NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Spartans put up 14 points in the opening five minutes and dominated with a total team effort on the way to an emphatic 48-28 victory over Norwich to claim the Maple Sap Bucket Trophy at Sabine Field on Saturday afternoon.
Castleton had the Cadets on their heels all game long, extending the lead to 32 points midway through the third quarter, and forcing a team-record nine turnovers on six interceptions and three fumble recoveries. The win improves the team to 7-3, the best single-season record in Castleton history ,while Norwich drops to 7-3. Both finish with identical 5-2 marks in the ECFC.
It was the defense that set the tone with its school-record six interceptions, three of which came in the first half, along with two fumbles. Senior Eric Mimnaugh picked off three of those passes and returned one for his first career touchdown. The defense ended up allowing 340 passing yards to Joshua Woodward but he went just 21-for-56 (37.5%) and was intercepted six times. Junior Jay Morgan was a force on the line with seven solo tackles, including one sack and two tackles for a loss.
Offensively, George Busharis had his most prolific day as a Spartan, throwing for 317 yards on 24 of 37 passing with four touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed six times for 31 yards and two touchdowns. Matt Rafus was a workhorse on the ground, with 30 carries for 94 yards and Kevin Alberque led the receiving corps with eight catches for 126 yards and two scores.
Castleton finished with 461 yards of offense, with 457 coming in the first three quarters as the team built a 46-28 advantage. Norwich, meanwhile, totaled 487 yards of offense most of which came after the Cadets fell behind 34-0 in the second quarter.
The Spartans took the opening kickoff and marched from its own 24-yard line to the Norwich 19 in nine plays before Busharis found Alberque for the 19-yard score to take a 7-0 advantage.
Norwich took possession and advanced to the Castleton 35-yard line but couldn't convert on a fourth down and the Spartans took over. On first down, center Andrew Breting snapped the ball directly to Rafus as Busharis stood by the end of the line signaling to a wideout. Rafus pitched it to a running Alberque and he then tossed it back to Busharis to complete the reverse. The quarterback then found a wide-open Zachary Howe at the Norwich 20 and he took it the rest of the way for the 14-0 lead.
Leo Audy recorded the team's first interception with 9:24 left in the first on a first-down play as he stepped in front of a pass following great pressure by the defensive line on Woodward. The Spartans took over and five plays later Busharis connected with Alberque for the 32-yard score to push the lead to 21-0 with 7:45 left in the first.
Norwich responded with a drive that brought them all the way to the Castleton 1-yard line for first-and-goal. A penalty brought the Cadets back six yards and the Spartans forced a fumble at the two-yard line with Jelani Williams-Beckett recovering it to end the scoring threat.
Castleton added to its lead midway through the second quarter. Following a turnover on downs, the Spartans brought it down to the Norwich nine on a rush by Rafus and Busharis scrambled for the nine-yard touchdown on the next play to make it 27-0.
On first down of the ensuing possession, Mimnaugh picked off Woodward at the 30-yard line and went 30 yards untouched to extend the lead to 34-0 with 5:28 still left in the half.
Norwich added a pair of passing touchdowns by Woodward in the final 5:30 of the half to trail 34-14 at the break.
On the Cadet's second possession of the third, Ryan Stanek ripped the ball away from the intended receiver and took it 23 yards down to the Norwich 10-yard line. Two plays later Tyler Combs made a beautiful catch in the back of the endzone to make it 40-14, as the extra point failed.
The Cadets where whistled for illegal kicking on their next possession, on fourth down, and the Spartans took over on the Norwich two-yard line. Busharis used a quarterback sneak to give Castleton the 46-14 advantage with 8:36 remaining in the third quarter.
Woodward came through with a pair of touchdowns in the final seven minutes of the quarter to cut the Spartan lead to 46-38.
Castleton scored its final two points at 9:38 of the fourth quarter on the program's first ever safety, and the defense held the Cadets out of the endzone the rest of the way to earn the 20-point victory.
The 48 points is the most the Spartans have ever scored against the Cadets. Following the contest the team also finished with single-season program records for sacks (19.0), tackles for a loss (65.0), fumble recoveries (24) and interceptions (19).