Sports Report – Nov. 14, 2018
Photo by Al Frey
CVU fall sports end dramatically
It has been a full fall sports schedule that is finally closing down with great success for many of the Champlain Valley Union teams and individuals. To call it “Redhawk Nation” on the basis of three months’ worth of wins and titles may be a bit excessive. However, at least four state championship trophies will rest in the CVU trophy case: men’s and women’s soccer, men’s volleyball and women’s cross country running, with women’s volleyball and field hockey reaching the playoffs (volleyball losing the final match to Essex, the only team to beat the Hawks this year). This happened to be the third Essex/CVU final in the three years volleyball has been a varsity sport. Each school won one prior to this season.
The rest of New England falls to the CVU women
The Redhawk women’s cross-country team won the 84th New England high school cross-country running championship in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Saturday. Again, sophomore Alice Larson led the way for Hawks, placing fifth, followed by Ella Whitman, Alicia Veroneau, Cate Noel and Jasmin Nails. This is the team’s fifth regional title in the last 15 years. The season is not over, however, as CVU travels to Bowdoin Park (on the Hudson River) in Wappingers Falls, New York, for the Northeast Regionals on Nov. 24.
Charlotte middle-school cross-country runners do well at Trapps
Mater Christi’s Matthew Servin from Charlotte led this area’s runners at the Vermont Middle School Cross-Country Run Championships at Trapp Family Lodge on Oct. 28. He beat 188 other boys in the three-kilometer race. Three other Charlotte runners crossed the finish line among the top 25: Owen Deale (13), Ethan Morris (22) and Thomas Murphy (23).
On the girls’ side, Shelburne Community School placed first among teams. Kate Kogut of Charlotte was 18th individually, and Audrey Neilson finished 22nd. Ava Rohrbaugh rounded out the Charlotte contingent of top-25 runners. Running for Mater Christi she finished 23rd among the 182 girls.
Ex Redhawk wins honors in NESCAC
Sophia Gorman of Charlotte was named the Most Outstanding Women’s Cross-Country Performer in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). A sophomore at Colby College, Sophia led all individuals in the conference meet at Boston’s Franklin Park, and this past Saturday she finished third in the New England Division III Championships at Bowdoin College, a race that also happens to be an NCAA qualifier.
Volleyball men spike it down to victory
Lyndon Institute was the runner-up to the Redhawk men this year. With the match tied in the third set, the Hawks went for the kills, with junior co-captain and mid blocker Noah Allen hitting down for three in CVU’s last 10 points. The victory gave the Redhawks an unblemished 14-0 record this year and a third straight title. Men’s volleyball has won 40 games over the three-year varsity span and lost only once.
Men’s and women’s soccer both hoist state cups
The Burlington Free Press headline on Nov. 4 read “Trophy Hawks.” And, indeed, when it comes to soccer, both men and women Redhawks fill the bill.
Women first
A former CVU soccer player himself, Coach Stan Williams has been at the head of the women’s program for six years. During that time, his teams have won 97, lost 5 and tied 2. This year’s championship game against Colchester at Burlington High’s Buck Hard Field last Saturday was an extension of that winning record, as the Hawks topped the Lakers 1-0 and held on to the trophy. With Charlotte junior Maryn Askew in goal, a strong CVU defense helped her gain a 14th shutout of the season having to make only two saves, both in the first half. The lone goal of the game came on a header from Catherine Gilwee in the 47th minute on a corner kick assist from sophomore forward Olivia Zubarik. She and Gilwee were two of six sophomores in the starting lineup, an underclass group that bodes well for future teams.
Men reverse a state title drought
There may not be that much to do in the Kingdom during the fall, but soccer at St. Johnsbury Academy goes against that grain. Ranked number 2 behind the Redhawks, the Hilltoppers started the scoring less than five minutes into the state championship game. Quoted in the Free Press, CVU coach Rob Cole said he thought it was “like we started the game down 1-0.” However, CVU scored the equalizer later in the first period on a goal by James Schmidt, and three more goals came in the second half to solidify the 4-1 win.