TERRIERS 54, Otters 21

The visiting Bellows Falls Union High School Terriers defeated the Otter Valley Union High School varsity football team, 54-21, yesterday afternoon at Brandon's Markowski Field. It was the fifth consecutive loss for the Otters and the third time in the past four games that the opposition has won by a margin of more than four touchdowns.

Otters quarterback John Winslow launched two long touchdown passes to receiver Brett Patterson in the game. But the Otters were overpowered by Bellows Falls' ground attack. Two Terrier ballcarriers each generated more than 200 yards of offense. Three Terriers scored two or more touchdowns on the ground.

Bellows Falls improves to 7-1 with the win and is scheduled to complete the regular season next week against the Springfield High School Cosmos. A Cosmos forfeit and a final Bellows Falls record of 8-1 are assured. The Springfield team began forfeiting games in mid-September after starting the season with two big losses and a number of injuries. (Springfield was outscored 108-6 in losses to Otter Valley and Fair Haven.) Springfield High School announced that the rest of the Division II varsity schedule had been canceled, but ten days ago rearranged the schedule to include a varsity contest against winless Montpelier.

Otter Valley, 2-6, is schedule to conclude its season on the road Friday night against the Fair Haven Slaters. The Slaters are 4-4 on the season after defeating Union-32, 40-32, yesterday.

Springfield surrenders season

Springfield High School football has reportedly decided to forfeit the remaining games on the Cosmos' Division II varsity schedule. The Cosmos had few upper classmen on the roster, and injuries have deprived it of experienced players. First-year coach Kevin Tallman and school officials decided to forfeit last Saturday's game against powerful Lyndon Institute, citing the risk to the health of inexperienced players. The school has since given up on its varsity schedule and will play in just junior varsity matchups the rest of the way.

The 0-2 Cosmos varsity was outscored by 108-6 in its two defeats this season. More significant, according to Springfield High School Principal Bob Thibault, has been the injuries. "It's not about the scores for me. It's about safety," Thibault told the Burlington Free Press. "We have young guys going up against full size, Division II opponents, who are big. It's hard for us to physically compete." Several Springfield players have suffered concussions during varsity games.

The Otter Valley Union High School varsity team defeated the Cosmos, 48-6, on the season's opening night in Springfield. Ten days later, the JV Otters beat the JV Cosmos, 30-0, on Springfield home turf.

OTTERS 48, Cosmos 6

The Otters started the Division II high school varsity football season under the lights Friday night, smothering the Springfield High School Cosmos, 48-6.

Springfield wasn't much of a test for the visiting Otter Valley Union gridders. The Cosmos, who won a state championship back in their undefeated 2008 season, have fallen on hard times, turning in back-to-back losing seasons in 2010 and 2011.

The Otters appear to be back on the winning track after five consecutive losing but competitive seasons. Otter Valley Union had its own undefeated, championship season in 2005, when the school competed in Division 4.

With the opening game in the recordbooks, the Otters are tied atop their division with the Burr & Burton Academy Bulldogs (who beat Mount Anthony, 52-33, at home Friday) and the Bellows Falls Terriors (who won at Fair Haven Union, 20-14). Four teams in the ten-team division have not yet played.

Otter Valley's junior varsity visits 2011 Division II champion Fair Haven Union on Tuesday night, Sept. 4. The next varsity contest will be home against the Lyndon Institute Vikings on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 8.