By Edd Merritt

This fall’s Redhawk athletes exhibited quite a mix of cheers and groans. Both soccer teams led the groans as the men lost to Essex in overtime in the Division I semi-finals and the top-ranked CVU women were upset by South Burlington with a late-game goal in the state finals to give the Wolves a 2-1 win.

Josie Pecor splits the defense. Photo by Al Frey.

Charlotte Redhawk Seth Boffa brings in a pass. Photo by Al Frey.

The men’s game was a scoreless tie at the end of regulation play, but three minutes into OT a Hornet midfielder drilled a 35-yard free kick into the CVU goal to lead third-ranked Essex over second-ranked CVU and into the championship contest against fifth-ranked Burlington. Played at Buck Hard Field in Burlington on Saturday, the Hornets lost to the Seahorses in overtime, 1-0.

The Hawks romped over Essex,, 63-34 in a semifinal football game that saw three quarterbacks throw for over 600 yards with starter Max Destito hitting on 21 of 38 attempts for 359 yards and five TDs, followed by Jake Bowen (149 yards and two touchdowns) and Isaac Bergeron (seven completions, two touchdowns). Seth Boffa and Shane Gorman caught two touchdown passes apiece. In the championship game number two-ranked Colchester squeaked by the top-ranked Redhawks by two points, 35-33.

In cross-country running, senior Caleb Nye led the CVU men’s team to a second-place finish behind U-32, and Jasmine Nails led six of her teammates to a second-place finish for women, behind Harwood Union.

And, what occurred in volleyball? Again, it was a split between men and women. The men gained the championship game by defeating South Burlington in the semi-finals and then upset No.1 ranked Essex for the title.

Going into a state semi-final game against No. 1-ranked Essex, the No. 4- ranked CVU women came out of it the losers.