HINESBURG, Vt. — Message sent.
The Woodstock High boys lacrosse team broadcast its intention to make a serious run at a VPA Division I state championship by going on the road and knocking off unbeaten division leader CVU, 8-6, final on Tuesday afternoon.
The Wasps (10-2) entered the day ranked fourth in D-I entering the final few days of the regular season.
“It was just a great team win, top to bottom. I’m really proud of the guys,” Woodstock coach Brandon Little said. “It was hard-fought. CVU is a strong team, as they always are.”
Woodstock answered two early CVU goals to knot it up at 2-2 before taking a 5-4 lead at halftime. Three more goals after the break had the visitors in front, 8-4, early in the fourth quarter. The Wasps’ defense held from there to lock up the win.
Keaton Piconi had five goals and two assists for Woodstock, and Field Willis netted two goals with one helper. Parker Kuhnert added a goal and an assist. Goalie Ethan Mello played what Little called an amazing game and had six saves.
“Our offense controlled the pace of the game with good ball control,” Little said. “We have a lot of confidence. Beating Essex earlier this year, beating Burr & Burton last weekend, then this game. They (CVU) will be the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, so we could see them again, for sure.”
CVU dropped to 12-1 with the loss. Woodstock hits the road again on Wednesday to play at Brattleboro at 7 p.m.
LEBANON — Griffin Auch had six goals and two assists to help the Raiders (6-6) win their fourth straight game and their second in 24 hours.
Hunter Grant added two goals and three assists for Lebanon. C.J. Childs had two of each. Griffin Urnezis had a goal and an assist. Alisdair MacPhail chipped in a goal. Noah Mekus matched Grant with three assists. Daniel Keefe had one assist.
Goalie James Barnett made 10 saves to anchor the Lebanon defense. The Raiders will look to improve to .500 when Stevens visits on Thursday to close out the regular season.
MONTPELIER — Carter Nalette had two goals and four assists to help the Canes improve to 9-4.
Joseph Barwood and Aidan Boonyaharn each had three goals for Hartford. Memphis Johnston added a goal. Gordon Willey and Chris Pierce each had a goal and an assist. Ezra Mock an Bentley Boonyaharn each chipped in one assist.
Hartford coach Grant Whiteway praised the overall team defense with special emphasis on Ethan Schaal and goalie Tarin Prior (18 saves).
The Canes are back in action at Stowe on Wednesday.
WINDHAM, N.H. — Hanover came out on the short end against the Jaguars, dropping to 6-3 on the season.
Hanover concludes the regular season with a rematch against Windham, this time at home, on Thursday.
THETFORD — The Panthers (10-3) outlasted Lake Region in an offensive battle.
Lucas Gilman had a pair of doubles, drove in one run and scored twice to pace the Thetford barrage. Logan Brinkman added a RBI double and two runs scored. Jacob Gilman had a RBI single and also scored twice.
Brinkman and Jacob Gilman did the bulk of the pitching for the Panthers with Brinkman going four innings for the win.
Thetford visits Randolph on Thursday.
SOUTH ROYALTON — The Wildcats (12-0) remained perfect atop VPA Division IV — barely — with a one-run decision over the second-place Bucks (10-3).
Weston Trombly’s one-out double scored Austin Tracy in the bottom of the seventh to end a nip-and tuck affair. WRV broke a 5-5 tie with a four-run sixth only to have the visitors match it in the top of the seventh.
Dominic Craven, WRV’s third pitcher, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to get the win. Jacob Barry scored four times from the leadoff spot and Carder Stratton drove in two runs.
WRV hosts Springfield on Thursday.
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The Wasps (4-8) were undone in the third inning when Springfield scored six runs to take command.
Starting pitcher Tom Bissaillon walked twice and scored two runs for Woodstock. Chase Christiansen also walked twice, singled and scored a run. Jackson Martin and Wyatt Begin each had RBI base hits.
Woodstock closes the regular season at Brattleboro on Thursday and at Leland & Gray on Saturday.
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Raiders shut out the visiting Olympians (3-10). Oxbow travels to Lake Region on Thursday and then concludes the regular season at North Country on Saturday.
EAST MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Olympians improved to 11-1 with a dominant win at U-32.
Anastase Bourgeois tossed all five innings for Oxbow, striking out four. She helped her own cause with three hits. Hadlee Allen matched that effort with three hits and both Allen and Bourgeois drove in three. Aspen Longmoore, Alex Kosakowski, Lily Lahaye and Laila Ellsworth had one hit each.
“The girls hit well today and the defense was solid. I’m very proud of how hard these girls are working,” Oxbow coach Chuck Simmons said.
The Olympians visit Lake Region on Thursday.
SOUTH ROYALTON — The Wildcats kept it perfect, now 13-0 this season, with a win over the Terriers.
Pitcher Chelsie Trask picked up her fifth win of the season with 11 strikeouts in five innings. Tanner Drury had three hits and scored three runs for the WRV offense. Blake Southworth, Fiona Vaillancourt, Toni Turner, Sadie Kinsley and Emily Bean also had hits.
WRV will visit Woodstock on Thursday.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The young Hurricanes dropped to 3-8 with the loss at the Patriots, who are one of the top teams in VPA Division I.
Marina Grassi pitched the first inning for Hartford. Logan Evans then went four innings in relief. Madison Willey had the lone Canes hit.
Hartford will host Bellows Falls for senior night on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
GILFORD, N.H. — The Tigers finished third overall in the girls’ half of the NHIAA Division III state championship meet at Gilford High.
Eliza Bates had a hand, or foot, in four wins for Newport. Bates took first in the 100-meter hurdles in 13.72 seconds and the 300 hurdles in 47.72. Bates then was a part of two winning relay teams, along with Morgan Roberts, Maddox Lovely and Taylor Fellows, in winning both the 4×100 and 4×400 meter relays. Lovely added a third place finish in the 400-meter dash in 1:01.80 and a fifth in the 100 meters in 13.72.
Mascoma’s Opal Shinnlinger won both the shot put and discus to help the Royals claim a share of 12th place.
The boys take their turn at D-III states on Wednesday afternoon.
Team scores:1. Hopkinton 68, 2. Newfound 49, 3. Newport 48, T4. Portsmouth Christian 46, T4. Campbell 46; T12. Mascoma 20.
BENNINGTON, Vt. — The Patriots rallied from a one-match deficit in singles to sweep doubles and nip the Wasps (5-6) in their regular-season finale.
Woodstock’s wins came at third, fourth and fifth singles. Sophia Nisimblatt (6-0, 6-0), Chloe Masillo (6-0, 6-1) and Meridian Joy-Piper (6-0, 6-0) all dominated in straight-sets victories. Three of MAU’s wins came in straight sets; the Patriots’ 6-3, 4-6, 10-6 win at second singles ultimately tipped the outcome their way.