Edd’s Sports Report

Edd Merritt

State champion Redhawks’ women basketballers fill the all-star pages
Both the league coaches and the Burlington Free Press sports writers were praiseworthy of CVU women basketball players, and the two groups named a number of Redhawks to their all-star rosters. Although Sadie Stetson of St. Johnsbury garnered “Player of the Year,” CVU’s Marlee Gunn and Abby Thut were placed on the first team, Metro Division all-stars. Their teammates Shannon Loiseau and Jaime Vachon received “Honorable Mention.” The Free Press picked Gunn for its top roster, Thut for its second team and Loiseau again received “Honorable Mention.” Four all-stars from a team that fields five players on-court at a time shows where the well-balanced effort emanates. Add Coach Otley’s skills from the bench and, despite the team’s first loss in years, one learns why it repeated its state championship.

A blur of red marked this year’s Nordic trails
Four men and two women earned places on the coaches’ picks for top Nordic skiers in the state. Baxter Bishop, Jack Koskinen, Jared Leonard and Tyler Marshall all earned top honors; Justin McAuliffe received “Honorable Mention.” Charlotte’s Sophia Gorman and her teammate, Emma Strack were named first-team women in the First Division.

Sudden death shootout decides Rotary Classic hockey
For thirty-three years the Rotary has sponsored an all-star hockey game. This year the contest nearly expanded to two full games as the Austin team finally topped the Harris squad in a sudden-death shootout, 5-4. CVU’s Ty Parker stopped six shots in the Austin goal to help his team’s cause. He split goalie duties with two others, with North Country’s Dana Marsh receiving Austin honors as his team’s Most Valuable Player. CVU’s Charlie Bernicke and Nate Shanks joined Ty on the Austin roster.

Palmer gets first collegiate goal
Snow did not seem to stop men’s lacrosse on Virtue Field at UVM as the Cats and the University of Hartford went at each other in hard order. Hartford overcame a deficit in the middle periods with five goals to win 15-13. Former CVU star, Matt Palmer scored his first college goal.

Three Redhawks on Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl football team
August is yet a ways away, but CVU has placed three players off last fall’s team on the Vermont squad that will take on New Hampshire at Castleton University. The coaches selected Redhawks Jacob Griggs, Chris O’Brien and Zach Toensing.