Wildcats Crush Raiders for Third Straight
by Ken Brown
HARDWICK – The Hazen Union boys’ basketball team raced past Stowe last week to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Tyler Rivard scored a game-high 17 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the Wildcats to a dominant 62-27 home win over Stowe Monday night. Xavier Hill added 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists and Lincoln Michaud chipped in with 12 points in the win. Hazen took a commanding 40-8 advantage into the break, dropping Stowe to 0-2 on the season.
“We were able to do something pretty cool tonight, starting Lincoln Michaud, Gabe Michaud, and their freshman brother Morgan,” said head coach Aaron Hill.
The Wildcats are coming off an emotional week in winning their fourth straight Dave Morse Classic and raising their 2022 Division III state championship banner in a one-of-a-kind ceremony that honored all eight of Hazen Union’s state championship teams. All coaches, players, and contributors from those teams were recognized and many were able to attend, traveling from all over the country.
Senior big man Tyler Rivard is picking right up where he left off last winter, averaging 20 points and 14 rebounds in limited action through the Wildcats first three games. Rivard smashed the single-season school rebounding record as a junior, earning him a Vermont Dream Dozen selection.
Hazen hosted Oxbow on Thursday and will stay at home for a much anticipated clash with Division II Enosburg on December 28. The Wildcats will host Peoples Academy on December 30 on Hardwick Academy Night, where the members of their state championship teams will be honored and recognized.
