2009 Brought Many Honors to Athletes
by Edd Merritt

The year in review for CVU athletics lists many accomplishments by Redhawk teams, individuals and coaches.

Men’s hockey started 2009 with a bang, winning the Division state title. Charlotte forward Brady deHayes received honorable mention to the All-Metro division squad.

Sam Darling placed second in the giant slalom at the state Alpine championships, while Molly Hebert and Virginia Farley helped the CVU women’s Nordic team capture third place in the state.

Jack Jessett received honorable mention by the Metro League basketball coaches.

This fall Zach Pete won the men’s state cross-country championship in a photo finish, lunging to finish just ahead of his opponent. On the women’s side, CVU’s superior numbers brought them the state cross-country trophy.

Both men and women in soccer gained the state finals. The men bested Burr and Burton for the title. The women outplayed their rivals from Burlington but lost 1-0 on a late second-half Seahorse goal. The men were led throughout the season by Charlotte co-captain and sweeper Andrew Blake and forward Nick Spencer. Blake from the men and Kylie deGroot and Lindsay Kingston from the women won all-state honors.

Konnor Fleming at quarterback and Tyler Barnes, a freshman running back and defender, helped the fledgling football team gain the Division II finals before losing by a touchdown to Colchester in the rain. Fleming was named to both offensive and defensive all-state teams.

The field hockey women also made it to the state finals before being knocked off by Hartford 1-0 in a defensive battle.

Redhawk field hockey coach, Kate McDonald, men’s soccer coach TJ Mead, and football coach Jim Provost were all named coaches-of-the-year in their divisions.

Women Look Strong in Early Winter Sports

Women’s hockey and basketball teams are off to solid starts in their pre-holiday games. The skaters easily handled Mount Mansfield and Colchester 9-1 and 6-0 before finding themselves behind South Burlington by three goals. The Redhawks rallied with two goals apiece from Molly Howard and Sylvia Steinhoff to win 5-4. Charlotte’s Nicole Sisk has been strong in the net.

South Burlington basketball women also lulled CVU into a complacency that required a fourth-quarter rally to gain a 42-39 win. The victory came on the heels of an overtime shootout with Mount Mansfield, won by the Redhawks 55-51. Vergennes proved easier, as CVU toppled them 72-36.

Men also look strong. Charlotte’s Will Hurd has been deadly accurate from three-point range in the Redhawks’ wins this season. He hit 7 of 9 attempts in the 65-46 victory over Missisquoi following up a 15-point effort in the team’s ten-point win over Vergennes.

The hockey men hope to pick up their pace a bit. They began the season by losing a 4-3 overtime decision to South Burlington before winning the opener of the Burchard Tournament against Rice. They then lost the championship to Burlington 2-0. Back on the wining track at home against Spaulding, a late goal by Nate Lacroix brought CVU a 3-2 victory. Robbie Dobrowski assisted on both Lacroix goals and scored one himself. Mark Albertson made 30 saves.