BARRE, Vt. — The 97-year championship drought for the Hartford High boys’ basketball program will extend to 98 as the Hurricanes came up just short in Saturday’s VPA Division II state championship, falling to Lamoille High, 56-53 at Barre Auditorium.
Lancers’ junior Ryan Clark found himself at the free throw line with 4.1 seconds remaining, with his squad leading 55-53.
He hit the first free throw, but missed the second, setting up a final heave from the Canes in the contest’s waning moments that hit the glass, bounced off the rim, and out, clinching a state title for No. 2 seed Lamoille.
Saturday’s loss not only broke up the No. 1 seed Canes’ bid for their first title in nearly a century, but also a perfect season. Hartford was unbeaten in 22 games leading up to the state final.
“I don’t think it was anything our kids did wrong, and I don’t think it was anything our coaches did wrong — they just shot the ball really well,” Hartford Head Coach Mike Gaudette said. “They got to a lot of second chance opportunities, they made them, they didn’t shoot like that all year.”
While Lamoille’s offense clicked, Hartford’s struggled, at least to their standards. The Canes scored their fewest points in a game since they scored 42 in a win over Burr & Burton on Feb. 16.
“We missed some bunnies that we usually make in the fourth quarter — I think nerves play into that,” Gaudette said. “We got good looks, and I think we tightened up a little bit at the end, and that’s expected — they’re young kids, and this is a big stage for them — it’s just one of those days.”
Saturday’s contest featured tremendous back-and-forth action from the opening tip, with the squads trading leads for most of the game.
The Hurricanes held a 17-13 lead at the end of the first quarter, in large part because of senior Kole Fotion.
With the frame tied 11-11 with 1:45 remaining, the senior, who was the Canes’ leading scorer on the night with 14 points, outscored Lamoille, 6-2, to end the quarter and give his squad an early lead.
The tightly contested action continued in the second quarter. The largest margin between the teams in the period was just four points. However, the Lancers held the edge going into halftime as senior Isaac Schroeder hit a three-pointer in the final seconds to give his squad a 28-27 lead.
Late in the third quarter, the Lancers led by as much as six points. But the senior trio of Noah Jenks, who finished with 13 points, Fotion, and Thomas Thorburn scored seven unanswered points to go up 40-39 with 53 seconds left in the frame.
Schroeder would go on to hit a free throw with 25 seconds remaining to end the run, and the game was tied at 40 going into the fourth quarter.
In a final quarter that featured multiple lead changes, the Lancers held a 54-51 lead with under 45 seconds left.
The Canes, looking to tie the game, turned the ball over with about 30 seconds left and fouled, sending Lamoille back to the charity stripe.
Schroeder hit one of his two free throws to put the Lancers up four. Hartford senior Noah Danieli scored with 10 seconds left to put his squad within two at 55-53.
Although the Canes had a shot to tie the game at the buzzer after Clark went one of two at the line, the last-ditch heave was not meant to be.
“I’m proud of our kids; they worked til the end,” Gaudette said. “The memories they gave me this year, I’ll never forget, and they’re certainly not going to be defined by one game.”
While the loss stings, Gaudette said it doesn’t sting as badly as not having his senior class return.
“They’ve created quite a legacy at Hartford High School and raised the bar for our younger kids,” he said. “I’m proud of everything we accomplished this year.”
