Eric Palmer (30) and Michael Fournier (66) team up to bring down a Milton Yellow Jacket ball carrier. Dana Adams photo.

CVU Tackles Milton

Redhawks' defense shines in 21-0 Division II victory

By Alex Abrami • Free Press staff writer

On the first play from scrimmage, Champlain Valley Union High School quarterback Konnor Fleming broke one tackle and scampered 54 yards for a touchdown. Momentum and an early lead belonged to the Redhawks in Friday night’s key Division II football matchup against Milton. And the CVU defense made sure momentum never swung back to the Yellowjackets.

Behind a suffocating defense, strong running from Derek Goodwin and Fleming’s early score, CVU solidified its hold on a playoff spot in the 21-0 win over Milton.

“They took the wind out of our sails right from the getgo,” Milton coach Chris Hughes said. “It was not good and we just never bounced back.”

CVU’s first touchdown was a run to the outside, a designed call to counter Milton’s strong cast of linebackers. “We had to utilize the outside how ever we could. ... I got some great blocking,” Fleming said. “Their linebacking core is outstanding. Dino Georgakis — if he’s not starting on the Shrine team, I would be very astounded. We had to pay respect to that.”

On CVU’s third possession, with 8:47 left in the second quarter, Goodwin (16 carries, 87 yards) capped the team’s 15-play, 59-yard drive with a 5-yard TD dash for a 14-0 lead. The two-possession lead was more than enough for a CVU defense that was still smarting from last year’s 14-0 loss to the Yellowjackets. Cameron Fitzgerald and Dale Conger led CVU’s strong push up the middle, holding Milton to less than 150 yards on offensive.

“Me and Dale, we knew a lot laid on us to get in the backfield, which we did,” Fitzgerald said. “Execution was key tonight. They have a good (offensive line); it was a dogfight all night.”

The Redhawks’ final score came with 7:36 left in the third quarter. Fleming fired a strike to J.P. Benoit in the back of the end zone on a 31-yard play, helping CVU improve to 6-2 overall and 6-1 in the league. “Every kid on the roster contributed tonight. It was a complete team win, which we really needed,” CVU coach Jim Provost said. “We are getting it figured out at the right time.”

Milton is 5-3 overall and 3-3 in Division II.