Local roundup: TA girls win first VPA XC team crown since ’96

THETFORD — With three top-10 finishes, including a second-place overall by junior Madelyn Durkee, the Thetford Academy girls ascended to the top of the podium as Division III state champs at the VPA state cross country meet on the Woods Trail on Saturday.

The effort ended a long championship drought for the Panthers, who claimed their first team crown since 1996. The title is Thetford’s sixth, either outright or shared, since 1975.

Durkee finish in 20 minutes, 29.21 seconds, qualifying for the New England championship meet in two weeks back at TA. Estella Laird, a freshman at Montpelier’s North Branch School, won the race in 20:08.51.

Sophomore Annie Hesser was eighth (22:22.16) and freshman Ava Hayden 10th (22:27.60) for Thetford. Charlize Brown was 21st (24:46.42) to complete TA’s scoring.

White River Valley sophomore Anita Miller was fifth overall (21:25.10), and senior Rachel Horner-Richardson sixth (21:41.88) for Mid Vermont Christian. MVC’s Autumn Powell (24:33.36) was 20th.

Thetford sophomore Ben Mattern took 11th (19:13.27) and Brady Sloop was 12th, (19:19.83) paced the boys to a third-place finish out 12 teams. Harley Ransom was 32nd (21:07.44) and Gonzalo de Carvajal was 33rd (21:10.18) for the Panthers.

Mid Vermont senior Joel Roberts had the best individual run, taking 10th (19:04.06). Junior Hayden Palmer had Oxbow’s best time, taking 30th in 20:57.18). Junior Liam Attwood paced Windsor in 54th (22:47.00.

In the Division II boys race, Woodstock finished fifth led by junior Dan Smith’s 11th-place time of 18:35.76 and a 21st place from Quinn Giordano (19:27.84). Hartford finished seventh out 14 teams, paced by junior Gavin Farnsworth in 25th (19:47.01), freshman Bennett Moreno in 37th (20:20.91) and senior Finn Walther in 38th (20:25.59).

Myra McNaughton led sixth-place Woodstock in the D-II girls race, taking 26th in 23:57.

In the girls Division II, Woodstock finished sixth with freshman Myra McNaughton crossing in 26th place (23:57.35), with sophomore Lila Beckwith in 45th (26:08.95). Eighth-place Hartford was led by senior Bethany Davis in 23rd (23:34.73) and junior Meg MacLaury in 38th (25:05.85).

MANCHESTER — Lebanon’s Birhanu Harriman ran to a second-place finish in a field of 130 runners to highlight local participation at the NHIAA state meet at Derryfield Park.

Harriman (16:09.5) completed the course behind only Coe-Brown’s Aidan Cox (15:54.0). The Raiders took seventh as a team, with junior Thomas Wolfe the only other teammate to crack the top 30 (29th; 17:54.1).

Hanover’s boys were third as a team, led by Spencer May in eighth (16:50.9) and Will Parker in 12th (17:23.9). Junior Mack Levy (18th; 17:33.1), senior Luke Holmes (24th; 17:46.1) and sophomore Caleb Zuckerman (37th; 18:13.2) completed Hanover’s top five.

Other scoring runners for Lebanon were Carlos Kennelly (53rd; 18:45.5) and junior Carson Jones ( 60th; 19:17.4).

The Lebanon girls were seventh, led by juniors Elizabeth Kourbatski (14th; 20:44.4) and Isabella Hastings (15th; 20:46.7), with senior Zoe Chinn 42nd (22:32.2) and junior Ella Gessner (51st; 23:00.2). Sophomore Sarah Glueck was 17th (20:59.3) for eighth-place Hanover, followed by senior Charlotte Tagupa (33rd; 22:02.3) and Lily Terry (59th; (23:21.3).

Division III saw Mascoma claim 12th among 16 girls teams and 11th out of the 21 boys squads. Sophomore Leah Carson (38th; 23:42), senior Danni Carson (45th; 24:05) and junior Elena Trempe (46th; 24:05) were Mascoma’s top girls. For the boys, junior Jack Buffington was 40th (19:25), freshman Gunner Currier 50th (19:45), Davie Caron 53rd (19:49) and senior Michael Loynds 54th (19:54).

Field Hockey Hartford 1, St. Johnsbury 0

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Freshman Madi Barwood’s goal, assisted by junior Maddi Willey, with 1:20 left in the third quarter was enough to send the No. 2 Hurricanes to the VPA Division II semifinals.

Hartford coach Heather Scudder said the Hurricanes dominated possession and opportunities on the rain-soaked field but could not penetrate the St. Johnsbury goal until late in the third.

Scudder praised senior Elsie Davis for her midfield work and stopping most of seventh-ranked St. Johnsbury’s scoring bids.

“When they did slip by her, (freshman) Paige Trombley was there to collect and distribute the ball,” Scudder said. “This was not our best effort but in tournament, (but) there is no such thing as an ugly win.”

The Canes will host No. 3 U-32 in Wednesday’s semis back at the Alumni Athletic Complex.

Girls soccer Woodstock 5, Lamoille 0

WOODSTOCK — Sophomore Chloe Masillo scored twice and senior Hannah Reed and junior Izzy Konijnenberg each had a goal and an assist to lead Woodstock.

Woodstock led 2-0 at the break on goals by Reed (her 22nd of the year) and Masillo, then added three more after the break. Senior Abi Masillo also scored.

No. 2 Woodstock (13-2-1) plays at home against No. 11 Mount Abraham in Tuesday’s semifinals.

Rivendell 2, Poultney 1 (PKs)

ORFORD — Rivendell senior goalkeeper Savannah Gray made three diving stops on penalty kicks and senior Alex McFate, sophomore Lea Matea and junior Kylie Taylor scored in the 3-2 shootout that gave the second-ranked Raptors the D-IV quarterfinal win.

Junior Ryleigh Butler scored the Rivendell goal in regulation three minutes in. Poultney tied the game in the 65th minute.

“We had a great game today against a determined Poultney team,” said Rivendell coach Tim Goodwin. “Our team fought all game long and played as tough as we have played all year. I am so proud of our defense of Colleen Underhill, Lea Matea, Erin Ricker and Alex McFate for how great of a game they had.”

Rivendell (11-4-1) is home to No. 6 Arlington on Wednesday in a semifinal match.

FAIRFAX, Vt. — Windsor built a 2-1 lead in an effort to post a second straight VPA D-III upset, but the Bullets rallied to survive.

Senior Elliot Rupp accounted for both of Windsor’s goals. BFA tied the game on a penalty kick and won it in the 50th minute.

Senior Holly Putnam had two assists, and freshman goalie Sophia Rockwood, 10 saves. Coach Jeff Bachey lauded the defensive play of sophomore Miah McAllister and freshman Bri Barton.

“We played a great game today. My girls dug down deep and gave their best effort,” he said. “BFA was skilled, but we played with them for all 80 minutes. We were hoping for a better result, but I couldn’t be more proud of how they worked today.”

Windsor (5-10-1) loses seniors Rupp, Putnam, Sarah DeSchamp and Ember Pikramenos.

Football Windsor 38, Poultney 6

WINDSOR — The undefeated and top-ranked Yellowjackets (9-0) took care of business in a D-III quarterfinal, as four different players reached the end zone in a 38-0 first half.

Senior Keegan Batchelder had two rushing touchdowns and senior Ben Gilbert and juniors Travis McAllister and Logan Worrall had one each.

The Jacks return home to face archrival Woodstock in Saturday’s semifinals.

FAIRFAX, Vt. — The youthful Olympians capped a 1-7 campaign with a D-III quarterfinal loss to the Bullets.

Oxbow graduates Greg Tilton, Dana Blair, Gavin Tellier, Zach Dukette and Logan Protzman.

WEST CANAAN — A safety by Royal senior Hawkens Barton was all the scoring the Royals (3-5) could manage before Fall Mountain got a touchdown with 1:45 left to secure the final slot in the upcoming NHIAA D-IV tournament.

Josh Williams had an interception for Mascoma (3-5).

BRISTOL, N.H. — The Tigers (7-0) blanked the Bears to secure the top seed in next week’s D-IV tourney. Newport is expected to host Fall Mountain in a Saturday semifinal at Maryn Field.