The Tiger touchdown came with 1:20 left in the fourth quarter, when Mason Kaufmann scored on a one-yard run.