WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — So many high school football games come down to what you do after a touchdown.
The latest example: Friday night’s Homecoming tilt at Hartford High against Middlebury. The Hurricanes scored on the first possession of overtime but missed the extra point, and the Tigers would not suffer the same misfortune, handing Hartford a heartbreaking 34-33 defeat.
“Just little mistakes here and there,” Hurricanes coach Matt Trombly said. “Both teams played really hard. It’s tough. We just didn’t get the ball to go our way on the kicks tonight.”
Hartford (2-4) also lost star junior running back Brody Tyburski to a shoulder injury in the second quarter. Tyburski was taken to the hospital and his status is uncertain.
For a sense of just how evenly matched this game was, each team scored one touchdown in each quarter. Hartford turned the ball over on downs in the red zone on its first possession, and Middlebury’s Gavin McNulty exploded for an 83-yard touchdown run on the very next play to give the Tigers (3-3) an early lead.
The Canes came right back after junior quarterback Brayden Trombly, the coach’s son, connected with senior Trenton Bird behind the secondary for a 63-yard completion to set up a four-yard run up the middle by senior Sean Keliher.
But after Hartford got a surprise extra possession when the kickoff deflected off a Middlebury up man and the Canes recovered, the hosts went backward, with a holding penalty and a couple of well-diagnosed plays forced them into a fourth-and-31.
The teams again traded touchdowns in the second, with Cameron Stone scoring on a 20-yard pitch play for the Tigers and Trombly finding senior Nolan Morse from nine yards out for Hartford.
Middlebury again went in front on an explosive play early in the third quarter when Cole Schnoor burst straight through the middle for a 67-yard touchdown. But the Hurricanes forged another tie after a 14-play, 65-yard drive that took more than eight minutes off the clock ended with a one-yard sneak by Trombly.
“With their offense, sometimes there’s one breakdown and that’s all it needs,” Matt Trombly said. “When we were out of position or missed the right read, it turned into six points real quick. They happened to snap a couple big ones. We did a good job rallying and staying in this thing.”
The Tigers took the lead again early in the fourth following Brayden Trombly’s second interception of the night as quarterback Jacob Kemp rolled to his right and took off for an 11-yard touchdown. But Hartford had yet another answer in the form of a long, methodical drive, taking more than six minutes off the clock in 11 plays and scoring on a 13-yard pass from Trombly to junior Ezra Mock.
Middlebury couldn’t get much going on its next drive, and it was on to overtime. After Trombly’s touchdown on a quarterback sneak was negated by a false start, he found Bird for a six-yard score. But the extra point sailed wide left, giving the Tigers the opportunity to win it with their own PAT following Stone’s one-yard touchdown run.
“We have two big games left,” Matt Trombly said. “It’s not like we’re out of this thing by any means. When playoffs come around, it’s a whole new season. We’ll hope to make a run at it when we get to that point.”
Hartford is at BFA-St. Albans next week.
-Benjamin Rosenberg
LANGDON, N.H. — The Cardinals (3-3) picked up their third consecutive win with a dominant showing over the rival Wildcats (4-2).
Stevens has now evened its record after a slow start to the season and remains firmly in contention for a postseason spot with three games to go, beginning with a visit from Kingswood on Friday night.
AMHERST, N.H. — The Sabers removed the Bears from the undefeated ranks in this NHIAA Division II clash.
Souhegan (6-0) led 14-0 before Hanover scored to get back within a score, but the Bears extra point kick was blocked to leave it a 14-6 deficit. Hanover (5-1) will look to regroup at home against Manchester West on Friday night.
WOODSTOCK — The Wasps drop to 3-3 with the tough loss at home.
Woodstock trailed 16-13 midway through the second quarter before the visitors took control for good. The Wasps will host Milton on Friday night.
MILTON, Vt. — The Olympians evened their record at 3-3 with a road win at Milton. Oxbow hosts Windsor on Oct. 15.
LONDONDERRY, N.H. — Jack Gardner had two goals and an assist to lead the Bears (8-4-0) to their fifth straight win.
Hanover built a 3-0 lead on two goals by Gardner and one by Andrew McGuire. Londonderry answered with two straight to tighten things up considerably before Gardner found Zach Tracy for an insurance goal in the final minute to seal the win.
Becket McCurdy and Alex McGrath added assists for the Bears. Gardner and Mcguire are now tied for the team-lead with eight goals each. Keeper Ty Nolon made two saves. Hanover hits the road on Tuesday to battle Salem.
TILTON, N.H. — The Royals (9-2-1) took control following a quick Winnisquam goal to open the game.
Tanner Moulton scored the equalizer on a free kick from 18 yards to knot the score at 1-1. Grant Suttie added a goal on a header with the assist to Logan Isham. Moulton added another goal in the second half to put the game on ice, assisted by Aidan Smith.
Keeper Matt Favreau made nine saves for the Royals, who play at Manchester West on Tuesday.
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The Yellowjackets finally broke through in the 75th minute to earn a quality road win over a good Cosmos team.
Windsor (7-2-0) scored when Audrey Rupp laid a cross to Olivia MacLeay, who settled and placed the game-winner by the near post past the Springfield keeper.
“We knew going into this that it was going to be a tough game. Springfield gave a good fight, but I’m so proud of how my team responded and kept fighting for all 80 minutes,” Windsor coach Jeff Bachey said.
Keeper Sophia Rockwood made eight saves for the Jacks. Bachey credited the defensive play by Audri Pettirossi and Brianna Barton as vital to preserving the shutout.
Windsor hosts Bellows Falls on Tuesday.
WESTMINSTER, Vt. — Ryleigh Butler and Harper Traendly each had three goals as the Raptors pulled away from the Terriers.
Elisia Sonsalla added two goals and Shaylee Carter had one. The Raptors built a 7-0 halftime lead and coasted from there.
Rivendell (5-6-0) visits Green Mountain on Thursday.
KEENE, N.H. — The Raiders shut out the Blackbirds to level their record at 6-6-0.
Delaney Deshane, assisted by Annie Hanna, and Mary Rainey, on a penalty kick, scored for Lebanon in the first half. Next up is the Raiders’ annual breast cancer awareness game at home against ConVal on Tuesday.
BENNINGTON, Vt. — The Wasps weren’t able to match the host Patriots, falling to 6-4-0.
Chloe Masillo and Izzy Konijnenberg each had good scoring chances early for the Wasps, who play at Otter Valley on Wednesday.
THETFORD — The Panthers (0-10-0) remained winless and are at Paine Mountain on Wednesday.
BRADFORD — The Olympians (1-5-3) dropped their third straight game. Oxbow hosts Blue Mountain on Wednesday.
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — Lily Gubbins scored two goals to lead the Wasps (8-1-0) in doubling up on the Cosmos.
Hannah Gubbins added a goal and an assist for Woodstock. Norah Harper, Grace Laperle and Claudia Shoemaker had one goal each. Kaitlyn Burres had an assist. Wasps goalie Paige Stone made four saves.
Woodstock will visit Bellows Falls on Thursday.
NEWPORT — The Tigers improved to 11-2-0 with their fifth shutout win of the year. Newport is at rival Stevens on Monday.
NEW IPSWICH, N.H. — The Cardinals (6-5-0) dropped their third straight as they fell to the Vikings. Stevens hosts Newport on Monday.
PLYMOUTH, N.H. — The Raiders boys swept the top four places to win in dominant fashion.
Birhanu Harriman set the tone in first place in 16 minutes, 22 seconds. Thomas Wolfe (16:37), Carson Jones (17:38) and Angus Hall (17:48) rounded out the top four. Nick Engert added an 11th place finish to give Lebanon 21 points as a team. The Raiders finished with nine runners in the top 20 with several setting either lifetime or season-best times according to coach Kevin Lozeau.
Isabella Hastings led the Lebanon girls in fourth at 20:45. Sarah Smith was seventh (21:52) and Ella Gessner took 13th (22:37).
Boys team scores: Lebanon 21, Merrimack Valley 82, Plymouth 109, White Mountains 150, Laconia 168, Pembroke 181, Kingswood 181, Kearsarge 182.
Girls team scores: Plymouth 44, Kearsarge 66, Kennett 70, Merrimack Valley 81, Lebanon 82.