Ells’ pick-six returns Maple Sap Bucket to Norwich

A dramatic rivalry victory for the Norwich University football team carried into the new week with conference and national recognition, as the Cadets reclaimed the Maple Sap Bucket with a 17-10 win over Vermont State University Castleton before junior defensive lineman Harry Ells ’28 was named New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Defensive Athlete of the Week.

Ells delivered the defining moment of Saturday afternoon's 17th meeting between the in-state rivals, securing a deflected pass and returning the interception 17 yards for the game-winning touchdown with just 37 seconds remaining on Sabine Field at Haynes Family Stadium.

The victory snapped Castleton's two-game run in the series and returned the Maple Sap Bucket to Northfield for the first time since 2023. It also marked Head Coach Bill Russell's first victory over the Spartans in his third season at the helm and extended Norwich's advantage in the all-time series to 11-6.

"That game was the best that college football, and a rivalry, has to offer," Russell said. "Both teams showed remarkable resilience and grit. Our guys found a way to win, and I couldn't be prouder of the mental toughness they showed when it could have slipped away from them. As usual when it comes to the Sap Bucket game, the atmosphere was spectacular. It was another great step forward for our program."

Norwich controlled much of the opening half, beginning the afternoon with a 12-play, 56-yard drive that ended in a 31-yard field goal from Zack Zegarra ’28.

The Cadets stretched the advantage to 10-0 shortly before halftime. Connor McFarland ’28 connected with Fionn Parker-Cummings ’29 on a 54-yard pass to move Norwich inside the Castleton five-yard line, and quarterback Landon Beecher ’28 later found Jahmir Dixon ’28 for a three-yard touchdown.

Castleton began to work its way back after halftime, cutting the deficit to 10-3 with a third-quarter field goal before pulling even on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 5:14 remaining in the fourth.

The Norwich defense repeatedly answered as the game tightened.

With Castleton threatening at the Norwich five earlier in the fourth quarter, Madux McGrath ’27 forced a fumble that was recovered by Jack Daley ’29. Later, with the score tied and 1:15 remaining, Imari Milton ’27 recorded a strip-sack and recovered the loose ball himself at the Castleton 31.

Norwich was stopped on fourth down four plays later, returning possession to the Spartans at their own 22 with 47 seconds left.

Castleton's final opportunity lasted one snap.

Senior linebacker Tank Jemison ’27 disrupted quarterback RJ Monger's pass at the line of scrimmage, and Ells secured the deflection at the Castleton 17. The junior immediately raced upfield and untouched into the end zone, sending the Norwich sideline and home crowd into celebration.

Zegarra added the extra point, and the Cadet defense held through Castleton's final possession to secure the 17-10 victory and bring the Maple Sap Bucket back to Northfield.

Norwich forced four turnovers in the win while registering three sacks, eight tackles for loss, five pass breakups, and five quarterback hurries. The Cadets held Castleton to 63 rushing yards on 28 attempts and kept the Spartans out of the end zone for the first 54 minutes.

Elijah Torres ’28 led Norwich with a game-high 11 tackles, while Ells finished with three tackles, a half-tackle for loss, two quarterback hurries, and the decisive interception return.

That performance earned Ells the first NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Week honor of his career on Monday, making him Norwich's first recipient of the award since Ben Primich on Nov. 10, 2025.

The defensive duo of Ells and Jemison also drew recognition from D3football.com, receiving "game balls" from Patrick Coleman and Greg Thomas on the outlet's Around the Nation Podcast. The weekly distinction recognizes some of the top and most memorable performances from across NCAA Division III football.

Jemison finished Saturday's victory with six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and a quarterback hurry in addition to creating the deflection that produced Ells' game-winning score.

The result added another memorable chapter to a rivalry that began in 2009, during Castleton's inaugural season of varsity football. That first meeting represented the first collegiate football game between Vermont institutions since Norwich and Middlebury last met in 1991, with Norwich earning a 48-27 victory and becoming the first program to claim the Maple Sap Bucket.

Norwich won five consecutive meetings from 2018 through 2023 before Castleton captured the trophy in each of the previous two seasons.

The Cadets will have an open week before beginning NEWMAC play on Saturday, Sept. 26, when they travel to Kings Point, New York, for a 1 p.m. matchup against the United States Merchant Marine Academy.