BARRE — A narrow loss to Colchester at the beginning of the night lit a fire under the Spaulding wrestling team, which capped the evening with a dominating performance against Mount Mansfield on Thursday.
The Lakers secured a 42-39 win over the Crimson Tide after taking advantage of superior numbers, but the Granite City crew bounced back in style with a 48-11 win over the Cougars. Even though the Tide’s inability to enter wrestlers in the lightest weight divisions was costly, it was clear that Spaulding’s potential is sky-high as the team competed for the fourth time this winter.
Colchester built a 24-0 lead before things even started because Spaulding did not field wrestlers in four categories. Colchester’s Mason Sheltra earned a victory via a forfeit at 106 pounds and teammate Cahota Lafond also prevailed by forfeit at 113 pounds. Jaden Copping triumphed at 120 pounds without having to lift a finger and Lakers teammate Aiden Pery won in uncontested fashion at 126 pounds.
Spaulding’s Michael Grasso finally gave the home fans reason to cheer at 132 pounds during the first bout. The Tide freshman served up a first-round pin, closing the gap to 24-6.
“We knew Mikey Grasso would have to get the ball rolling,” Spaulding coach Darren O’Meara said. “And he has got the ball rolling for us every time this season. I can’t overstate how impressive that is for a freshman to do that. He has one loss on the season, and that was in overtime against a Keene kid in his first tournament of the season. He’s had eight wins in a row, so that’s a big deal. He’s showing a level of maturity that’s unusual for somebody of that age and unusual for someone who started in seventh grade.”
Spaulding’s John Marcelus made his season debut after recovering from an arm injury and pinned Levi Gardner in 37 seconds at 138 pounds. Elias Kalat took command early in his 144-pound showdown vs. Tate Smith and earned a pin in under a minute, slicing the deficit to 24-18. Leo Johnson stepped onto the mat at 150 pounds for the Tide and gave his team its fourth consecutive pin by taking care of business in the first round, knotting things up at 24-24.
“We knew that when you’re down that much, you have to do something like that,” O’Meara said of the four straight pins. “Colchester is a good team and they were runner-up to Mount Anthony last year. And there was talk of them unseating them last year – and maybe even this year. Most of those kids in their lineup have been wrestling since real early in youth – they’re kids who have been wrestling forever. And we have some kids that only have a year or two of experience.”
The 157-pound clash between Spaulding’s Landin Larrabee and Colchester’s Brody Coppins featured two of Vermont’s more experienced grapplers in that weight class. For the first time all evening, the opening round came to a conclusion with both opponents still in contention. Larrabee served up a second-round takedown and things were tied up at 4-4 entering the final two minutes following two successful escapes by Coppins. Larrabee built a two-point lead with 37 seconds remaining and closed things out with a late takedown to secure a 10-6 minor-decision victory, giving Spaulding its first lead of the night at 27=24.
The 165-round action pitted Spaulding’s Jacob Cray against Colchester’s Skylar Lamphere. After establishing a 4-3 lead, Lamphere pinned Cray late in the first round to help the Lakers regain the lead at 30-27.
Reigning Times Argus Football Player of the Year Gabe Hoar represented Spaulding at 175 pounds against Colchester’s Owen Fullerton. After some back-and-forth action in the early stages of the match, Fullerton put Hoar on his back and secured a pin to extend the lead to 36-27. Spaulding’s Max Laperle pinned his opponent during the first round at 190 pounds, slicing the gap to 36-33.
Colchester’s Jordan Lajoie clinched the team victory by pinning Caleb Hoar at 215 pounds. Spaulding’s Phillip Maurice pinned RJ Collins at 285 pounds, resulting in the final outcome.
Colchester cruised to a 66-10 victory over Mount Mansfield before the Cougars made their way back to the mat for a clash against Spaulding, with both teams taking offsetting forfeits at 106, 113, and 120 pounds. The Tide forfeited the 126-pound match and then Grasso, Marcellus and Kalat inherited victories for an 18-6 lead.
Mount Mansfield’s James Ripley took on Johnson at 144 pounds. Johnosn carried a 4-2 lead into the final round and stayed in control for a 7-4 advantage entering the final minute of action. Ripley got one point back, but Johnson recorded a late takedown for a 10-5 victory.
Spaulding was awarded a victory via forfeit at 150 pounds and quickly found itself in the driver’s seat with a 27-6 lead in the team competition after Larrabee beat Miles prevailed at 157 pounds.
Mount Mansfield’s Jack Arpey defeated Cray at 165 pounds to make it 27-11. Spaulding’s Joe Hiscock took on Cougar Nate Messier at 175 pounds and the two grapplers went the distance, with Hiscock serving up a 5-2 victory.
Laperle returned to the spotlight at 190 pounds and made quick work of his opponent while earning a first-round pin for a 36-11 advantage. Calbe Hoar pinned MMU’s Austin Young in a matter of seconds at 215 pounds and then Maurice pinned Taylor Scott during the first round at 285 pounds.
Spaulding will travel to Maine on Wednesday for the two-day Noble Invitational.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Harwood 56,
Missisquoi 33
DUXBURY — Senior Quinn Nelson recorded her third straight double-double Thursday and the Highlanders weren’t fazed by an early deficit while overpowering the Thunderbirds.
Nelson finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds for HU and teammate Eloise Lilley contributed 31 points, seven steals and three blocked shots.
“I was glad to see the kids come out for another game with a packed gym and they played the way we expect them to play,” Harwood coach Tom Young said “We had a lot of unselfish play and Quinn Nelson played one of her best games tonight in a Harwood uniform. And she did some great things as a captain to get some other kids some points too. It was another game of Eloise being Eloise and I’m so glad she’s on our team: It’s a privilege. Overall, the kids are buying in and I’m really proud of our man-to-man defense. So far this season the most points we’ve given up in a game is 36.”
Roanha Chalmers chipped in with five points for HU, while Kelsey Paradee (15 points) led the way for MVU. Harwood held leads of 13-12 after one quarter, 35-16 after two and 50-17 after three.
“They were up 12-8 and they took a timeout in the first quarter,” Young said. “And after that our defense finally clicked and we only gave up one point for the rest of the quarter. I’m really pleased with Maddie Ryley and the way she’s playing at point guard and the way her defense is starting to come together.”
Harwood (3-0) will host U-32 on Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. Missisquoi (3-2) will travel to play BFA-Fairfax the same evening.
Montpelier 60, Stowe 19
MONTPELIER — A 28-point effort by Ireland Donahue was too much for the Raiders to handle during Thursday’s lopsided Capital Division action.
Donahue also contributed six assists and four steals, capping one of the most impressive single-game performances by a MHS player in decades.
“Willow Sterling-Proulx and Ireland Donahue did a great job distributing the ball,” MHS coach Haidi Arias said. “All of our players scored and we really tried to work on our defense and not foul. Offensively, we tried working the ball around and we were getting the whole team involved.”
A putback and two layups by Donahue gave MHS an early 6-2 advantage. An old-fashioned three-point play by Donahue and two foul shots by Regan Walke (five points) made it an 11-4 contest midway through the first quarter. Another field goal and two foul shots by Donahue extended the lead to 15-4. A 3-pointer by Marin Leonardo (eight points) gave Stowe a quick spark, but McKenzie Nostrant responded with two foul shots for MHS. Donahue assisted Leyla Milak and then Donahue capped the first quarter with a basket in transition for a 21-7 lead.
A putback by Andrea St. Amour kept things rolling for MHS at the start of the second quarter and then Donahue set up Natalie Quinn for a basket in the paint. Donahue went 2 of 2 from the line for a 27-8 advantage heading into the final two minutes of the opening quarter. Donahue assisted Iris Toohey, Walke went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line and Donahue converted a putback before a buzzer-beating bank shot by Donahue sent the Solons into halftime with a 34-8 advantage.
Montpelier stretched its lead to 41-8 in the opening minutes of the third quarter, prompting a Stowe timeout. Milak, Quinn and Nostrant padded the lead to 46-8 before the Raiders finally scored five points at the end of the quarter. A basketball by Jada Lewis (six points, five rebounds) in the opening minute of the fourth quarter, a turnaround jumper by Donahue and a Quinn bucket kept Montpelier in complete control.
The Solons (2-2) will face Spaulding at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Barre Aud. Stowe (0-3) will host Peoples Academy on Dec. 28 at 5:30 p.m.
Lyndon 56, U-32 41
LYNDON — Another day at the office for Brooke’lyn Robinson (26 points) lifted the Vikings to Thursday’s double-digit victory over the Raiders.
Clara Wilson (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Natalie Beauregard (14 points, 10 rebounds) paced the visitors. U-32 (1-1) will travel to play Harwood on Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. Lyndon (1-1) will host Lake Region the same day at 6:30 p.m.
Winooski 44,
Northfield 38
WINOOSKI — The Marauders climbed a big mountain after facing a 24-12 halftime deficit and pulled within three points of the Spartans before their comeback bid fell short at the end Thursday.
Winooski’s top scorers were Winner Mampuya (16 points) and MJ Htoo (10 points, 13 rebounds). Northfield was paced by Emma Korrow (15 points).
The Marauders (0-3) will host Vergennes on Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. The Spartans (1-3) will travel to play BFA-Fairfax on Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
Peoples 27,
Twinfield-Cabot 24
MORRISVILLE — Sophie Beck (12 points) and Svannah Haney (eight points) guided the Wolves to a satisfying payback victory over the Trojans and Huskies on Thursday.
Jorja Washburn scored a dozen points for the visitors, who carried a 22-18 lead into the final quarter before the Wolves used lockdown defense to complete the comeback. The Trojans and Huskies kicked off the season with a 56-40 victory over the Wolves before cruising to a 41-30 victory over Rivendell.
Peoples (1-2) will face Hazen at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Barre Aud. Twinfield-Cabot (2-1) will host Northfield on Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
Spaulding 44,
Lake Region 31
ORLEANS — The Crimson Tide kicked off a busy stretch of two games in three days by overpowering the Rangers during their Capital Division opener Thursday. Spaulding (2-2) will take on Montpelier at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Barre Aud. Lake Region (0-4) will travel to play Lyndon on Dec. 28 at 6:30 p.m.
