McCoy, Bulldogs Run All Over Hilltoppers
MANCHESTER — Burr and Burton football wasn't perfect in the first half of Saturday's win over St. Johnsbury. Not quite.
The defense allowed a couple of third-down conversions, including a touchdown. Kicker Seb Dostal had an extra point blocked. The Bulldogs' coaching staff likely found a few more things they'd like to correct – but from a bird's-eye view, there wasn't much.
The Bulldogs celebrate Jack McCoy's fourth touchdown run of the day, a quarterback sneak from one yard out, in their 48-21 win on Saturday.
Tory Rich — Bennington BannerBBA quarterback Jack McCoy seemed to score almost at will, rolling up 187 rushing yards on 12 carries – half of which he found the end zone on. The six rushing touchdowns are a school record, which is all the more impressive when accounting for the fact that he accumulated all of this in the first 24 minutes of play.
Per Vermont Principals Association rules, games change over to a running clock that only stops for scores, injuries or timeouts once the deficit reaches 40 points or more. That provision kicked in on McCoy's 43-yard scamper – with 2:46 remaining in the first half – to make the score 48-7 and put an exclamation point on his remarkable day.
BBA quarterback Jack McCoy leaves the St. Johnsbury defense in his wake one last time on Saturday, scoring his school-record sixth touchdown run from 43 yards out late in the second quarter.
Tory Rich — Bennington Banner"I'm really proud of our guys," said Head Coach Tom McCoy. "Especially our big guys up front. They dominated the line of scrimmage."
Besides paving the way for McCoy's big game, the men in the trenches also opened up a big hole for Peyton Gray to score from 64 yards out early in the first, as well. It was one of two one-play drives on the day.
Bulldogs offensive linemen like Dominic Decker (#51), Tyler Benson (#75), and Danny Scarlotta (#58) were opening up big holes for Jack McCoy all day on his way to 187 yards on the ground, all in the first half.
Tory Rich — Bennington BannerThe defense dominated in similar fashion, against a team that put up 35 points on them last season. Their only lapses came on the Hilltoppers' fourth drive, with the Bulldogs already up 27-0 early in the second. Quarterback Carter Bunnell broke a 51-yard run on a third-and-1, and found Joseph Silver on a 22-yard touchdown pass three plays later.
Besides that drive, the Bulldogs allowed just one first down and 22 total yards in the first half. Bunnell went 4 for 13 for 40 yards and the score.
Bulldogs defenders swarm St. Johnsbury wide receiver Joseph Silver. The Bulldogs surrendered just 7 points in the first half before the game went to a running clock.
Tory Rich — Bennington BannerIt could have been even worse, as two different Bulldog defenders had interceptions slip through their hands deep in Hilltopper territory. Sophomore Henry Maier jumped a route in the first quarter and almost came up with the pick, and senior lineman Danny Scarlotta almost benefitted from a ferocious pass rush forcing an errant throw from Bunnell in the second, but a couple of Hilltoppers alertly knocked it from his grasp.
Bulldogs defensive lineman Danny Scarlotta leaves his feet trying to come up with an interception.
Tory Rich — Bennington BannerGray would hang on to one for the Bulldogs on the final play of the first half.
The Hilltoppers added two scores in the second half as coach McCoy was able to get his backups some playing time, bringing the game to its 48-21 final score.
"We need to stay healthy and keep getting better each week," the Bulldogs coach said.
The Bulldogs improve to 3-0, and head to Hartford Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
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