High School Huddle Camp Tour: Essex Hornets

ESSEX, VT – “I’m going to be honest, I think they’re feeling pretty dangerous right now. As long as we stay healthy and do what we need to do, yeah they’re gonna be a dangerous team,” said Essex football head coach, Ethan Curtis on his team.

Health was the kryptonite for Hornets football last year. The team started the season 3-0, but in that third game, star quarterback Carter Crete suffered a season ending injury. More injuries piled up and Essex only won once more during the season.

Crete, now a senior, is back, healthy and ready to play.

“It’s really awesome,” said Crete. “You don’t play a sports for a year, you come back and you’re playing your favorite one. So I’m really excited.”

“He’s ready to go,” said Curtis, of Crete. “He leads these guys. They all follow him. He is a playmaker. We have a whole bunch of faith in Carter to lead our program.”

Coach Curtis is also focused on improving defensively. Essex allowed at least 40 points four times during the season.

“We are making changes to our defense,” said the head coach, starting his third year in the role. “Our defensive line is strong, we are going to be fast, we are going to be physical. And our secondary is here they’re ready to rock. They are ball hawks. That’s what they want to do. If the ball’s in the air, it’s ours.”

As usual, Essex has one team circled that they want to beat; the CVU Redhawks have eliminated the Hornets from the playoffs in two straight years.

“I haven’t won against CVU as a head coach,” said Curtis. “I keep that. I know that, the players know that. And this year we’re going to change that.”

The last time Essex won a state title, ironically against CVU, there was a different group leading the charge. But Crete and his senior teammates were there for it.

“They were all young freshman when we won the state championship in 2021,” said Curtis. “They saw how hard those guys worked. So they’re eager to go out and do something themselves.”

With the majority of their impact players back for 2024 and with health on their side, these Hornets think a title is possible.

“I think we have a chance to win it all, personally,” said running back and free safety Ethan Hemingway. “But everyone has to work hard form the seniors down to the freshmen. Everyone has to be leaders, everyone has to contribute in practice, everyone has to give 110 percent.”

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