The River Valley Blue seventh-grade AAU girls basketball team won the state’s Division II championship during the May 6-7 state tournament in Burlington.
The River Valley Blue seventh-grade AAU girls basketball team won the state’s Division II championship during the May 6-7 state tournament in Burlington. Credit: Courtesy photograph

Burlington — The Thetford-based River Valley Blue seventh-grade girls basketball team claimed a 38-25 win over the Northern Predators on May 7 to claim the Vermont Division II AAU championship.

RVB, coached by longtime Thetford Academy girls basketball coach Eric Ward, went 1-1 in pool play on May 6, the tournament’s first day. Blue stopped the Vermont Lady Hoopsters, 50-27, in their opening contest before falling to eventual D-I champion Essex Sting, 50-30.

An easy 42-2 defeat of Northern Fire moved RVB to the semifinals and a 40-25 win over the Lady Celtics. RVB took an early lead on the Predators in the final and never looked back to complete a 22-6 spring season.

The RVB roster (with school): Sophie Prescott (Newton School), Madi Powers (Thetford Academy), Gretta Koppers (Thetford), Anya Traudt (Newton), Maggie Emerson (Blue Mountain), Autumn Horniak (Waits River), Emma Dennis (Blue Mountain), Macey Smith (Waits River), Kolby Nelson (Blue Mountain), Izzy Kachikis (Lyme), Skouly Kachikis (Lyme), Savannah Gray (Rivendell), Emma Gray (Blue Mountain).

On the Run

Save a Stray 5K

Sunapee — The Sullivan County Humane Society is seeking runners and walkers for its annual Save a Stray 5K on Saturday, beginning and ending at Sunapee Harbor.

The race is a benefit for SCHS, which is hoping to raise $15,000 through registrations, runner sponsorships and donations. The pre-registration cost is $20, with T-shirts going to the first 100 runners to register. The race-day fee is $25. Kids ages 12 and under can participate for free.

The top male and female winners will receive $50, while the top three finishers in each age group will receive SCHS mugs. A raffle and post-race cookout are also planned.

Race-day registration begins at 8:30 a.m., with a race start of 10 a.m. For more information, visit sullivancountyhumanesociety.org.

Rock Your Camo 5K

Claremont — The Greater Claremont Chamber of Commerce and the Red River Charitable Foundation will present the third Rock Your Camo 5K road race and Dirty Dash at the Arrowhead Recreation Area on Saturday.

The cost for the 5K is $30 for adults, $20 for active military, $15 for students and $10 for children ages 12 and under. The Dirty Dash, a muddy obstacle course for kids ages 12 and younger, is also $10. The Dirty Dash starts at 10 a.m., and the 5K kicks off at 11 a.m.

For more information, visit www. redrivercharitablefoundation.com or contact Gina Burke at gina.burke@redriver.com or 603-442-5561.

On the Pitch

GPS Navy Tops Flames

Meriden — The Lightning Soccer Club U11 Flames put up their best effort of the spring season, but visiting GPS NH Select Navy came away with the win in a 6-2 boys soccer match at Kimball Union Academy’s Carver Field.

LSC got its first goal 15 minutes into the match on Thatcher Bacon’s conversion of a Logan Isham free kick. Noah Winchester finished the rebound of a Kai Kurokawa shot for the Flames’ other goal early in the second half.

Norwood Davis and Isham shared goalkeeping duties for LSC, which held the visitors scoreless over a 28-minute stretch of the second half.

Strikers, Seacoast Draw

Meriden — The LSC U12 Strikers came out of an aggressive contest with Seacoast United sharing the points in a 2-2 draw at KUA.

A solid passing attack led to goals from the Strikers’ Eli Hoffer and Alden Brody. Hoffer handled first-half goalkeeping duty, keeping Seacoast off the board until yielding to Sawyer Albrecht for the second half.

Fire Wins, Ties

Lancaster, Mass. — The LSC U13 Fire followed a 4-1 win over Rhode Island’s Bayside FC on May 7 with a 1-1 draw against FC Stars Central United on Saturday.

In the latter match, the Stars jumped to a 1-0 halftime lead thanks to a quick counterattack. Goalie Jack Maynes made a fine foot save to keep the deficit at one, and LSC settled down enough to equalize through Murphy Hunt’s second-half penalty kick. Palmer Okai, Jack Ross, Jack McGrath, Jack Gradner and Daniel Mladek excelled in the back for the Fire.

Luke Clamer, Conor Hamlin, Tinashe Muhlauri and Hunt provided the goals in the win over Bayside.

Sonic Crowns Kings

Meriden — Will Ermarth and Amane Matsuoka broke a 1-1 tie with second-half goals, sending the LSC U15 Sonic to a 3-1 win over the Seacoast United Kings over the weekend.

Owen Stadheim put LSC on the board first, taking a Lucas Pugh through ball in stride and converting past the Seacoast defense. United tied the game on a 35-yard free kick just before halftime, but the Sonic took over the match after the break.

NEFC Stops Rush

Meriden — The LSC U17 Rush met NEFC Premier North in a weekend twinbill, with the visitors earning a pair of wins.

NEFC took the opening contest, 3-0. Pat Mason and Owen Johnstone had multiple scoring opportunities in the first half, but only the visitors could find the back of the net. Dillion Bradley came inches from breaking the shutout for LSC, but his second-half header caromed off the crossbar and out.

The Rush did get through NEFC’s defense in the rematch, but NEFC came away with a 6-1 victory. Adam Blackburn redirected a Nico Mayo-Pushee volley for LSC’s only goal. Rush goalkeeper Hans Williams finished with 18 saves for the weekend.

Sparks Split Matches

Meriden — The LSC U12 Sparks took on a pair of foes over the weekend, coming away with a win and a loss to improve to 4-1-1.

The Sparks began with a 2-0 shutout of the NEFC Breakers on Saturday night at KUA. Emilia Torresani scored on a Mo McBride assist early in the first half, and Ashley Cotter slotted home a second-half breakaway for the Sparks’ clinching goal.

Seacoast United Benfica White battled the Sparks to a rainy 1-0 win on Sunday, scoring late in the second half. McBride and Mary Rainey excelled in the net for LSC.

In the Gym

TSAC Lifting Meet

Lebanon — The Lebanon-based Thor’s Stone Athletic Club will host an Olympic weightlifting meet at the CCBA’s Witherell Recreation Center on Saturday.

The meet will consist of competition in the snatch and clean and jerk. Lifting begins at 10 a.m., with male and female competitors ranging in age from 15 to 78 participating.

The meet is sanctioned by USA Weightlifting, and the public is invited to attend. Admission is free.

On the Tee

Legion Tourney at Carter

Lebanon — Guyer-Carignan American Legion Post 22 will stage its annual William “Bill” Broughton Scholarship Fund golf tournament at Carter Golf Club on Saturday.

The 18-hole tournament pits five-member teams against each other in a best-ball scramble starting at noon (check-in: 11 a.m.) Benefits from the tournament go to the scholarship fund as well as the Post 22 American Legion baseball program that Broughton founded. The cost is $125 per person, with a maximum of 16 teams. Hole sponsorships are also available for $75.

A cookout will accompany the tournament until 6 p.m., and the night will continue with dancing until 9:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the post’s Pete St. Pierre at 603-448-2353.

On the Trails

Birdwatching Walk

West Fairlee — Ornithologist Dr. George Clark will lead a birdwatching walk along Middle Brook at 7:30 on Saturday morning.

Participants will meet at Elmwood Farm, which is 3.4 miles up from Lake Fairlee on Middle Brook Road. Ample parking will be available behind the red barn along the roadside.

From there, Clark will lead a walk along mostly level back fields beside Middle Brook. The walk should conclude by 10 a.m., and light refreshments will be available afterward.

Participants are asked to dress for the weather and bring sunblock, bug repellent and waterproof footwear. Contact Peg Willey at 802-333-4155 for more information.

On the Water

Paddle the Border

Woodsville — The Cohase Chamber of Commerce will host its Paddle the Border Spring cruise down the Connecticut River on Sunday.

Paddlers will travel from Community Field in downtown Woodsville to Bedell Bridge State Park in Haverhill Corner starting at 11 a.m., a route that will take 3½ hours to complete. Shuttles will be available for persons and equipment only from Bedell Bridge starting at 10 a.m.

Paddlers must adhere to safe boating guidelines. The Rotary Club will have hamburgers, hot dogs and beverages available from 1-3 p.m. at the state park.