Font ResizeBRATTLEBORO -- The Bellows Falls and Brattleboro varsity football teams will each go on the road for a 7 p.m. game on Friday night.
But the similarities stop right there.
The Terriers will attempt to slow down a Burr and Burton team that’s averaging 44 points per game. The Colonels, on the other hand, will be asked to score on a Rutland defense that’s only given up a combined 21 points in its first two contests.
Brattleboro (0-2) began its season by getting thumped 48-7 in Essex and followed that up with a 28-7 home loss to CVU. The bright spots in Week 2 were 111 passing yards from Tyler Higley, some heat on the quarterback from Trenton Fletcher, and a punt team that gained one first down and also came up with a turnover.
Mike Pileggi rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown, Tyler Guth ran 35 yards to the house and Scott Crosby drilled a 23-yard field goal when Rutland edged South Burlington 17-14 on Opening Day. And quarterback Nick Boles was 8-of-16 for 79 yards.
But the Raiders were then blanked by Mount Mansfield, 7-0, a week ago. Rutland (1-1) shot itself in the foot over and over with five total turnovers.
The early schedule has been brutal for the Terriers. After stunning defending State Champion Fair Haven 20-14 and falling 8-0 to a powerful Rice team, Bellows Falls (1-1) will face the 2011 Gatorade Player of the Year in Jake Stalcup.
The Burr and Burton signal caller was 19-of-39 for
Bellows Falls will counter with Ethan Illingworth, who hooked up with Mike LaBeau for a 43-yard bomb in the season opener. Running back Zach Rawling added 105 rushing yards versus the Slaters.
In another Division 2 battle, Rice (2-0) will host Milton (1-1) on Saturday at 1 p.m. That’s one team that hasn’t allowed any points this season against another that hung 42 on Burr and Burton last week.
In Division 1, Heisman hopeful Hunter Riehle and South Burlington will visit BFA-St. Albans on Friday evening. Riehle, who threw for 249 yards and three TD’s against MAU last week, already has over 500 yards passing this season.
And on Saturday, a pair of unbeatens will clash in Hinesburg. Quarterback Joey Picard and receiver James Olsen have already hooked up for four scoring strikes for Essex, which will try to slow down Steele Dubrul -- the CVU sensation who recently ran for 304 yards and passed for 96 more on Natowich Field.
Friday’s Division 1 and Division 2 games at 7 p.m. are: Brattleboro (0-2) at Rutland (1-1), Bellows Falls (1-1) at Burr and Burton (1-1), South Burlington (1-1) at BFA-St. Albans (1-1), Colchester (1-1) at Burlington (1-1), Middlebury (1-1) at MAU (0-2), North Country (0-2) at Fair Haven (1-1), and Mount Mansfield (1-1) at Hartford (2-0).
Saturday’s Division 1 and Division 2 games at 1 p.m. are: Springfield (0-2) at Lyndon (2-0), Essex (2-0) at CVU (2-0), Milton (1-1) at Rice (2-0), St. Johnsbury (0-2) at Spaulding (1-1) and U-32 (1-1) at Otter Valley (1-1).
Shane Covey can be reached at scovey@reformer.com or by calling 802-254-2311, ext. 163.
