The Hazen Union girls junior varsity basketball team ended with a perfect season undefeated at 19-0. Front row (left to right): Sadie Gann, Elizabeth Hess, Mya Lumsden, Bri Holbrook, Madeline Kaiser. Back row (left to right): head coach Alison Blaney, manager Taylor Thompson, Ella Renaud, Carrie Gonyaw, Kelsie Rivard, Emma Rowell and manager Autumn Dailey.
HARDWICK – The Hazen Union junior varsity girls’ basketball team defeated Milton last week to finish off a perfect 16-0 season under head coach Alison Blaney.
Blaney coached a talented group in her first season that blew past its opposition all winter and many of her players will be at the varsity level sooner than later. After attending Craftsbury Academy, Blaney finished her high school career at Hazen Union and was a member of the ‘94 Lady Cat team that were state runner-up under head coach John Sperry. The 2023 undefeated JV Lady Cat roster includes: Mya Lumsden, Kelsey Rivard, Ella Renaud, Sadie Gann, Brianna Holbrook, Emma Rowell, Carrie Gonyaw, Elizabeth Hess, Madeline Kaiser, and eighth grade contributors Taylor Thompson and Autumn Dailey.
Baker Retirement from Coaching Ends an Era
HARDWICK – Hazen Union junior varsity boys’ basketball coach Mike Baker will retire at the end of the season after 23 years on the sidelines.
He has coached and helped develop all the Wildcat greats over two plus decades, as well as his two sons. Senior Jadon Baker is a starting guard for Hazen Union and they currently sit at 15-3 on their quest to defend their ‘22 Division III state championship. His oldest son Isaiah will go down as the best long-range shooter in Wildcat history if not the state, holding countless 3-point records, as well as the second most points scored in a career at Hazen with 1,474. Baker’s team currently sits at 11-5 with two games remaining this week.
“Mike has been at the heart of this program for the last 23 years. I cannot express how grateful and fortunate we are to have had Mike for all of those years. He is currently the longest serving JV coach in the state and has had one of the most successful runs ever. In his 23 years he has helped countless kids both on and off the court. His impact will be felt in our community and this program for many years to come,” said head coach Aaron Hill.
Lady Trojans Limp into the Playoffs
WINOOSKI – A hobbled Twinfield-Cabot girls’ basketball team fell to Winooski, Mount Anthony, and Williamstown before forfeiting to Blue Mountain last week to finish the regular season at 3-17.
The Lady Trojans have lost 12 straight since losing 80 percent of their starting lineup to season ending injuries over a month ago. First year head coach David Conover brought his underdog squad to fourth seeded Arlington on Tuesday as they tipped off the first round of the Division IV tournament. Arlington finished the season at 14-5 and are currently on a 13-game winning streak.
Vikings Move up to Eighth
BRATTLEBORO – Hazen Union’s Andrew Menard and the Lyndon Institute boys’ hockey team raced past Brattleboro and Woodstock last week, before falling to Stowe to improve to 8-9-2 on the season.
The junior defensemen recorded an assist in the Vikings 3-0 win on the road over Brattleboro last Monday. Lyndon Institute has climbed up the division II standings after winning six of their last eight games. They inched ahead of Milton last week for the pivotal #8 spot in the current rankings and will do battle with a 12-6 Rutland team at Fenton Chester Arena on Wednesday to wrap up their regular season.
Hilltoppers Finish Fourth in States
ESSEX – Hazen Union’s Lydia Hall and the St. Johnsbury Academy (SJA) gymnastics team finished fourth overall last weekend at the Vermont State Gymnastics Meet at Essex High School.
Hall finished seventh in the beam event and fourteenth in the all-around. Freshman teammate Lydia Ruggles claimed the uneven bars title and finished third overall. Burr and Burton won the team championship and Robin Tashjian from Burr and Burton also won the individual all-around title. Hazen’s Emily Molleur and Hall are independents who compete for SJA under head coach Beverly McCarthy.
