MIDDLEBURY — The No. 4 seed Middlebury Union High School football team used a dominant first half to get past No. 5 Burlington/South Burlington, 31-7, in the teams’ Division I quarterfinal matchup this past Friday on Doc Collins Field. Both teams’ record was 6-3 after the result.

The Tigers rolled to a 24-0 halftime lead behind dominant defense, allowing the SeaWolves only three first downs and 17 yards of offense before the break. MUHS also scored a defensive touchdown when lineman Angus Blackwell scooped up a fumble forced by Tucker Wright and rambled about 15 yards into the end zone.

The Tigers scored on their opening drive on a 27-yard swing pass from quarterback Luke Nuceder to running back Logan McNulty, on their third possession on Tucker Morter’s 35-yard field goal, and made it 24-0 on their fourth possession on a perfect 26-yard pass from Nuceder to Morter, who made a fingertip catch in full stride in the left side of the end zone. The Tigers amassed 150 yards of offense in the first half.

TIGER SENIOR LINEMAN Angus Blackwell pancakes a SeaWolf defender to clear the path for ballcarrier Tassilo Luksch during the MUHS football team’s big quarterfinal victory on this past Friday.
Independent photo/Steve James

Tiger Coach Jed Malcolm afterward was asked about the defensive effort, which was impressive even given that SeaWolf starting quarterback Ahmed Diawara didn’t play. Malcolm included younger players who’ve worked their way into the rotation to fill in for injured starters in praising the team-wide effort.

“We flew around tonight. We started to get a couple people back, which was key. And we’ve got some younger guys who are starting to get some experience because of these injuries, and that experience is starting to show,” Malcolm said. “You’re starting to see some big plays out of Levi Nuceder and Tucker Wright and Jason Sperry. Those guys, they’re football players.”

Among the injured on Friday were junior tight end Cooke Riney, who is out for the season with a foot injury; senior two-way lineman Cal Boulanger, who didn’t play Friday, but who Malcolm is hopeful can return this weekend; and sophomore Aiden Benoure, who suffered a leg injury on Friday and whose status for the semifinal is uncertain.

Malcolm said the coaching staff took all that into account after halftime vs. the SeaWolves with the Nov. 2  semifinal looming.

BLITZING SOPHOMORE LINEBACKER Jason Sperry brings down Seawolf Anthony Bouffard during the MUHS football team’s big quarterfinal triumph on this past Friday.
Independent photo/Steve James

“In the second half we were just trying to protect our starters, keeping everybody off the field as much as we could once the score got comfortable,” he said.

Certainly, the Tigers looked comfortable early on, moving 60 yards on their first possession to take a 7-0 lead. A 25-yard McNulty run started the march, and two Avery Carl rushes moved the ball for another first down. A SeaWolf sack forced a third-and-12 play from the 27, but Nuceder’s well-thrown swing pass to McNulty and good blocking allowed him to bolt down the left side for the go-ahead score at 7:31 of the first quarter. Morter tacked on the first of his four points-after.

Then the Tiger defense scored. Shamus Leggett, who alternated snaps at QB with Anthony Bouffard for the SeaWolves, bobbled a shotgun snap, and Wright leveled him. The ball popped loose, and Blackwell raced in to scoop up the ball and rambled untouched for the TD, and it was 14-0 with 2:33 left in the period.

The Tigers went three-and-out, and a Carl sack blew up the next BHS/SBHS possession. The Tigers took over on the SeaWolf 44 and reached the 13 before settling for Morter’s 35-yard field goal at 9:17 of the second quarter to make it 17-0,

Bouffard took a couple direct snaps and ran for two first downs on the next SeaWolf drive, but that was it, and the Tigers took over on their 25. Carl ran twice for 19 yards, Luksch broke loose for 22, and the Tigers were in business in SeaWolf territory again. Soon it was third-and-one on the 26, and the Tigers surprised the SeaWolves by having Nuceder roll left and hit Morter in the end zone. It was 24-0 with 2:29 left in the half.

Avery finds running room
MUHS RUNNING BACK Avery Carl runs during the Tiger football team’s quarterfinal win on this past Friday behind blocking from Tucker Wright (22), Mason Harrington (65) and Kyle Stearns (54).
Independent photo/Steve James

The SeaWolves fumbled away their last possession before intermission, with Rubright recovering. Morter also recovered a fumble in the second half.

The Tigers added a six-yard Carl run that made it 31-0 late in the third quarter. The SeaWolves took advantage of a breakdown in the MUHS secondary to make it 31-7 with 3:03 remaining in the game: Leggett hit Ryan Audibert deep down the middle, and he broke loose for the remaining 30 yards on a 61-yard scoring play.

Bouffard led the SeaWolves with 22 carries for 76 yards, and he and Leggett combined to complete three of five passes for 60 net yards. The visitors finished with seven first downs.

Nuceder completed six of 10 passes for 66 yards, and the Tigers rushed 41 times for 208 yards. Leading the way on the ground were Carl (13 carries, 86 yards), McNulty (seven carries, 64 yards), and Luksch (seven carries, 37 yards). McNulty led with three receptions for 30 yards. The leading tacklers were Wright (three solo, three assists), Jason Sperry and Kyle Stearns (three solo, two assists apiece) and Sutton Rubright (two solo, three assists).

TIGER SOPHOMORE FULLBACK Tucker Wright finds running room during the second half of Middlebury’s quarterfinal victory this past Friday.
Independent photo/Steve James

SEMI-FINAL AT CVU

Next up at 1 p.m. on Saturday is a rematch with undefeated top seed Champlain Valley. The Redhawks handled the Tigers in Hinesburg on Oct. 5, 41-7.

Malcolm said several things could be different this time around. That Saturday was rainy, and field conditions didn’t favor the Tigers’ running game; Saturday’s forecast calls for cool, dry weather. It was also the day of beloved coach and math teacher Derek Bartlett’s memorial service, an emotional event for many, if not all, the team members.

And, Malcolm added, the Tigers committed an uncharacteristic number of turnovers. He believes his team can give the Redhawks a battle.

“They’re a great team. Their defense in particular is the thing that is most impressive. I think we’re hoping for a dry field. Last time we played them we were dealing with some emotion with the loss of Coach Bartlett, and we couldn’t really get our footing, and we turned the ball over too many times,” Malcolm said. “We had like five fumbles. And against a team like that you’ve got to hang onto the ball. A punt is not a bad thing.”

TIGER SENIOR BACK Avery Carl romps around the right side for a second-half touchdown the MUHS football team’s big quarterfinal victory on this past Friday.
Independent photo/Steve James

How should the Tigers go about competing successfully?

“You’ve got to make sure you’re playing good defense. That quarterback’s gotten better as the year has gone on, but he also hasn’t had any pressure,” Malcolm said. “He’s had all day to throw the ball all year, except against us. I think we did a pretty good job against him when we brought pressure. They’re a pretty good team. But we think we’re a pretty good team, too. So I’m excited to have a second chance. I said when we lost up there, they don’t want to see us again.”

Regardless of what happens this coming Saturday, Malcolm said this past Friday was a good day for the Tiger program.

“I’m really happy for the seniors,” he said. “To play their last game on Doc Collins and walk off with a smile on your face, it’s a pretty special place, and a pretty special group.”