CASTLETON, VT- The Vermont State Castleton football team hosted Maine Maritime Academy on Saturday afternoon on Homecoming Day. The Spartans dominated the Mariners as they shut them out with a 40-0 victory.
The Basics
• Final Score: VTSU Castleton 40, Maine Maritime Academy 0
• Location: Dave Wolk Stadium – Castleton, Vt.
• Records: Castleton 2-1 | Maine Maritime Academy 0-2
Â
How It Happened
The Spartans started with possession after the Mariners deferred at the coin toss. Three straight Ryan Freund (Glen Head, NY/North Shore) runs to begin the drive brought the Spartans inside Mariner territory. Castleton got down to the MMA 22 where the drive stalled. Zach Dragon (Sudbury, VT./Otter Valley Union) then converted on a 40-yard field goal to put the home team ahead 3-0 with 7:14 showing on the clock. The defense forced a three and out to give Castleton the ball back at midfield. On second and 12 at the MMA 35, RJ Monger (Granville, NY/Granville) connected with Ty Dowell (Ruskin, Fla./Leonard HS) for the touchdown and Dragon's extra point made it 10-0.
Castleton attempted an onside kick and recovered to start just past midfield. The drive went for naught on a turnover on downs.
The second quarter was scoreless until late in the period when Dragon converted a 20-yard field goal to give the Spartans a 13-0 halftime lead.
The Mariners started the second half with the ball and were able to push into Castleton territory. The Spartan defense was able to hold firm as the drive ended on downs at the 31-yard line of Castleton. The Spartans marched down the field and on third and one from the MMA1, Chase Viana Negron (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) ran it in for the touchdown. Dragon's extra point was blocked and the score stood at 19-0 Castleton with 8:23 to play in the third quarter. The Spartans added another touchdown with 2:03 on the clock on a Monger to Justin Brown (Georgia, Vt./Bellows Free Academy) 10-yard pass.
The Spartans added to their lead to begin the final quarter of play. Max Cutler (Voorhees, NH/Eastern Regional HS) ran it in from 23 yards out and Dragon's extra point made it 33-0 Castleton. After an exchange of punts, the Mariners had the ball at their own 15, Harris Stone's pass was picked off by Zeke Dubois (Addison, VT./Vergennes Union HS) to put the Spartans in prime scoring position. Viana Negron scored a second time from two yards away for the final score of the game.
By the Numbers
·      Monger passed for 258 yards and two touchdown passes
·      Freund led the ground effort with 80 yards on 18 carries. Jesse Schratz (Garfield, NJ/Elmwood Park) carried the ball seven times for 61 yards. Cutler added 31 yards.
·      Dowell caught six passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Brody Tyburski (Quechee, Vt./Hartford) had eight receptions for 76 yards
·      Deacon Schneider (Cambridge, NY/Cambridge Central) led the defense with six tackles. He had 2.5 tackles for loss
·      Josh Cormier (Leominster, Mass./Leominster) and Tanner Fields (Saranac, NY/Saranac) both had five tackles. Cormier also broke up two passes
Â
What's Next
Castleton will be on their bye next week. The Spartans return to the field on October 3 at Rowan to start NJAC play. Game time from Glassboro, N.J will be at 1:00 p.m.
