Donning sparkly top hats, the Union Arena Skating Club’s Megan LaCroix, left, and Erica Kurash skate together during the club’s 13th UASC Figure Skating Show on March 11 in Woodstock.
Donning sparkly top hats, the Union Arena Skating Club’s Megan LaCroix, left, and Erica Kurash skate together during the club’s 13th UASC Figure Skating Show on March 11 in Woodstock. Credit: Courtesy photograph

Boston — Hartland’s Jack Wadsworth competed in nine events and won three to power the Upper Valley Aquatic Club to a 15th-place finish out of 60 teams at last weekend’s New England Swimming 14 and Under Age Group Championship at Boston University.

Wadsworth, 14, scored 190 points for UVAC and won the silver medal for boys ages 13-14 in the competition for high point scorer. Wadsworth picked up wins in the 100 backstroke (51.73 seconds), 200 back (1:51.31) and 200 breaststroke (2:14.16) and was runner-up in four other races.

Wadsworth’s 200 back time was the seventh-fastest in the country among 14-year-old boys. His 100 backstroke time leaves him ranked 15th in the country for his age group.

Three other UVAC swimmers contributed individual points to the club’s tally. Woodstock’s Isabelle Hiller, 14, won the 200 breast (2:21.34) and took second in the 100 breast (1:06.03) to achieve national rankings among 14-year-old girls. Hanover’s Christopher Rieseberg, 14, scored in three events, topped by a fourth place in the 200 breast (2:16.21) for boys ages 13-14. Hanover’s Grace Wenger, 14, added points in two girls events, topped by a 12th in the 100 freestyle (53.87).

UVAC also scored in seven relays. Hanover’s Emma Dunbar and Maggie Wenger contributed on the girls, side, and Quechee’s Will Kainen and Norwich’s Gunnar Langhus joined in boys’ relays. Grafton’s Benton Cesanek, Lebanon’s Adaa Karanwal, Quechee’s Kate Kissell, Norwich’s Joshua Stearns and Margaret Rivard, of Springfield, N.H., also raced for UVAC in younger age groups.

Next up for UVAC swimmers: the New England Silver Championships at the Upper Valley Aquatic Center starting on Friday.

On the Snow

Gray Wins in Europe

Klosters, Switzerland — Bob Gray came home with a gold medal, winning his age group at the Masters World Cup Nordic ski races earlier this month.

Gray, of Newbury, Vt., won the 10-kilometer classic in his men’s 75-79 age group, adding a silver in the 10K freestyle as well. Norwich’s Alex Kahan placed 24th in the 45K skate among men 55-59 years of age. Hanover’s Rick Powell earned 10th in the 30K classic in the men’s 55-59 age classification, and Hanover’s Bryce Wing added a 13th place in the same race.

Powell also competed for an American team in the men’s 55-59 relay, winning a silver medal behind only a Swiss team and finishing 10 seconds ahead of Russia’s top squad.

Glueck Bronzes At Junior Nationals

Lake Placid, n.y. — Hanover’s Adam Glueck landed on the podium with a bronze medal in the U18 classic sprint at the Junior National Nordic Ski Championships on March 8.

Representing Ford Sayre Academy, Glueck advanced to the A final in the event against four other foes. Glueck finished the final behind Alaska’s Gus Schumacher and New York’s Scott Schultz.

Glueck’s qualifying time of 3 minutes, 58.64 seconds was fifth-fastest out of a field of 90 skiers.

FSSC Skiers at U16s

Farmington, Maine — Three members of the Ford Sayre Nordic program competed in the NENSA U16 Championships at Titcomb Mountain over the weekend.

Hannah Chipman posted the best finish by an FSSC skier, taking 20th place with 204 points from top-25 finishes in both freestyle and classic competition.

Ford Sayre’s Emily Bregou tied for 26th place with 195 points, and teammate Eloise Silver-Van Meter was 28th.

On the Ice

Bantam Green Stopped in Semis

Laconia, n.h. — The Hanover Bantam Green youth hockey team reached the semifinals of the Granite State League Tier II state tournament at Merrill Fay Arena over the weekend, falling to New Hampshire East to wrap up its season.

A win and a tie in group play sent the Wild through to the semis. Hanover opened with a 4-0 shutout of Concord, then engaged in a penalty-filled 1-1 draw with host Lakes Region to advance.

Casey Graham, Nathan St. Pierre, Andrew Duany and Austin Kapoukrandis provided the goals in the Concord win, with Danny Drebber posting a 13-save shutout in goal. Officials called 18 penalties on the two teams in the Lakes Region tie, which Drebber secured with 28 saves backed by a Tom Lyons goal.

A win over NHE would have sent Hanover to the finals, but the Exeter-based squad posted a 6-3 win to eliminate the Wild. Pratt Stetson, Graham and St. Pierre accounted for Hanover’s goals.

UASC Hosts Show

Woodstock — Members of the Union Arena Skating Club took to the ice on March 11 for their 13th Figure Skating Ice Show in a performance entitled “Broadway Musicals on Ice.”

Four new soloists — first-grader Sarea Beardsley, second-grader Lily Stover and third-graders Annesonia Beardsley and Michelle Klepp — made their debuts at the show. Four skaters from Woodstock Middle and High School — Bronwyn Morris, Hannah Reed, Erica Kurash and Megan LaCroix — combined for a freestyle routine set to a tune from the musical Hamilton, and other routines brought along songs from Aladdin, Annie and The Lion King, among other shows.

Coach Sarah Jo Damron-Brown, a former U.S. Figure Skating Championship medalist, choreographed the Hamilton routine.

On the Mat

Johnson, McBridePrevail at GMI

Williston, Vt. — Northern Lights Gymnastics competitors Sage Johnson and Shaylee McBride earned all-around victories at the Green Mountain Invitational meet last month.

Johnson won for Level 3 Senior competition, finishing with two victories in implements and a top all-around score of 37.150 points. Johnson, of Hanover, claimed victories in the bars (9.350) and floor exercise (9.650) as the foundation for her overall victory.

McBride, of Norwich, took honors in Level 9 with 33.375 all-around points. McBridge swept to wins in the vault (8.85), bars (8.05) and floor (8.60) as part of her all-around decision.

Stockbridge’s Lily Butler (Level 3 Senior), White River Junction’s Reilly Slusser (Level 4 Senior) and Norwich’s Molly Coates (Level 8 Senior) recorded runner-up results in all-around competition for their various divisions. Northern Lights competitors won 11 implement events as part of the club’s GMI effort.

Slusser, Aldrich WinAt Hip Hop Classic

Brattleboro, Vt. — Lebnaon’s Whitney Aldrich and White River Junction’s Reilly Slusser won their respective Level 4 divisions competing for Wilder-based Northern Lights Gymnastics at the Hip Hop Classic last month.

Aldrich won Level 4 Junior B with 34.825 all-around points. She set up her victory by taking the bars with 9.025 points and the floor exercis with 8.85 points.

Slusser controlled Senior B with a division-best 34.35 points. Slusser won the vault (8.55), bars (8.85) and floor (9.05) as part of her all-around victory.

Hanover’s Alicia Sanyal finished one spot behind Slusser with 33.75 points in Level 4 Senior B. Etna’s Samantha Simmons (Level 7 Junior), Hartland’s Karina James (Level 4 Senior B) and Lebanon’s Josie Goodwin (Level 6 Junior A) all competed to third-round overall results for NLG.

On the Run

Shamrock 5K on Tap

Lebanon — The unofficial start of the Upper Valley’s running season arrives on Saturday in the form of the Shamrock Shuffle 5K in downtown Lebanon.

The 5-kilometer road race and one-mile fun run begin and end at Colburn Park. The fun run, which is free, starts at 11 a.m, with the 5K following at noon.

The cost to take part in the 5K is $28 for ages 18 and older, $23 for ages 13-17 and $18 for ages 12 and younger. The fun run is free.

Bananas, bagels and sports drinks will be available pre-race for all competitors, while a post-race St. Patrick’s Day party is planned for afterward at Salt hill Pub. The race is also the first of the season for the eight-event Upper Valley Running Series.

For more information, visit the race website or call Lebanon Parks and Recreation at 603-448-5121.