Local Roundup: Royals Grind Out a Win

West Canaan — Mascoma High boys basketball coach Jim Barry admitted Thursday’s 50-42 victory over Fall Mountain certainly wasn’t his team’s best. But the Royals did enough to win their fifth game of the season, despite an injury to the team’s top scorer, Alex Schwarz, that forced him to sit the fourth quarter.

“We had a lead the whole game,” Barry said. “I don’t want to be disrespectful to Fall Mountain, but we let them stick around. We just seemed happy to play with a lead tonight.”

Schwarz, who is averaging 26 points per game, came off the court in the third quarter after a hard drive to the basket resulted in an injury to his left hand. Barry said the senior is questionable to return when the Royals (5-4 league, 5-7 overall) travel to Winnisquam tonight.

Barry said he was pleased with his team’s scoring balance. Dakota Decocq and Devin Duhaime each had 10 points. Tyler Findley finished with seven.

Long Trail 60, MVCS 42

Quechee — The Eagles scored 22 points during the fourth quarter but couldn’t mount the comeback in their second game in as many nights.

“It was a rough start to the game,” Mid Vermont coach Mike O’Leary said.

Long Trail knocked down eight 3-pointers from five different shooters during the contest. Josh King, Dylan Patel, Nathan Twarog and Jake Roberts each scored 10 points for Mid Vermont.

The Eagles (1-8) host Rochester on Tuesday.

Newport 56Hillsboro-Deering 49

Hillsboro, n.h. — Kyle Fish scored 17 and Brandon Sondrini netted 11 as the Tigers held off a fourth-quarter rally by Fall Mountain to improve to 2-7.

Newport took a 26-10 lead into the half, outscoring the Wildcats, 16-3, during the second quarter. But Fall Mountain rallied in the second half, scoring a combined 39 points during the final 16 minutes to cut into Newport’s lead. Ty Richardson added 11 points, and Noah Wood knocked down 10.

Newport visits Sunapee on Monday.

Girls Basketball

Rivendell 46Whitcomb-Rochester 23

Bethel — Amelia Mattrick helped the Mountaineers launch a comeback in the third quarter, but Rivendell improved to 7-2.

“They’re really tough defensively,” Whitchester head coach Dennis Wood said, “but I thought we came back nicely in the third quarter. We showed we could play well with teams like them in spurts.”

Whitchester trailed, 25-7, at halftime but outscored the Raptors, 12-9, during the third quarter. Mattrick had eight points, including two 3-pointers. Hayley Mears scored six points.

Rivendell’s Mikayla DeBois and Riley Thomson scored 12 points each. Thomson left the game in the third quarter with a bruised right heel.

Whitchester (2-9) hosts Black River on Saturday at Rochester. Rivendell travels to Craftsbury on Wednesday.

Otter Valley 33, Hartford 18

White River Junction — Hartford did not go to the foul line once and was outscored, 14-5, during the second half.

“We just stopped trying to go inside,” Hurricanes head coach Troy Guerin said. “Not by design.”

Lyndsie Rice led the hosts with six points. Belle Leister and Natasha Lovell scored four points each. Hartford cut the deficit to three points during the third quarter.

The Hurricanes (5-3) travel to defending Vermont D-II champion Fair Haven on Monday.

Craftsbury 50, Sharon 12

Craftsbury, Vt. — The Phoenix didn’t score points during the first or third quarters and fell to 1-7.

“We’re a couple of players down; we’ve got some injuries right now,” Sharon coach Gregg Nalette said. “We didn’t come ready to play.”

Jocelyn Johnson finished the game with a team-high six points. Sharon hosts South Royalton on Monday.

Girls Hockey

Kimball Union 6, Holderness 1

Holderness, n.h. — Mia Brown and Mikah Baptiste scored two goals each as the Wildcats improved to 11-3-1.

Julia Sugenor and Molly Flanagan added goals and Rose Sperry provided three assists. KUA travels to Governor’s (Mass.) Academy on Friday.

Alpine Skiing

Woodstock Boys, Girls Place Third

South Pomfret, Vt. — Anna Dieffenbach placed sixth for the Woodstock girls and Erik Weiss finished fourth for the boys as both teams placed third in a slalom race at Suicide Six.

Burr & Burton’s boys and girls took first place (boys 16 points, girls 18). Rutland’s boys (33 points) and girls (35 points) each took second in front of Woodstock (boys 36 points, girls 36).

Woodstock’s girls team competed without two top performers, Emma Maiden and Grace Vollers. Alice Sperber finished seventh, Lily Walker Money finished 15th and Gina Sorentino took 16th. For the boys, Elliot Shoemaker placed ninth, Quest Holding took 10th and Alex Frenchman placed 14th.

Woodstock competes in a giant slalom race at Pico Mountain next Thursday.