Venerable veterans vaporize Vassar, remain undefeated

Author: Simon Keyes

Bobby Gosney's '09 intensity could be heard over Vassar's cheering throughout the stunned and silent Middlebury sideline. After an early slip-up led to Vassar scoring the first try of the game, Gosney rallied his teammates and helped lead a charge that brought the Panthers back from an early deficit and out ahead en route to a decisive 49-10 rout on Sunday, Nov. 3 in the Territorial Quarterfinals.

The early miscue was due in large part to miscommunication between the referee and some of Middlebury's players.

"Something happened with some sort of call from the ref and we expected it to go our way," said captain Luke Yoquinto '08. "But Vassar got the ball and quickly ran off down the sideline. We were preparing to run the ball, and all of a sudden they had the ball."

While Vassar was celebrating what would be one of their few memorable moments in the game, it missed the ensuing conversion, leading Gosney to furiously rile up his teammates.

"I told the team that Vassar was not going to score any more tries," said Gosney. "I told them to

remember that we were playing on our field, in front of our fans and

this was the last game that the seniors would play at Middlebury. I

had a few expletives in there but I wanted to get the team fired up."

The result could not have been more perfect as, only a few minutes later, Max Levine '09 plunged into the try-zone. Ari Silverman '09 converted on the kick, and the Panthers were ahead for good. Not long after that, Gosney joined in on the fun as he tumbled in from about three yards out.

The score at half was 15-5, but a "big-time" try-line stand, as Yoquinto put it, by the Panthers just before halftime foreshadowed the dominating play that Vassar would succumb to in the second half. With only minutes remaining in the first half, Vassar tried mightily for what seemed like an eternity to crack the line, but they were repeatedly thwarted by the strong Panthers defense.

"[The stand] was very important for us and very damaging for them," said coach Ward Patterson. "It showed that we could hold our line well under a good attack, and that gave us confidence. It showed them that they could not score, and it did have an emotional impact on their confidence to come from behind."

When Vassar failed to break the try-line as the halftime whistle blew, their spirits seemed to break as well. The second half was all Panthers as Vassar's intensity deflated with Panther after Panther penetrating the try-zone. When the smoke settled, six different Middlebury ruggers had found the try-zone. Silverman also ended the day with four conversions and two penalty conversions.

The win vaults the Panthers into the Territorial Semifinals for which they will travel to West Point to take on St. Bonaventure on Nov. 10. The Territorial Championships will follow on Sunday, Nov. 11.