Font ResizeBRATTLEBORO -- Elliot Gragen is a mudder.
The senior workhorse ran the ball 21 times for 104 yards on a soaked Natowich Field on Friday night, helping the Brattleboro football team to a 36-12 rout of rival MAU.
Heavy rain delayed the start time and made the ground soggy -- a surface that the Colonels took a liking to.
Following an 18-yard pass from Tyler Higley to Phil Perkins on the opening series, Gragen carried the ball eight consecutive times through the holes created by linemen Kevin Tao, Lukas Wallace, Colby McGinn, Brian Keopraseuth and Clay West. The last of those was a one-yard blast into the house that put the purple and white ahead 6-0.
And the Colonels would also score on their next three possessions to make it 28-0.
Higley was 2-for-2 passing on the second drive, including a 15-yarder to Kyle Patno and a pretty 22-yard scoring strike to Perkins. He also connected with Patno for the deuce.
Brattleboro’s next two TD’s were scored by Gragen, on runs of one and 20 yards. Higley tacked on a two-point run.
Defensively, the front four of Jeff Kahler, Noah Gaskell, Cheikna Doucoure and Trenton Fletcher limited the Patriots to just one play of more than 10 yards in the first half.
The linebackers brought their A games as well. Perkins would finish the game with a pair of sacks, while Jason Molina had three fumble recoveries and Andy Harris had one of his own to go along with an
Muddied and hobbling, Gragen sucked it up and sparked another BUHS scoring drive in the third quarter with a tough, 14-yard gain inside. Noah Simeon capped it with a 25-yard burst to paydirt and Higley found Perkins for the conversion to make it 36-0.
Pat Powers, a freshman, was able to get the visitors on the board. He racked up 103 yards on six totes, including TD runs of two and 30 yards.
But the MAU fans seemed more excited when 260-pound fullback Zach Bahan got the ball. His best rumbles went for 11, 15 and 16 yards -- the last of those seeing him drag a number of defenders along with him.
Higley completed six of his 12 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. He also ran it six times for 103 yards.
The 3-5 Colonels will find out Sunday who their next opponent will be.
Notes: BUHS sophomore Julia Waldron sang the national anthem prior to the game. Brattleboro’s senior football players and cheerleaders were recognized, including Ryan Cobb, Tyler Higley, Phil Perkins, Andy Harris, Joe Barrows, Elliot Gragen, Jason Molina, Noah Simeon, Brian Keopraseuth, Mike Franklin, Trenton Fletcher, Noah Gaskell, Jeff Kahler, Kadin Maile, Clay West, Kayla Roy, Bree Andrews, Emily Dow, Lorianne Wolff and Stephanie Velasca.
Shane Covey can be reached at scovey@reformer.com or by calling 802-
254-2311, ext. 163.
