RUTLAND — The Thetford Academy boys cross country team claimed the Southern Vermont League A championship Friday at Northwood Park, placing three runners in the top seven.

Ben Mattern won in 17 minutes, 4 seconds. Teammate Brady Sloop took third in 17:28, followed by Sebastian Perdrizet in seventh at 18:05. Elijah Renner added a 14th-place finish for Thetford in 18:52.

The Thetford girls took second, led by Ava Hayden in 20:16. Annie Hesser was eighth in 22:31, Charlize Brown took 12th (23:10) and Lucia Carr was 20th (24:04.07).

Woodstock’s James Underwood took second in the boys race at 17:24. The Wasps also had good showings from Nicholas Cellini in 22nd and Keller Pauly in 23rd.

Izzy Cellini led the Woodstock girls, finishing third overall in 20:58. Teammate Logan Knox was sixth in 21:26, and Lila Beckwith finished 17th.

Boys team scores: Thetford 43, Burr & Burton 57, Rutland 82, Mount Anthony 84, Woodstock 111, Brattleboro 133.

Girls team scores: Stratton Mountain 54, Thetford 65, Burr & Burton 66, Woodstock 72, Mount Anthony 106, Bellows Falls 139, Brattleboro 181.

Hanover second at Mills River Invite

JERICHO, Vt. — The Bears claimed second in both the boys and girls races at the Mills River Invitational against the top teams from Vermont.

Lea Perreard won the girls title for Hanover in 18:29. Teammate Lila Muirhead took fifth in 18:57, followed by Megan Faris in eighth (19:59). The Bears also had good results from Lily Terry in 13th and Sarah Glueck in 14th.

Andrew Valentino finished behind just a pair of Champlain Valley runners, taking third for the Hanover boys in 16:43. Ben Groves was fifth for Hanover in 17:14.09, followed by Will Parker in ninth and Alexander Valentino in 11th.

Football Gilford-Belmont 37, Hanover 28

HANOVER — The Bears pulled within 29-28 on Roger Lucas’ 4-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter during the NHIAA Division II teams’ penultimate regular-season game.

The visitors tallied on a 44-yard screen pass 10 seconds into the fourth quarter and added a 2-point conversion to produce the final score. Hanover (4-3) turned the ball over on downs three minutes later after a failed halfback pass attempt.

Gilford-Belmont (4-4) fumbled at Hanover’s 14-yard line with three minutes remaining and the Bears drove to the Golden Eagles’ 30-yard line before time expired.

Hanover’s Jaysen Oriol ran for a 1-yard touchdown three minutes into the second quarter, followed by Ryan O’Hern’s extra point to put the hosts up, 7-6.

Four minutes later and trailing, 14-7, the Bears lost a fumble and, three plays after that, surrendered a touchdown and 2-point conversion to fall behind, 22-7.

Jeffrey Vidou’s 2-yard touchdown run and an O’Hern kick pulled Hanover within 22-14 at halftime. Vidou ran for a 60-yard score and the conversion two minutes after the break, forging a 22-22 tie.

With Hanover down, 29-22, Hanover’s Roger Lucas threw a long pass that his brother, Roy, caught one-handed. The elder Lucas soon scored his team’s final points.

The Bears visits Pelham (7-0) next week for the squads’ final regular-season game.

Hartford 35, Rutland 0

RUTLAND — Hartford senior quarterback Brayden Trombly ran for a touchdown and threw for two more, both to Ezra Mock, who also ran for a touchdown.

The Hurricanes led, 28-0, at halftime against their traditional rivals. Hartford finished the regular season 8-0 and Rutland at 1-7. Brody Tyburski ran a yard for the visitors’ final touchdown.

Hartford’s regular-season VPA Division I title is its first since 2016 but the 21st in program history. The Hurricanes have scored at least 35 points in six of their games this season.

Stevens 22, ConVal 7

CLAREMONT — Tyler Christian ran for two touchdowns and the Cardinals improved to 4-4 while dropping the Cougars to 3-5.

Karter Thyne also played well, said coach Josh Duford, who noted the player’s long run off a reverse.

Christian scored twice in the second quarter, one of which was set up by a long run by Karter Thyne on a reverse.

Stevens closes the NHIAA Division III regular season by visiting Trinity (7-1), which has scored 42 or more points five times and is second behind Campell (8-0) in the division.

Boys Soccer Hartford 4, Otter Valley 2

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Sam Peckinpaugh converted two penalty kicks and Tighe Hrabchak and Gabe Guillette also scored during the hosts’ fourth consecutive victory.

Bryce Soboleski had an assist for Hartford, which concluded the regular season at 8-4-2 and should be a force in the upcoming VPA Division II playoffs.

Rivendell 7, Springfield 1

ORFORD — Jacoby Patterson scored three times and Gabriel Wright Swaine added two goals for Rivendell.

Parker Piper and Will Knowles had one each for the Raptors. Knowles had two assists. Patterson, Torin King and Luke Avery also had assists.

“Our mix of upperclassmen and younger players have really come together and are playing well at the right time of the season, giving us a lot of confidence heading into the playoffs,” said Rivendell coach Soren Smith said.

The Raptors (8-5-1) won four of their last five regular-season games and expect to host a VPA Division IV home playoff game.

White River Valley 2
Leland & Gray 1 (OT)

TOWNSHEND, Vt. — Finn Bailey’s extra-time goal off a Brayden Russ assist boosted the visitors to a regular season finish of 6-8-1.

“A very gutsy comeback by the boys against a difficult opponent with a loud crowd on a wet field,” said WRV coach Alex Montano, whose team received five saves from Ty Couture.

Russ forged a 1-1 tie with seven minutes to play in the second half, the assist awarded to Joe Ferris. The Wildcats await their seeding in the VPA Division III playoffs.

Girls Soccer Oxbow 2, Winooski 0

WINOOSKI, Vt. — Caleigh Bean made five saves to backstop the Olympians during their regular-season finale.

Natalee Spear scored during the first half and McKenzie Pearl during the second for Oxbow (5-7-2), which will open the VPA Division III playoffs on the road.

Lebanon 1, Oyster River 0

DURHAM, N.H. — Sophie Longacre scored for Lebanon (8-7-1), assisted by Brooke Walker, in a narrow road win over the Bobcats.

Maezie Angles made five saves. The Raiders won their last two regular-season games.

Field Hockey Hartford 10, Springfield 1

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Madison Barwood’s four goals pushed her season total to a school-record 28 and led the Hurricanes to a regular season-closing rout.

Barwood moved past Maise Wong, whose 25 goals during the 2003 championship season were the program’s previous record.

Kamryn Brower added three goals, giving her 24 this season. Maddi Willey, Paige Trombly and Devyn Potter also scored. Willey had two assists, and Hailey Vanasse, Charlotte Rogers, Brower and Potter each had one assisrt.

The Hurricanes (12-2-0) will be the top seed in the VPA Division II playoffs.