Local Roundup: MRA Girls Get First Win Over Sunapee

Sunapee — Fourth time’s the charm for the Mount Royal Academy girls basketball team. The Knights took down crosstown rival Sunapee for the first time in varsity program history with a 50-33 on their home court on Tuesday night.

Alexis Matte filled the stat sheet for Mount Royal (1-1) with 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Sophie LaRose added 14 points, including eight from the free throw line. Jacinta Hogan had nine points. Erin Diebold had seven points, a team-best 10 rebounds and a pair of blocked shots.

Mount Royal took control in the decisive second quarter, outscoring Sunapee, 14-3, on their way to a 28-12 lead at halftime.

“The girls have never beaten Sunapee before. I told them it was just another game,” Mount Royal coach Derek Tremblay said. “But they were happy. We did what we know we can do, which is win a game.”

Tremblay credited the second-quarter burst to the Knights’ controlling the pace of the game and limiting turnovers.

Fiona Nolan had eight points to pace the Lakers (0-3).

Both teams return to action on Friday when Mount Royal visits Farmington and Sunapee visits Wilton-Lyndeborough.

Oxbow 27, Rivendell 19

Bradford, Vt. — Between debuting a new home floor and debuting a new season, the Olympians had their difficulties in shaking off the Raptors, but a game-high 10 points from Kaysea Neil ultimately did the job.

Oxbow (1-0) shut out Rivendell (0-1) in the first quarter but could manage only an 11-7 lead by halftime. The O’s slowly pulled away from there.

“I’d love to tell you it was great defense, but we couldn’t throw it in the ocean,” Oxbow coach Barry Emerson said with a laugh. “We had a lot of back and forth where neither team scored. I really believe it was the opener for both teams and, in the first quarter, everybody was just nervous.”

Tiffany Longmoore helped the Oxbow cause with seven points. Leah Rutherford scored six points to pace the Raptors.

Both teams play again on Friday, with the Olympians visiting Springfield and Rivendell making the short trek to Thetford.

Mid Vermont Christian 37Twin Valley 23

Wilmington, Vt. — The Eagles led, 22-8, at halftime and held on to win their third game in a row.

Hayley Goodwin had 17 points for MVCS. Kyla McCoy had eight points before leaving the game in the third quarter with a sprained ankle. Rachel Horner-Richardson added six points.

“Once we figured out our spacing, we played better offensively. Our D was a little better. We’ll keep working and keep building on that going forward when we play some much tougher teams,” Eagles coach Chris Goodwin said.

MVCS (3-0) will visit Stowe on Monday.

Kearsarge 39, Stevens 24

Claremont — The Cardinals were outscored, 21-8, in the second half and lost for the first time this season.

Sydney Miller had a game-high 13 points to pace Stevens. Carrie Faro added six points. The Cardinals visit Laconia on Friday.

Boys Basketball

Mascoma 52, Hillsboro-Deering 45

Hillsborough, n.h. — The Royals scored 18 points in the fourth quarter on their way to their second straight win to start the season.

Dakota Decocq and Connor Thompson each had 14 points for Mascoma. Ben Seiler added 12, and Ben Schwarz had seven. Mascoma led, 23-18, at halftime and then trailed by one, 35-34, through three before starting its rally in the fourth quarter.

“We hung tough. It was not a pretty game, not one we’ll look to duplicate. But we’ll learn from it and get better,” Royals coach Jim Barry said.

Mascoma (2-0) hosts White Mountains on Friday.

Sunapee 45, Mount Royal 35

Sunapee — The Lakers outlasted the Knights in the second half, turning an 18-14 deficit at the break into a 10-point victory.

Zach Belisle and Jordan Chappell each had 12 points to pace Sunapee (2-0). Brady Grzanna added seven points. The Lakers won thanks in no small part to free-throw efficiency; Sunapee was 14-for-19 from the line while Mount Royal was just 4-for-14.

Andrew Normandin had 18 points for the Knights. Brendan Moorehouse chipped in eight points.

Both teams hit the road on Friday, when Sunapee visits Wilton-Lyndeborough and Mount Royal travels to Farmington.

Northfield 45, Sharon 41

Northfield, Vt. — The Phoenix lost for the first time since February 2017, snapping a 25-game winning streak for the defending VPA Division IV state champions.

Sharon built a 21-9 lead at halftime but saw the tide turn after the break. Northfield went to a press defense that turned into instant offense, and Sharon was unable to make the key plays in the fourth quarter to hold off the charge.

“They did a good job scouting us and made us really uncomfortable,” Sharon coach Blake Fabrikant said. “They have some pretty good players. Once Northfield started to believe they could win, it totally shifted their way. We have a lot of inexperience; it’s going to be a learning process for us.”

Fisher Kelley had 20 points for Sharon. Olly Skeet-Browning added 10 points. The Phoenix (1-1) went 24-0 last season and last lost on March 3, 2017, a 40-23 defeat to Twinfield in the D-IV quarterfinals. Sharon looks to get back to its winning ways when it hosts Craftsbury on Friday.

West Rutland 49Mid Vermont Christian 43

Quechee — The Eagles came up just short against the Golden Horde.

Josh King and Cade Paquette each had 10 points for MVCS. Dylan Patel added nine and Hunter Cooper had seven. The game was close throughout; West Rutland led, 28-25, at halftime.

MVCS will host Vermont Commons on Monday.

Girls Hockey

Hanover 8St. Thomas-Winnacunnet 1

West Lebanon — Meredith Morhun had two goals and an assist to help the Marauders open the season with a comfortable win.

Clara Boland scored and had two assists for Hanover. Maggie Lee and Emma Tysinger each added a goal and an assist. Natalie Morhun and Sage McGinley-Smith each scored. Freshman Kaye Lindsay started her varsity career with a goal. Bryn Kable added two assists. Georgia Flynn and Violet Sperry had one assist apiece.

“It was kind of a slow start for us,” Hanover coach John Dodds said. “It was a little surprising. Just nervous; it’s a new group. We came out and gave up a goal (in the second period) and then got four (goals) by moving the puck better and looking like a better team.”

Goaltenders Rebekah Rudd and Aiden Stone combined to make eight saves for Hanover (1-0-0), which visits Berlin on Saturday.

College Football

Dartmouth Gets TwoFCS All-Americans

Hanover — Dartmouth junior Isiah Swann and senior Matt Kaskey earned inclusion on the Associated Press Football Championship Subdivision All-America team on Tuesday, with cornerback Swann making the first team and offensive tackle Kaskey landing on the third team.

Swann enjoyed one of the finest seasons ever by a Dartmouth defensive back, setting a school record with nine interceptions, a figure good enough to lead the whole of FCS football. He was twice named Ivy League defender of the week and later grabbed the defensive half of the league’s Asa Bushnell Cup player of the year award.

Kaskey was a unanimous all-Ivy pick and made the Division I all-New England team, as did Swann. The tri-captain started every game at left tackle, helping the Big Green rank 11th among FCS schools in rushing (254.7 yards per game) and finish sixth in fewest sacks allowed (seven).

Swann is just one of three Big Green defensive backs to ever earn All-America mention. Four other Dartmouth offensive linemen have earned the honor since Division I football was split into separate factions in 1978.

Men’s Basketball

CSC 87, NVU-Lyndon 75

New London — Dana Bean posted a 22-point, eight-rebound, four-block line to lead Colby-Sawyer past Northern Vermont-Lyndon.

Bean moved into seventh place in career blocks with 74 to highlight his night. Patrick Coffey had a perfect 9-for-9 night from the floor and finished with 20 points. Jourdain Bell added 19 for the Chargers.

Colby-Sawyer (6-2) wraps up first-semester play on Thursday at home against New England College.

Women’s Basketball

CSC 57, NVU-Lyndon 38

New London — Tianna Sugars posted her fifth double-double in six games to pace Colby-Sawyer (5-3) over Northern Vermont-Lyndon.

Sugars scored a game-high 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting, adding 11 rebounds as well. Sunapee High grad Lexie Hamilton produced 10 points and nine assists, and Kristen Donaghey nabbed a game- and career-high 12 rebounds.

The Chargers close the first semester schedule at home against Castleton on Friday.

ECHL Hockey

KUA’s Bird Now a Royal

Reading, Pa. — Former Kimball Union Academy forward Tyler Bird signed a rookie deal with the ECHL’s Reading Royals on Tuesday.

The Brown University graduate had played five games with the Wheeling Nailers earlier in the year before being released. Bird, had 22 goals and 35 points over 120 career games at Brown.

Bird had a team-high 33 goals for the Wildcats during the 2013-14 season. He was a fifth-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2014 NHL entry draft.

Women’s Soccer

Pomeroy in Senior Bowl

Henniker, n.h. — Thetford Academy alum Michaela Pomeroy of New England College was named to play in the NEWISA Senior Bowl, which was played on Dec. 1.

Pomeroy completed her senior year with 37 goals, which is tied with Jaycie Triandafilou for the most in program history. Pomeroy scored 16 goals and had nine assists as a senior.