New Hampshire seeking to extend winning streak
57th Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl
New Hampshire vs. Vermont
When and where: Saturday (2:30 p.m.) at Windsor (Vt.) High School's MacLeay-Royce Field.
Team records: New Hampshire leads the series 41-13-2.
Head coaches: Former Kennett coach Ken Sciacca is the New Hampshire head coach. Essex coach Charlie Burnett will be guiding Vermont.
2008 result: New Hampshire won, 40-6.
Last Vermont victory: 2000 game (47-40).
Tickets: Tickets are $10 (general admission) and $20 (reserved seating). Tickets will be available at the gate.
Noteworthy: Although the press annually puts the focus on the skill positions, this is a game that's usually won up front. Last year was a perfect example. New Hampshire battered Vermont on the line of scrimmage and came away with a 40-6 victory. ... Vermont will use a four-receiver set and will try to get the ball to receivers Pat Nee (Essex) and Kevin Jenko (Essex). Nee caught 52 passes for 941 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Jenko made 55 receptions for 731 yards and eight TDs. ... Putting pressure on Vermont quarterbacks Keegan Corbett (Mt. Anthony) and Zach Dessureau (Spaulding) may be the key to a New Hampshire victory. The Granite State will also need a strong performace from its defensive secondary, which features Tanner Baillargeon (Kennett), Ben Callahan (Exeter), Colin Hay (Plymouth) and Josh Luciano (Pelham). ... New Hampshire has a deep and talented offensive backfield and two quarterbacks with different styles. Nashua North's Dylan Brodeur is a running threat, and Souhegan's D.J. Petropulos is considered the better pocket passer. Sciacca said both QBs will play significant minutes.... Burnett guided Essex to the Division I championship last season. Essex was 11-0 and scored 500 points in those 11 games. ... New Hampshire has 57 varsity programs. Vermont has 34. ... Prediction: New Hampshire 34, Vermont 13.
