CASTLETON, Vt. – In their second straight road contest to open the season, the Norwich Football team competed in the annual battle for the Maple Sap Bucket when they took on intrastate foe Vermont State Castleton.
After the Cadets received the opening kick and went on an eight-play drive that stalled, the Spartans struck first, opening the scoring with a 10-play, 84-yard drive capped by a 7-yard run by Lou Guillotte.
The Spartans extended their lead in the second quarter, as Guillotte added another touchdown run to go ahead by two scores. Two plays into the ensuing Norwich drive, an interception set up Castleton on the Norwich one-yard line, leading to a plunge from Josh Colegrove. A failed PAT left the lead at 20–0. Just before halftime, Jhai Vellon broke loose on a 27-yard run to put Castleton up 27–0 going into the break.
Late in the third quarter, after a 58-yard
Caleb Laisch (Alexandria, Va.) punt, a sack fumble by
Elijah Torres (Bronx, N.Y.) gave way to a safety for Norwich's first points of the afternoon.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Cadets took possession in Spartan territory. A 30-yard completion to
Jayden Capella (Woodhaven, N.Y.) from
Landon Beecher (Holliston, Mass.) put Norwich in the red zone, setting the table for a
Will Patenaude (Goffstown, N.H.) touchdown rush. Castleton added another field goal to round out the scoring.
Beecher led the passing attack, throwing for 146 yards after coming on in relief.
Henri Bourque (Claremont, N.H.) hauled in six receptions for 81 yards, with a long of 47. Defensively,
Ben Primich (Yarley, Pa.) led the way in tackles (10), two of which were for a loss of seven yards. Torres and
Corey Stone (Piscataway, N.J.) followed close behind with nine tackles each, with Torres adding the sack fumble.
Norwich will hold their home opener Sept. 20 when it hosts Maine Maritime at 2 p.m. during Homecoming weekend.
