Both Richards Brothers to Compete in Vermont State Amateur
BRATTLEBORO – University of Rhode Island (URI) golf star Bryson Richards will defend his Vermont State-Am title next month, but will have some company after his younger brother Riley qualified earlier this month at the Country Club of Barre. Both are the son of former Craftsbury Academy legend Pete Richards.
Riley is a recent U-32 graduate and multi-sport athlete, with golf being at the forefront. He fired a 76 in the qualifier at the Country Club of Barre on June 12, good enough for fifth place and a spot alongside his older brother at the biggest Vermont golf tournament of the season. Riley will play golf this coming fall at Franklin Pierce University. Bryson bested the field by a whopping eight strokes last summer at Williston Golf Club to win his first Vermont State-Am. He just finished his junior season at URI by winning his second individual title and being named A-10 Athlete of the Week for the second time in his stellar collegiate career. He recently advanced to sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open, but came up a few strokes shy of advancing any further on June 6, in what is known as the longest day in golf. Last week he led the Vermont Open after firing an opening round 63 that included eight birdies at Lake Morey Country Club, before fading late to a 34th place finish. He will look to defend his state-am title on July 5 to July 7, at Brattleboro Country Club.
Rivard Continues to Rake for Strike Zone Baseball Team
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Hazen Union’s Tyler Rivard picked right up where he left off after leading the Wildcats to the Division III state title game this past spring, using his arm and his bat to claim MVP honors last weekend at a summer traveling baseball tournament in Plattsburgh for the Strike Zone Academy out of Essex, Vt.
Rivard was an eyepopping 12-15 at the plate for the tournament, with three doubles, a home run, and also pitched his team to a pair of wins on the mound on their way to a championship. He recently finished up his junior season for the Wildcats, leading the team in nearly every offensive category. Austin Wheeler of Lyndon Institute and Danny Kiniry of Spaulding are also on the Strike Zone roster after earning Co-Player of the Year honors in the Capital League this past season.
In other baseball news, the Twin State Baseball Classic returns this weekend after a two year hiatus, pitting Vermont and New Hampshire’s top seniors against each other on the diamond. First pitch of the seven-inning doubleheader is at 10 a.m., this Saturday at Garrity Field at Norwich University. Danville’s Nick DeCaro will be on the Vermont coaching staff. The weekend event will be hosted by legendary Northfield head coach Frank Pecora, who is now the skipper for the Norwich Cadets.
