CVU dominating on the hardwood and on the mat

CVU 60, St. Johnsbury 37
In spite of other distractions, the Champlain Valley Union girls basketball team continues to play fantastic basketball.

The Redhawks are atop the Division 1 rankings, riding an unbeaten 9-0 record.

CVU kept its unblemished win streak alive on Jan. 16, traveling to St. Johnsbury Academy and coming away with a 60-37 victory.

CVU RedhawksShelby Companion led all scorers with 16 buckets for the Redhawks. Addi Hunter scored 11 to go with 10 rebounds, and Elise Berger notched seven assists.

The game went CVU’s way from the get-go with the team leading 27-19 at the break. After three quarters, they were up 40-25.

CVU 65, Burr and Burton 35
On Jan. 14, the Redhawks hosted Burr and Burton, playing another dominating game. At halftime, CVU was up 31-17 and was up 47-29 after three quarters.

Merrill Jacobs hit a 3-pointer to end the first quarter and begin the second, both coming from the same exact place in the post. She led the scoring with 16.

Hunter added 11 points for the Redhawks.

Berger was busy, getting six points, six rebounds, four steals and four assists.

Boys basketball

CVU 52, Burlington 42
The Champlain Valley Union boys basketball team joins the girls atop the Division 1 rankings. The Redhawks boys team has a 10-1 record.

On Friday, Jan. 20, the Redhawks traveled to the University of Vermont’s Patrick Gym for a tilt against Burlington.

Things started nervously for CVU as Burlington (2-6) sported at 16-12 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Redhawks began to impose their will, scoring 14-5 during that frame to take a 26-21 advantage into halftime.

A big difference for CVU during the second half was free throws, with the Redhawks going 9 of 10 from the line.

The Redhawk’s Alex Provost led all scorers with 22, and Kyle Eaton added seven points.

CVU 43, Colchester 41
On Jan. 17, the Redhawks hosted Colchester in a game that turned into a nail-biter.

With no time left on the clock and the teams knotted at 41, Logan Vaughan grabbed an offensive rebound and dropped it in to frustrate the Lakers’ efforts at a comeback.

The 43-41 win gave CVU a 9-1 record, dropping Colchester to 5-5.

The Redhawks were led by Eaton who tossed in 13 points. Sam Sweeney notched eight.

CVU got up by as much as 10 during the third quarter, but were just up by seven at 34-27 as the fourth quarter began.

The Redhawks led 12-9 after the first period as junior Tucker Tharpe scored four points and Eaton and Sweeney each connected on 3-pointers. CVU grew the lead to five at halftime at 22-17 as Eaton scored six points in the second period.

CVU would grow the lead to as much as 10 in the third period but led by seven at 34-27 as the teams went into the final quarter.

Three-point shooting got the Lakers into the chase and two free throws gave them the lead at 41-39, but Sweeney got a pair from the charity stripe to tie it up with 30 seconds left.

After Colchester inbounded the ball, CVU set up a trap and successfully stole the ball with seconds counting down. Eaton missed a jump shot, but Vaughan rebounded and sealed the win.

Photo by Lisa Brace Camden Ayer tries to pin an opponent in the 120-pound weight division at the Champion Commodore Invitational in Vergennes.
Photo by Lisa Brace
Camden Ayer tries to pin an opponent in the 120-pound weight division at the Champion Commodore Invitational in Vergennes.

Wrestling
Thomas Murphy of Charlotte has been a dominating presence on the mat for the Redhawks so far this season.

Murphy was named as one of the Burlington Free Press Varsity Insider Athletes for the week of Jan. 9-15, after he took the 182-pound division title at the Michael J. Baker Classic at Essex High on Jan. 14.

At Champion Commodore Invitational in Vergennes on Saturday, Jan. 21, Murphy was once again at the topmost platform for the medal ceremony, after winning the 182-pound weight class.

Camden Ayer also medaled for CVU in Vergennes, taking third place in the 120-pound weight division.