Redhawks' Season Ends

By Joe Cribari

FAMILY! CVU's football Redhawks shout this cheer when they bring it in at the end of a game.

And what a family this team has built. In 2008, it would not be uncommon to hear the phrase, "I didn't know CVU had a football team." Now, hoards of fans come out to watch football at CVU. The Redhawks' season ended Saturday as CVU fell to the Green Knights 29-8 in the playoffs.

The Redhawks only score came on a fumble recovery run 84 yards by Ryan Beaudry late in the game. On the extra point attempt, the Redhawks pulled a fast one as Tucker Kolasch prepared to apparently kick; holder-quarterback Ian Solomon instead lobbed the ball to JP Benoit in the end zone for two points.

The excitement and enthusiasm displayed by the Redhawks' fans is proof that this team has brought together a new family. This was a great season in which the Redhawks lost only one regular season game in their division to the undefeated Middlebury Tigers. CVU settled some old scores by beating Colchester for the first time ever and by shutting out U-32—the team that beat the Redhawks in its first playoff game in 2005. A CVU record six players have been chosen to play in the North-South Game at Castleton on Nov. 20. We saw the creation of a cheerleading squad and saw a fan base grow each week. We saw a group of young men conduct themselves with class and come together more and more each week as not only a team, but as a family.

There were some tears at the end of Saturday's game. The seniors saw their championship slip away. However, we can all share Head Coach Jim Provost's words, "Every one of you is a champion in my book."

Everyone watched in horror as quarterback Konnor Fleming went down with a knee injury in the opening moments of the game. Cameron Fitzgerald went down with an ankle injury shortly thereafter. Fitzgerald returned; Fleming did not. These events did not squash the Redhawks—they continued to play with intensity, to support each other and to have fun until the end.

We are proud of our Redhawks and wish them well—especially those seniors who have given so much to this team and to this school, and who have been instrumental in bringing the team this far. So the torch is passed and next year the Redhawks will be back: they will be strong and they will be winners.