Local roundup: Hartford wins first boys indoor track state title in school history

Staff Reports

Published: 02-05-2023 8:15 AM

BURLINGTON — Trailing for most of the afternoon, the Hartford High boys indoor track team surged late to overtake Fair Haven and win the VPA Division II state meet at the University of Vermont with a score of 101. Fair Haven finished second with 82.4, followed by Thetford with 44.

Including Division I teams, Hartford was third overall among 26 teams and the Thetford Academy girls, second in Division II with 56 points, were fourth overall with 23 teams competing. The Panther boys were seventh overall.

"We had a stumble when a runner got bumped and went down in the 4-by-200 and we finished fourth," Hartford coach Mike Perry said. "But Gabe (Guillette) won the 300 and that gave us 10 points and Ayodele (Lowe) won the triple jump for 10 points. A great day by all. I'm very proud."

Hartford's 4-by-800 team of Hugh Wendling, Gavin Farnsworth, Jack Fournier-Stephens and Bennett Moreno finished second, and the 4-by-400 team of Moreno, Farnsworth, Conner Beland and Guillette finished second as well. Jordan Davis of Hartford was second in the triple jump with Evan Rich of Thetford third. Saturday's results were combined from last week's throwing events, where Hartford earned points in the weight throw and shot put.

For the Thetford girls, Jada Rich was first in the high jump and third in the long jump with Ava Hayden second in the 3,000 meters. The 4-by-800 team of Ceci Luce, Hayden, Abby Egner and Sora Bolles took second. 

Amara Calhum-Flowers for White River Valley was first in the 55-meter dash and third in the high jump. The Thetford boys team of Ulysses Junker-Boyce, Finn Linehan, Henry Trage and Luca Trage finished third in the 4-by-200, with Hartford's Nolan McMahon, Payton Bessette, Guillette and Lowe fourth. 

Other top finishes from area schools included Eleanor Prestridge of White River Valley finishing fourth in the 55-meter hurdles and Rueben Keefe of Oxbow taking fourth in the high jump.

Points were awarded to the top six finishers in each event. Hartford's Lowe was fourth in the 55-meter dash with Guillette fifth. Hayden of Thetford was fifth in the girls 1,500 and Egner of Thetford was fifth in the 1,000. Ben Mattern of Thetford was fifth in the 1,500, Moreno of Hartford was fifth in the boys 600 and Oxbow's Shane Morse took fifth in the 1,000.

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No words needed: Hartford wins again

Results: Boys: Hartford 101; Fair Haven 82.5, Thetford Academy 44, Vergennes 35, Green Mountain 27.5, Oxbow 24, Burr & Burton 22, Bellows Falls 22, Mill River 16, Spaulding 16, White River Valley 6 (14th); Girls Rice 90, Thetford 56, Fair Haven 46, Lake Region 36, White River Valley 26, Burr & Burton 26, Green Mountain 17.5, Missisquoi 14 Milton 14, Hartford 8 (11th) Oxbow 1 (16th)

Boys basketballRivendell 50, Twin Valley 33

WHITINGHAM, Vt. — The Raptors put up 25 points in each half to improve to 8-4. A three-point first quarter lead was extended to eight by halftime.

Finn O'Donnell scored 13 and Josh Gould 10 for Rivendell, which is home against Leland & Gray on Tuesday.

Mid Vermont Christian 53, Arlington 33

ARLINGTON, Vt. — Arlington played a slow-down offense and it worked for a half with Mid Vermont leading by just five.

But the visiting Eagles clamped down defensively, holding Arlington to 11 points over the last two quarters while scoring 26.

Abel Goodwin had 23 points for Mid Vermont, Joel Roberts had 12 and Roman Goeppner had 10 with 11 rebounds.

Mid Vermont (13-3) goes to Proctor on Tuesday. 

White River Valley 46, Leland & Gray 41

TOWNSHEND, Vt. — Brayden Russ had 14 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Wildcats, who are now 10-5 and will be home against Bellows Falls on Wednesday. Donovan Craven added 12 points and eight rebounds for the visitors.

Oxbow 57, Craftsbury 33

CRAFTSBURY, Vt. — The Olympians defeated the Chargers for the second time this week. Oxbow (3-11) will play Winooski at home on Wednesday.

Girls basketballOxbow 56, Randolph 34

BRADFORD — The Olympians came out of the gate strong with a 17-6 lead after one quarter and a 32-16 halftime edge.

Maggi Ellsworth had a game-high 21 points and six steals for Oxbow with Emerson Fuller adding 13 points and 12 rebounds and Braylee Phelps chipping in 10 points.

Oxbow (9-7) hosts Lamoille on Tuesday.

Londonderry 49, Hanover 44

LONDONDERRY, N.H. — The Bears (11-5 overall, 10-3 NHIAA) came up short against the NHIAA Division I Lancers, but it was a learning experience that will help the team get ready for the Division II playoffs, Hanover coach Dan O'Rourke said.

"Exactly the game we needed, a tough D-I team on the road," O'Rourke said. "We played well throughout and led most of the game."

Sydney McLaughlin had 13 points, Nina Sablan added 11, Elena Mierke a career-high 10 and Nina Marshall six.

Hanover will look to bounce back at Milford on Tuesday.

Newport 42, Hinsdale 20 

NEWPORT — The Tigers' third win in a row was led by 21 points from Taylor Fellows and nine from Maddox Lovely. 

Fellows and Lovely led the way, said Newport coach Ross Dole. Torrence Williams and Skylar Nelson had big games on the boards with Tanya Sanchez holding down on the defensive end.

Newport (5-9) will go for four straight against Hillsboro-Deering at home Tuesday.

Boys hockeyHanover 6, Bishop Brady 1

WEST LEBANON — Wyatt Seelig’s hat trick and two assists led the Bears, who moved a game above. 500 at 6-5.

Trevor Lichtenstein added a goal and assist and Ronan Przyzdielski and Dillon Penders had a goal each.

Hanover scored a pair of goals four minutes into the game to set the tone for the offense. Bears coach Dick Dodds praised the play of Ryan Carroll, who had an assist, as well as Penders.

Will Hopkins and Henry Cotter had two assists each. Jo Jo Drent made 10 saves for Hanover.

“Wyatt Seelig had an explosive break out game and he was joined by defenseman Will Hopkins who had a couple assists,” Dodds said. “We were strong up and down the lineup.”

Hanover hosts Windham on Wednesday

Hollis Brookline-Derryfield 4, Lebanon-Stevens-Mount Royal 2

WEST LEBANON — The Raiders received goals from Tyler Christian and Paddy Clancy but dropped to 1-12. HB-D is 8-4.

LSMR, which received 27 saves from Evan George, hosts Pembroke-Campbell (6-3) on Sunday, its fourth game in six days.

Burlington 5, Woodstock 3

WOODSTOCK — The Wasps (3-10) could not hold a 3-2 lead after two periods, surrendering two shorthanded goals and an empty-net tally during the final stanza.

Ethan Havill scored twice and Ian Coates scored once. Graeme McKeon and Griffin Piconi each had two assists and Dominic Palazzo made 11 saves for Woodstock, which visits Mount Mansfield on Thursday.

Girls hockeyHartford 2 Rice 1

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Hurricanes ended a four-game slide with a goal in the first period by Emma Bazin and the game-winner by Nedra Dwinell in the third.

Hartford (6-8) is at U-32 Monday.

BowlingWindsor wins four-team match

CLAREMONT — The Windsor bowling team scored Baker match victories over White River Valley and Fair Haven to finish first at Maple Lanes.

The Yellowjackets, seeded first in the Baker round, defeated WRV 2-0 and then the Slaters 2-1, winning the first and third games. Hartford beat the Wildcats in the consolation match, 2-0.

The Hurricanes, seeded third, dropped their Baker match to second-seeded Fair Haven.

Windsor's top qualifiers were Alyssa St. Louis (179, 154), Victoria Feickert (144, 138) and Avery Bean (143, 149).

Unified basketballHanover 40, Winnisquam 28

TILTON, N.H. — The Bears finish the regular season at 3-3 and now will wait to see if they are one of nine teams to make the playoffs.

Emily Neily led Hanover with 10 points. Eli Weintraub and Zoey Hossler added eight each.

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