TIGERS 35, Otters 6

We noted in our preview that the Middlebury Union High School Tigers were highly motivated to play a strong non-conference game against the Otter Valley Union High School Otters. The Tigers certainly did play a strong game against the Otters varsity football team at Brandon's Markowski Field yesterday, winning 35-6.

Aside from attendance, there were few bright spots in the game for the smaller Otter hosts. However, it must be noted that Division II Otter Valley fared just a bit better than one of Middlebury's Division I opponents this season (Middlebury defeated Mount Anthony, 41-6, two weeks ago).

The game result drops Otter Valley to an overall record of 2-3 and improves Middlebury to 3-2.

The contest against Middlebury should be good preparation for next week, when the Otters visit South Burlington to take on the undefeated, division-leading Green Knights of Rice Memorial High School. Rice, now 5-0, defeated Division I Burlington, 16-8, on Friday and has surrendered a total of only 14 points this season while scoring 147. In a similar matchup earlier this season, the Otters were shut out, 16-0, by Lyndon Institute (also 5-0 this year, with 131 points scored and 16 points allowed).