Times Argus Sports Guide Fall 2018 | Page 3

The Times Argus Fall Sports Guide 2018
Wedge: Football Player of the Year
By KRISTOPHER MARTIN
W
hen choosing Central Ver-
mont’s top high school foot-
ball player this fall, there were
some undeniable fl ashes of déjà vu.
Last year, U-32’s Logan Wedge
plowed the road for his Raiders, lead-
ing them to the playoffs. This year, he
proved that he wasn’t just a one-shot
wonder, earning Times Argus Football
Player of the Year honors for the second
straight season. Amassing over 1,200
yards rushing and nearly 20 touchdowns,
Wedge carried the Raiders once again.
In the playoffs, U-32 ran into a Bellows
Falls team that beat them in the fi nal game
of the regular season, and the Terriers
won again in the post-season. It may have
been a disappointing end to the season,
but without Wedge’s contributions — and
leadership skills — the Raiders may not
have even made it to the playoffs.
“He’s always got his feet in the dirt,”
U-32 coach Brian Divelbliss said. “If
we needed to get yards or score a touch-
down, it was no secret who was going to
get the ball.”
Even when Wedge was forced to miss
practice due to injury, he was still there
helping out his teammates.
“He had gotten banged up against
Bellows Falls in the last game of the
regular season and we thought maybe
we should go a little easy on him,”
Divelbliss said. “But he was still there
every day helping get our fullbacks
ready. He was going over blocking
schemes and pointing out little things
about where they should be so that the
running backs could hit the correct hole.
So, even when he wasn’t ready to go, he
was helping someone else to be ready.
“He’s coachable and he’s just always
doing something. He’s in a band called
Soundcheck with some other kids and
he’s really into social justice. I don’t
think there’s anything that he can’t do or
won’t try. Whatever we’ve asked him to
do, he’s gone out and put the time and
effort into completing it.”
U-32 has made the playoffs for six
straight seasons and Wedge was an
impact player right out of the gate. Three
years ago, U-32 went 8-2 and advanced
to the Division II championship and
Wedge became a clear standout his soph-
omore season as the Raiders went 5-4
and made it to the semifi nals.
“The biggest change came after my
sophomore year,” Wedge said. “I had
peaked a little bit that year but started
getting into some trouble at school. The
next year the coaches welcomed me
back with open arms and my whole out-
look was a bit different. I think I made
a big leap maturity-wise and started to
take on a new role with the team. “
Wedge’s new role as lead back
propelled him into the local spotlight
last year. And this year he refl ected on
that success for motivation. His ability
on the fi eld was noticed statewide as
coaches planned their games around
stopping him.
“I would describe my running style as
one cut and then go north,” Wedge said.
“After that last game against Bellows
Falls I was bawling my eyes out when I
realized that was it for this team and for
my U-32 career. You form friendships
and become like a family with the guys
on the team. And that’s the one thing
I’m really going to miss.”
As for future plans, college is next on
the ticket as Wedge hopes to secure a
degree in music. He’s been looking both
in and out of state and would also like
to play a little football if the opportunity
presents itself. And Wedge is also keep-
ing his options open with the possibility
of coaching.
“Oh, I think it’s going to be hard to
stay away from this game for too long,”
he said. “I could defi nitely fi nd my way
back to the football fi eld.”
A season in the books: Fall 2018
General Manager Shawn Stabell
Content Editor, Steven M. Pappas, Sports Editor, Jamie Biggam,
Kristopher Martin, Luke Catlin
Photography Jeb Wallace-Brodeur, Josh Kuckens, Sarah Milligan
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