BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – The No. 2-seeded Bellows Falls Union High School (BFUHS) football team traveled to South Burlington High School on Saturday, Nov. 15, to compete for the Division III state championship against No. 1-seed Woodstock, and came home with another state championship trophy after a convincing 54-20 win over a talented Woodstock squad.
The impressive victory secured an unprecedented 13th football state championship for BFUHS, and first since 2021, which is now the most football state titles in Vermont high school history. The convincing victory also avenges a 60-52, double-overtime road loss to the Wasps earlier in the season, which was the only blemish on the Terriers’ record coming into the championship game.
The big difference between the two head-to-head meetings between these teams? The Bellows Falls run game, short and sweet.
The Terriers’ running attack was led by senior running back Pat Connors, who rushed for an eye-popping 264 yards and four touchdowns. Right behind Connors was his teammate, sophomore Jaden Bazin, who rushed for an impressive 202 yards and three more touchdowns. That’s 466 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground from the Terriers’ running back tandem.
Bellows Falls’ senior quarterback Declan Lisai also had a rushing touchdown in the win, and the Terrier defense also played opportunistic football when they really needed it, forcing three turnovers with two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Terrier sophomore Jacob Kissell, junior Andrew Goyette, and Lisai all contributed important two-point conversions in the win. Goyette also added an interception, and junior Bryer Barnett helped run out the clock with a couple of game-clinching first-down runs.
The title win was a complete effort, with contributions coming from not just upperclassmen, but freshmen and sophomores as well. With some 10 seniors graduating in the spring, it’s good for the younger players to gain valuable – championship – experience to bring forward to next year. Led by head coach Bob Lockerby, the football tradition of excellence is alive and well in the land of the Purple Gang.