News
UVM vs. Norwich University, September 6th
By Sarah CoonSeptember 07, 2009
The University of Vermont Catamount football team
faced Norwich University, its second opponent of the season, in a 1:00pm game at
Burlington High School this past Sunday. With a light breeze and not a cloud in
the sky, the two teams met on the type of mild September afternoon that seems
made for a football game. After a tough
24-17 loss to Castleton State College in their season opener last weekend, the
Catamounts came into this match hungry for a win.
UVM started the game with the ball, returning the opening kickoff to their own 40 yard line. After successfully moving the chains down the field, however, the UVM drive was halted by a fumble resulting in a fourth and 12 situation. The Catamounts quickly recovered possession of the ball after a speedy three-and-out by the Norwich Cadets and proceeded to prevent the Norwich offense from taking the field again until the very final minutes of the quarter, at which point they were held to minimal yardage and forced to punt once again. Just over a minute into the second quarter, however, the tide suddenly turned when, on the Norwich 24 yard line, Catamount quarterback Korey Johnson's pass was picked off in the flats by Norwich freshman Corey Simpson and run back 80 yards for a touchdown. Despite consistently solid running by quick-footed running back Tom Jackson, who averaged over 4 yards per carry on the day, UVM failed to reciprocate the score and yielded another touchdown to Norwich in the late minutes of the half, this one scampered in by running back Orwin Etkins. Receiving the ensuing kickoff, UVM's Connor O'Grady brought the ball up to the UVM 39 yard line, setting the Catamounts up for a hasty drive with 30 seconds left on the clock. At third down, with nine yards to go, UVM kicker Josh Henshaw replaced Johnson in the backfield, drilling a 47 yard pass to receiver Sean Martin, setting up a first and ten on the Norwich 25 yard line with less than five seconds to go in the half. Henshaw kicked the field goal, making good a 42 yard attempt and closing out the half with a score of 14-3 in favor of Norwich University.
In the third quarter the UVM offense tried once again to get the chains moving, putting together an admirable drive from within one yard of their own end zone and marching the ball down the field to Norwich's 31 yard line. Facing a fourth-and-two situation late in the third, the Catamounts pulled a fake punt, direct-snapping the ball to the up-back, Adam Comerci. The Norwich defense held strong, however, and regained possession of the ball on downs. Marching back towards UVM's goal line, the Cadets entered the end zone with Matt Kimball's quarterback sneak 30 seconds into the fourth quarter, despite good defensive efforts along the way by Comerci, Amos Kempton, Doug DeLuca and Khiray Bautista. UVM took another shot at the Norwich end zone, putting together a 60 yard drive before again turning the ball over on downs. The UVM defense held and regained possession, however, an untimely UVM fumble on first-and-ten sealed the game, returning the ball to the Cadets and allowing them to score one final touchdown, a six yard dash by Junior Dan Unright. With the sun still shining, the scoreboard at the close of the game read "UVM: 3, Norwich: 28."
UVM travels to Beverly, Massachusetts this week to play Endicott College on Sunday, September 13th at 1:30pm.
UVM started the game with the ball, returning the opening kickoff to their own 40 yard line. After successfully moving the chains down the field, however, the UVM drive was halted by a fumble resulting in a fourth and 12 situation. The Catamounts quickly recovered possession of the ball after a speedy three-and-out by the Norwich Cadets and proceeded to prevent the Norwich offense from taking the field again until the very final minutes of the quarter, at which point they were held to minimal yardage and forced to punt once again. Just over a minute into the second quarter, however, the tide suddenly turned when, on the Norwich 24 yard line, Catamount quarterback Korey Johnson's pass was picked off in the flats by Norwich freshman Corey Simpson and run back 80 yards for a touchdown. Despite consistently solid running by quick-footed running back Tom Jackson, who averaged over 4 yards per carry on the day, UVM failed to reciprocate the score and yielded another touchdown to Norwich in the late minutes of the half, this one scampered in by running back Orwin Etkins. Receiving the ensuing kickoff, UVM's Connor O'Grady brought the ball up to the UVM 39 yard line, setting the Catamounts up for a hasty drive with 30 seconds left on the clock. At third down, with nine yards to go, UVM kicker Josh Henshaw replaced Johnson in the backfield, drilling a 47 yard pass to receiver Sean Martin, setting up a first and ten on the Norwich 25 yard line with less than five seconds to go in the half. Henshaw kicked the field goal, making good a 42 yard attempt and closing out the half with a score of 14-3 in favor of Norwich University.
In the third quarter the UVM offense tried once again to get the chains moving, putting together an admirable drive from within one yard of their own end zone and marching the ball down the field to Norwich's 31 yard line. Facing a fourth-and-two situation late in the third, the Catamounts pulled a fake punt, direct-snapping the ball to the up-back, Adam Comerci. The Norwich defense held strong, however, and regained possession of the ball on downs. Marching back towards UVM's goal line, the Cadets entered the end zone with Matt Kimball's quarterback sneak 30 seconds into the fourth quarter, despite good defensive efforts along the way by Comerci, Amos Kempton, Doug DeLuca and Khiray Bautista. UVM took another shot at the Norwich end zone, putting together a 60 yard drive before again turning the ball over on downs. The UVM defense held and regained possession, however, an untimely UVM fumble on first-and-ten sealed the game, returning the ball to the Cadets and allowing them to score one final touchdown, a six yard dash by Junior Dan Unright. With the sun still shining, the scoreboard at the close of the game read "UVM: 3, Norwich: 28."
UVM travels to Beverly, Massachusetts this week to play Endicott College on Sunday, September 13th at 1:30pm.