Redhawks boys lacrosse starts season swimmingly

Scooter MacMillan, Editor

The spring sports season has started off rainy so … only a sprinkling of games have been played.

The boys lacrosse team is among those Champlain Valley Union High School Redhawks teams that have managed to slip in some competitions between precipitations.

Photo by Jason Stumpff Colin Zouck is keeping his eyes on the ball, demonstrating the focus that has helped make him a scoring leader in CVU’s young lacrosse season.CVU 12, Burlington 4
Last year’s state champs started the season with a 12-4 win at Burlington on April 6.

“A solid team effort” is how coach Tom Garvey characterized the outing.

“I was happy with the goalie play of Jake Bowen and junior Harper Anderson,” Garvey said.

The coach likes the way that Anderson is serving as Bowen’s backup and learning the position, presumably to take over when Bowen graduates, and taking over in the second half and continuing to provide a stout defense.

Bowen had three saves and Anderson stopped five against Burlington.
Of course, the coach was pleased with the offense of returning senior Colin Zouck and newcomer sophomore Matias Williams, both scored 4 of CVU’s 12 points.

Nolan Shea, Owen Pierce, Turner Elliott and Isaiah Atherton all scored for the Redhawks.

CVU 13, Rutland 0
Garvey felt the second match of the season was an improvement over the opener, and the score supported the coach’s assessment with the team scoring one more goal and the defense shutting out Rutland.

Offensively, it was the Williams and Zouck show again with each notching three scores.

Peter Gilliam and Elliott each tossed in two. Jack Lamphere, Max Destito and Shea each scored.

“They were sharp on both ends of the field. They paid attention to detail,” said Garvey, but he still sees lots of room for improving as a team.

“We’ll get better. Each new game is another opportunity to get better,” he said.

CVU 8, BFA-St. Albans 4
A day of rain washed away any chances for a match on Friday, April 15, but the teams managed to make it up on Monday at St. Albans before a late winter storm struck that night.

The Bobwhites managed to puncture but not sink the Redhawks’ defense and slowed its offense some.

“We earned a hard-fought win against a good BFA-St. Albans team,” Garvey said. “They battled us for the full 48 minutes and we feel fortunate to come away with a win.”

He singled out the goalie play of Bowen. The senior had six saves.

Once again, Williams showed up on the offensive end of the field with three goals.

It was a balanced attack with five of the Redhawks scoring — Shea, Gilliam, Zouck, Pierce and Jacob Whitcomb.

Garvey also singled out the play of face-off specialists Jacob Bose and Devon Fay who helped the team earn possessions that led to goals.