A look at some of the Upper Valley residents who competed in collegiate varsity sports this winter:
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Lyndon State (7-18) featured sophomore guard Christian Hathorn (Wilder/Hartford). Hathorn started three of the 17 games in which he played and averaged 13.2 minutes and 3.8 points per contest… Castleton State (6-19) received 25.0 minutes and 11.4 points per game from senior guard Ben Seiler (Enfield/Mascoma), who had 17 assists and 44 turnovers. He appeared in every game and started all but two. Also appearing in every contest was junior guard Zach Thompson (Enfield/Mascoma) who started four times, averaging 5.5 points per contest with 49 assists and 39 turnovers… St. Michael’s (Vt.) was 19-14 with freshman John Kelley (Kimball Union Academy) starting two of the 31 games in which he played and averaging 14.3 minutes, 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest… Sophomore forward Max McClure (Meridan/KUA) briefly appeared in five games for Southern Maine (16-10)… New Hampshire Technical Institute was 5-15 during its first season under former Lebanon High coach Kieth Matte. Freshman guard Christian Forsythe (Newport) started 13 of the 19 games in which he played, averaging 23.6 minutes, 8.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per outing… Ave Maria (R.I.) University was 30-5 and reached the NAIA semifinals. Junior forward Jai White (Hanover/KUA) started one of the 10 games in which he played, averaging 9.9 minutes, 3.5 points and 1.6 rebounds… Junior forward Rodger Petermann (Windsor) played in 13 games for Paul Smith’s College (R.I.) averaged 2.8 minutes and 0.8 points a game… Colby-Sawyer was 2-23. Freshman forward Tobey Bellows (KUA) led the Chargers in scoring with an average of 12.3 points per game. He played in and started every game and averaged 31.1 minutes and 3.7 rebounds per outing.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Connecticut College was 14-11. Senior guard Catherine Cole (Lebanon) played in every game, starting 24 times and averaging 22.0 minutes and 6.8 points per game… Hailey Malozzi (KUA), a senior forward at Plymouth State (10-15), led the team for a second consecutive season with 13.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Isabella Bovell (Stevens) appeared in 17 games for the Panthers… Tufts (Mass.) University was 13-12 with junior guard Stella Galanes (Sharon/Hanover) playing every contest and averaging 19.5 minutes per game. She scored a season-high 28 points against Vassar… Junior forward Melissa Whitmore (Hanover), helped Trinity (Conn.) College go 16-9. She averaged 27.0 minutes, 8.5 points and 6.2 rebounds… Rivier (N.H.) University sophomore post player Sydney Perry (Windsor) started all 22 games in which she played for the Raiders (2-23), averaging 30.6 minutes, 10.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per outing… Keene State reached the Division III ECAC semifinals and enjoyed the services of sophomore guard Kiley Bundy (Claremont/Stevens), who played in every game and started 12 times for the Owls (19-10). She averaged 21.9 minutes, 5.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game… Junior forward Alyssa Paquette (Claremont/Stevens) started all but two of the 24 games in which she appeared for Eastern Connecticut State (9-17), averaging 25.5 minutes, 5.9 rebounds and 7.0 points… Norwich (13-13) University received averages of 26.2 minutes, 6.0 rebounds and 11.8 points from freshman guard Maggi Ellsworth (West Tophsham/Oxbow)… Freshman guard Sophia Rockwood (Windsor) started eight of the 24 games she played for Westfield (Mass.) State, which was 17-9. Rockwood averaged 17.8 minutes, 3.2 rebounds and 8.3 points… Junior guard Kayli Stapelfeld (Canaan/Mascoma), primarily a soccer player at Vermont State-Johnson, filled in on the hardwood, playing two games for a total of nine minutes. The Badgers were 5-20. She also competed in a track meet, finishing 45th out of as many runners in the 100 meters (17.3 seconds) and 40th out of 40 competitors in the 200 (37.1)… St. Lawrence (17-10) University enjoyed the services of sophomore forward Whitney Lewis (Thetford Academy), who appeared in 15 games and averaged 4.0 minutes per game… Freshman guard Brianna Barton (Windsor) appeared briefly in four games for Hartwick (N.Y.) College, which finished 6-19… Colby-Sawyer was 9-16 with sophomore guard Tanner Drury (Bethel/White River Valley) playing every game and starting all but two contests. She averaged 29.9 minutes, 10.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per outing. Freshman teammate and guard Taylor Fellows (Croydon/Newport) appeared in every game and averaged 16.6 minutes, 4.1 points and 2.0 rebounds.
MEN’S HOCKEY
Middlebury was 9-7-2 this winter with senior forward Zach Whitehead (Meridan) playing 10 times… Nathan Chickering (Grantham/Lebanon) was a senior forward at the University of New England (21-7), which lost in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. He had 14 goals and 16 assists and played in every game… Tufts (12-12-1) received three goals and four assists from junior defenseman Sylas Oberting (Hanover), who played every contest for the Jumbos… Assumption (Mass.) College was 23-8-2 and won the Northeast 10 Conference postseason tournament title. Junior forward Sean Donoghue (KUA) produced two goals and an assist in 21 games… Junior forward Bryce Bollman (KUA) played in every contest for Maine’s Bowdoin College (18-7-1). He had nine goals and 10 assists… Trinity was 12-11-1 with sophomore forward Micheal Sullo (KUA) posting one assist in 15 games… Michigan was 31-7-1, top-ranked in NCAA Division I and headed to the national semifinals in Las Vegas by the end of March. Senior defenseman Luca Fantilli (KUA) had played in every game and contributed four goals and 13 assists… Hamilton (N.Y.) College won the NCAA Division III title, finishing 23-5-1 and handing top-ranked Hobart its first loss of the season in the finals. Junior defenseman Lucas Constantine (KUA) had two goals and eight assists in 27 games.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
Lake Forest (Ill.) College was 12-16 with junior forward Ella Maher (Lebanon) playing in every outing, contributing eight goals and five assists and finishing as the Foresters’ third-leading scorer for the second consecutive season… Sophomore defender Olivia Pollard (Grantham/Lebanon) appeared in 15 games for Keene State (10-16). Senior teammate Grace Bazin, a Bellows Falls High graduate and defenseman who played ice hockey at Hartford, had two goals and two assists in 20 games after finishing the Owls’ field hockey season… Trinity junior forward Kate French (Norwich/KUA) had four goals and two assists in 25 games for the Bantams (7-15)… New England College was 6-19 with junior forward Samantha Babbitt (Weathersfield/Woodstock) producing two goals and four assists while playing in 22 games… Sophomore defenseman Sophia Chedel (KUA) contributed three assists for St. Michael’s (1-33)… Nazareth was 27-2-1 and reached the NCAA Division III final. Senior forward Abby Flanagan (KUA) had four goals and three assists in 27 games for the Golden Flyers… Amherst (Mass.) College senior defenseman Gretchen Dann (Hanover/KUA) was an NCAA Division III first team All-American and helped the Mammoths (21-3-6) to the division championship game. She was the team’s second-leading scorer with 26 points on 15 goals and 11 assists while playing every game. Amherst is 90-15-9 the last four seasons.
SKIING
Dartmouth senior skier Jack Lange (Lyme/Hanover) earned three top-10 freestyle finishes, including a season-high fourth place at the Eastern Intercollegiate Skiing Association championship. He was 32nd in the 20K freestyle and 33rd in the 7.5K classic at the NCAA Division I championship… Sarah Glucek (Hanover), a sophomore at Maine’s Colby College, was part of the Mules’ sixth-place finish at the University of Vermont carnival, coming in 51st in the 10k skate event in 33:45… On the men’s side of that same carnival, St. Michael’s freshman Quinn Uva was 33rd in the 10k freestyle (28:11). The Purple Knights were sixth out of 14 teams… St. Lawrence’s men’s nordic team was seventh at the NCAA Eastern Regionals. Sophomore Evan Nichols (Lyme/Hanover) was 22nd in 52:43… Bowdoin (Maine) junior Sawyer Weale (Lebanon) finished 37th in the 10k skate nordic race at the Williams carnival, crossing in 27:10… Williams (Mass.) College junior nordic competitor Ann Rightmire (Hanover) was the Ephs’ top finisher in the 7.5k classic in 40th place (27:14) and in the 20k classic at 32nd (59:02) during the season-ending Middlebury carnival. Williams was ninth out of 14 teams… Clarkson (N.Y.) University freshman Madeline Allen (KUA) was 41st out of 89 skiers in 2:30 at the Vermont State University-Castleton carnival. The Golden Knights were second out of eight teams.
SWIMMING
Norwich won the five-team Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship meet for the fourth consecutive season with senior Brandy Lewis (Strafford) placing seventh in the 200-yard freestyle (2:22)… Plymouth State was ninth of 11 teams at the LEC swimming championship with junior Vickie Ni (Lebanon) posting a personal record of 38.3 seconds while finishing 25th in the 50-yard butterfly preliminaries… Husson University freshman Andrew Prince (Grafton/Mascoma) was part of his Maine school’s fourth-place finish at the LEC championship, finishing 14th in the 100-yard freestyle in 52:88… Finishing third in the 500 freestyle (5:11) during a three-way meet with Bates and Bowdoin late in the season was Colby freshman Iris Freeman (Hanover). The Mules won and improved their dual-meet record to 18-0 during the past two seasons.
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
For a second consecutive winter, Georgetown (D.C.) University junior Birhanu Harriman (Lebanon) finished third at the Big East Conference championships in the 5,000 meters (14:16). The Hoyas finished sixth out of nine teams… Keene State won the LEC title with junior Griffin Urnezis (Meriden/Lebanon) placing third in the 3,000 (8:58)… University of Vermont junior Tommy Wolfe (Grantham/Lebanon) ran a personal best in the mile (4:17) at the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association meet in early March… Zed McNaughton (Woodstock), a junior at Hamilton, ran personal bests in the 3,000 (8:52) and the 5,000 (16:04) during February… Payton Bessette (White River Junction/Hartford), a St. Lawrence sophomore, placed 23rd in the 60 meters (7.43) as the Saints finished fifth out of eight teams at the Liberty League championships… Franklin Pierce sophomore Gabe Guillette (Hartford) set a personal best in the 60 meters (7.54) midway through the winter… St. Anselm’s Peter Hogan (Newport) set a personal best and was second in the heptathlon (4,536 points) at the Northeast-10 Conference championships. His team was fourth out of seven schools competing… Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.) won its third consecutive Liberty League championship with senior Tobin Durham (Corinth/Thetford Academy) finishing fourth in the 5,000 (15:16) and 14th in the 3,000 (8:47)… Husson was eighth out of as many teams at the Division III Maine State championship. Freshman Oden Schlager (Bradford/Oxbow) was part of a sixth-place 4×800 team (9:52) and finished 23rd in the 400 (59.50)… At that same meet, Colby sophomore Will Parker (Hanover) was eighth in the mile (4:41). The Mules finished third… Gettysburg (Pa.) College freshman John Murphy IV (Grantham) ran a personal best and finished 29th in the 5,000 (16:06) at the Centennial Conference championship, where the Bullets finished sixth out of nine teams… Williams (Mass.) College sophomore Jordan Davis (Hartland/Hartford) posted a career high score in the heptathlon (2,593) at the Middlebury Winter Classic… Bennett Moreno (West Hartford/Hartford) was third in the 800 (1:53) at the Big South Conference championship. The UNC-Ashville freshman helped the Bulldogs finish fourth out of eight teams…. Union (N.Y.) College was sixth out of eight teams at the Liberty League championships. Sophomore Aidan Bradley (Norwich/Hanover) was 21st in the 400 (52.3) and part of a sixth-place 4×400 relay team (3:32)… Freshman Kyle Ashley (Newport) threw the shot for Navy in three meets this winter, his best effort coming in at 44’10”… Franklin Pierce senior Ben Gilbert (Windsor) was seventh in the shot put (45’8”) and fourth in the discus (136’8”) at the Northeast-10 Conference championship. The Ravens were third out of eight teams… Colby-Sawyer was last at the five-team Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship. Senior Ashton Meuse (Newport) was ninth in the mile (5:18) and classmate and brother Peyton Meuse (Newport) was fifth in the 5,000 (18:25).
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Southern Maine senior captain Janiah Young (Perkinsville/Windsor) set personal bests in the 55 meters (7.35) and the 400 meters (1:01) this winter before placing ninth in the 200 (25.09) at the New England Division III championships. She was second in the 60 meters (7.92) at the LEC championships, which the Huskies won for a sixth consecutive time… At that same meet, Southern Maine junior Wynter Simack (South Royalton/White River Valley) was seventh in the pole vault (7’5”), a career best… For a second consecutive season, Connecticut College sophomore Maddy Thaxton (East Thetford/Thetford Academy) set personal bests in the shot put (29’5”) and the weight toss (33’11”)… Vermont State Castleton finished eighth out of nine teams at the LEC meet, with senior Bethany Davis (White River Junction/Hartford) placing 12th in the 3000 (11:47)… Plymouth State was seventh at the same competition and senior Kylie Taylor (Orford/Rivendell) was second in the hammer toss (140’1”). A week later, she set a career mark in that event at 144’2”… St. Lawrence senior Amelia Berthold (Hanover) hit personal bests in six events throughout the winter and in the pentathlon overall (3,140 points) when she placed second in the All Atlantic Track & Field Conference championship… Saints freshman teammate Maya Dixon (Post Mills/Thetford Academy) helped her squad finish sixth out of eight schools with a personal best in the 60-meter hurdles (10.24). She was 16th out of 18 women in the race… Another St. Lawrence competitor, Kiran Black (South Strafford/Thetford Academy), posted personal bests in the 60 meters (8.72), the 200 (29.14) and the long jump (15’8”) during the Utica Winter Opener meet in mid-January… Bates was second out of eight Division III teams at the State of Maine championships. Senior Kayla Burnham (Hartland/Hartford) finished 12th in the 5,000 at 21:12… Bowdoin won that same meet, freshman Izzy Cellini (Woodstock) finishing sixth in the 1,000 (3:19)… Jillian Barry (South Royalton/White River Valley), a junior at Springfield (Mass.) College, established her best mark in the 60 meters (8.84) early in the campaign… Southern Connecticut graduate student Ella Maclean (Hanover) won the 55 meters (7.19) on her home track during an early-season meet… Setting a personal best and finishing 13th in the America East Conference championships was University of New Hampshire freshman Maddox Lovely (Newport), who scored 2,583 points. The Wildcats were sixth out of nine teams… Colby-Sawyer freshman Anna Preece (Windsor) was 17th in the long jump (11’2”) during the GNAC championship, during which the Chargers were fourth out of six teams. Classmate Jacklyn Anderson (Hanover) was fifth in the mile (5:51).
Tris Wykes can be reached at ctwykes@aol.com.