Castleton
posted
Nov 14, 2012
The foliage will be gone and the state titles will have been
decided by Saturday, Nov. 17. But the footballs will not be put
away. That's the day of one of the season's highlights: The Annual
Vermont Senior Bowl that pits the top high school seniors from the
North against their counterparts from the South.
The scene shifts back to Castleton State College's Spartan
Stadium. The game has been remarkably competitive, something not
lost on the state's fandom as last year's classic at Middlebury
College was the best attended yet.
One of the most recruited players in this year's classic is
South quarterback Jake Stalcup of Burr and Burton Academy. His
rocket arm and his familiarity with his own favorite receiver Chris
Redding figures to allow South head coach Dennis Smith to unleash a
devastating passing game.
North coach Josh Safran has said he will likely use two
different styles of offense. He has players from the Spread attack
of Essex led by quarterback Joey Picard but might also implement a
bruising ground game such as the one BFA-St. Albans deploys,
depending on which offense he has on the field at the time.
Kickoff on Nov. 17 is 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and
$7 for students. The game is a major fund raiser for the Vermont
Chapter of the National Football Foundation and goes toward the
awards banquet, scholarships for high school seniors and money to
help developing youth and high school football programs.
THE SOUTH
Joining Stalcup and Redding on the South team are Joe Wood, Joe
Cheslin, Jon Carlson, Michael DuLac, Nolan Frechette and Donevan
Kelly from the defending Division I state champion Hartford
Hurricanes.
Rutland boasts Mike Pileggi, Kyle Arnold, Joe Sullivan, Cam
Kennedy and Mack Hock.
Brattleboro's contribution to the South squad includes Tyler
Higley, Noah Simeon and Phil Perkins.
It will have been a memorable season for Windsor quarterback
Luke TanCreti. It began in the heat of Louisiana at the Manning
Passing Academy and will end in the cool of November as a member of
the South team.
The Mill River Minutemen will be represented by Tony Milo and
Otter Valley by Justin Owen, James Winslow and Jackson Smith.
Wearing the helmet of the Poultney Blue Devils will be James Olsen
and Dan Warnecke.
The Purple Gang from Bellows Falls have their banner carried by
Zach Rawlings, Jacob Hodsden, Danny Armsrong, Zak Tarvit and Mike
LeBeau.
Wearing the gleaming gold helmet of Mount St. Joseph Academy
will be Jahnathan Mitchell and Seth LaChance.
Cody Braddish, Greg Pritchard and Dakota Euber will return to
Spartan Stadium where they celebrated the 2011 Division II state
championship for the Fair Haven Slaters.
Likewise for Woodstock's Hunter Schmell, Ed Doton, Will Emmons,
Travis Gault and Jalen Peterson who captured the Division III state
crown at the venue.
South head coach Dennis Smith will get to continue coaching
three of his own Middlebury players: Mitchell Clark, Walter Odell
and Derek Bagley.
Oxbow will have Justin Rasnic and Tyler Davidson playing for the
South and Zach Bahan will be representing the Mount Anthony
Patriots.
Cody Vandenburgh will be playing for the Springfield Cosmos.
THE NORTH
The North team will feature Picard, James Olsen, Tyler Warren, Joey
Ramada, Noah MacGillivray from the Essex team.
The Rice Memorial powerhouse representatives on the North team
are Casey Tipson, Charlie Boardman, Billy O'Brien and Jordan
Napolitano.
The Milton Yellowjackets will be represented by Jonah Blatt,
Geoff Gadbois and Kincaid Dallier.
Wearing the helmet of the Colchester Lakers will be Bobby
Brigante, Dave Lacroix and Dylan Meekins.
CVU will send Patrick Shea, Harvey Ottinger, Alec Distler, Davis
Mikell and Ryan Beaudry onto the field for the North.
BFA-Fairfax fans can cheer for the North's Doug Legris,
Kris Wehner and Ryan Wimble.
BFA-St. Albans has Doug Saffo, Lucas Kelsey, Dylan Callen,
Jordan Stone and Darren Callen on the North.
Adam Poquette amd Billy Katon will be wearing the headgear of
the Burlington Seahorses.
Game-breaker Cody Alexander is the representative for the Mount
Abraham Eagles.
Spaulding's Jon Kilian will be representing the Crimson Tide on
the North and Jacob Buckles will be carrying the colors for North
Country.
The St. Johnsbury Hilltoppers will be sending Lucas Robillard
and Griffin Commanci to Spartan Stadium.
Montpelier will have Alex Dickenson on the team and Winooski
will be represented by Geof Scott and vedad Cicak.
Brooks Gay and Carter Glenn will be there from Mount Mansfield
ands Connor Garrand will be wearing the distinctive helmet of
U-32.
South Burlington has Mike Simoneau on the North team and Lyndon
Institute offers Dilyan Switser.
