High School Huddle Camp Tour: Fair Haven Slaters

FAIR HAVEN, VT – The Fair Haven Slaters football team finished atop the Division II standings in 2023 boasting an undefeated record. But the great season came crashing down in the semifinals with a shutout loss to Colchester. It was their second straight year with a semifinal loss.

“I mean we’ve been thinking about that everyday for the past two years, so we’re using all that motivation, just using it everyday in practice, every game, working to get that championship and win it,” said Gabe Bache, a lineman.

“Yeah it stings. Definitely a heart breaker for sure, just not having that winning component,” said running back and linebacker Max Kyhill. “I think that’s driving everyone this year to really put a hammer on the nail and get it done.”

“I think we’ll be competitive,” said newly hired head coach Adam Perry. “DII is a wide open race, but I think having 11 returning seniors and some sophomores who were in the mix last year [helps]. I think by the end of it we should be in the mix again. Our strength is definitely our front line on both sides of the ball. Our running game that’s our strength, our passing game.”

“It’s going to be a great year. Very excited to be with this group of guys,” said Kyhill. “We’ve been together since third and fourth grade, and we can work as a team and no one gets on each other and we’re always helping each other.”

Although focusing on their end goal is exciting, the Slaters are going one game at a time.

“Right now it’s just Windsor,” said Bache. “Focusing one week at a time, just coming together as a team. Finishing the goals we had last year. Obviously, we fell short, but we’re going to finish it this year.”

That week one game against DIII powerhouse Windsor is on Saturday, August 31.

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