WILLIAMSTOWN, Vt. — The Thetford Academy girls basketball team isn’t afraid of a little hard work. After all, it sometimes comes with victorious benefits.
Riding a season-high 15 points from Kelsey Smith, the Panthers muscled their way to a 50-38 win over Williamstown on Monday night. A few days after struggling for a half in a 14-point loss at Windsor, Thetford (4-3) toughed out a victory against a team that rarely yields them willingly.
“It was a grind-out game,” TA coach Eric Ward said. “Williamstown made us work. We are just a bit off but know, with a good week of practice, we will be ready for Rivendell on Saturday and the playoffs starting next week.”
Up 15-14 after one quarter, the Panthers held the Blue Devils to single digits each of the final three periods. Emma Colby and Addie Cadwell both had nine-point nights for Thetford, and Namya Benjamin added eight points of support.
SOUTH ROYALTON — Maggie McKearin posted a game-high 30 points as the Phantoms proved too quick for the Wildcats (2-3).
Jillian Barry and Toni Turner both scored eight points for WRV. Turner’s tally was a season-best for the senior.
The two teams stage a rematch in Proctor on Thursday.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The Slaters (8-0) stayed perfect on the season at the expense of the Hurricanes’ senior night at Hanley Gymnasium.
Emily Wright had a season-high 10 points for the Canes, who were held to two points in the opening quarter.
Hartford (4-4) travels to Mill River on Thursday to wrap the regular-season schedule.
BRADFORD, Vt. — The Olympians (1-7) kept pace with the Raptors (6-2) but couldn’t get over the hump in a high-scoring affair at Mona Garone Gym.
Rivendell owned a 23-19 lead after one quarter and stayed in front, but never comfortably. Kyle Carter had 15 of his team-best 27 points in the opening period to get the Raptors going, and Chris Pierce had seven of his 17 in the fourth quarter to keep the visitors in front. Jameson Gilbert added nine point for Rivendell.
Bryce Ilsley posted his third straight 30-point game for the O’s, netting a game-high 36 points, two off his career best. Andrew Emerson added 16 for Oxbow in his best outing of the season.
“Every time it seemed we were about to put them away, Ilsley would come up with a big scoring play,” Rivendell coach Russ Convertino said. “Oxbow adjusted in the second half, mixed up defenses and tried different strategies to slow down Carter. Carter recognized this and was able to make the right pass and the right play.”
The Raptors host Proctor and Oxbow heads to Randolph in their respective season finales on Thursday.
THETFORD — A rough fourth quarter from the floor doomed the Panthers (2-5) to a Vaughan Gym loss to the Blue Devils.
Thetford took a 46-42 lead into the final stanza, then shot 2-for-17 over the final eight minutes. Williamstown took advantage, getting five points apiece from Thomas Parrott and Michael Murphy in the fourth to pull off the comeback. Parrott finished with a game-high 23 points for the visitors.
Eli Dunnet had 13 points, Jackson Ramson contributed 12, and Ryen Wolf and Nick Gray chipped in 10 each for TA, which wrap the regular season against Spaulding on Friday.