Roger Brown
nhfootballreport.com

MERIDEN -- Vermont coach Mike Norman clearly wasn't kidding when he said his team would rely heavily on the players from Harford in this year's Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl.

Norman selected nine players -- 25 percent of his roster -- from a Hartford program that has won the last two Division I state titles. All nine Hartford players will start when Vermont meets New Hampshire in Saturday's 59th annnual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl at Dartmouth College (2:30 p.m.). Seven Hartford players will start on the defensive side of the ball.

Hartford head coach Mike Stone is Vermont's defensive coordinator.

"We're gonna have to rely on the Hartford kids," Norman said. "In order for us to be successful it will have to be those guys leading the way. The good thing is we have a lot of kids who have played out-of-state competition [including the Hartford players]. I don't think they'll be awestruck."

Four Hartford players will start in the defensive backfield. The Vermont defense includes five defensive backs.

"That's another twist to the game," New Hampshire coach Mike Beliveau said "Interesting.

"What that tells me is those kids played great defense all year long, and played well as a unit. It'll be easier for them to make adjustments"

Norman selected Fair Haven's Rob Coloutti as his starting quarterback. Coloutti completed 110 of 187 passes for 2,215 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns.

"What we've seen of him on film has been very impressive," Beliveau said. "I really don't know what to expect from them on offense." 

Vermont's starters for Saturday's game:

OFFENSE

QB: Rob Coloutti (Fair Haven)
RB: Marshall Hastings (Middlebury)
RB: Matt Rafus (Windsor)
WR: Kyle Kelly (Rutland)
WR: Levi ellis (Fair Haven)
TE: Ben Thieken (Bellows Free Academy)
OL: Dylan Raymond (Champlain Valley Union)
OL: Mack Shea (Rutland)
OL: Steven Ladka (Hartford)
OL: Joseph Johnson (Hartford)
OL: Parker Lamoureux (Fair Haven)

DEFENSE

DE: Owen Newton (Hartford)
DT: Cody Collins (North Country)
DT: Bobby Annis (Hartford)
DE: Jamie Holbrook (Milton)
LB: Robert Murray (Hartford)
LB: Jayson Collette (Milton)
DB: Travis Wilson (Hartford)
DB: Alex Cross (Mount Anthony)
DB: Troy Bell (Hartford)
DB: Miles Latham (Hartford)
DB: Tucker Stone (Hartford)