Good Morning! With the Border Country Sports Report, I’m Keith Harrington.
Fair Haven Rallies to Claim Division II Crown
It sure didn’t look promising early. Fair Haven found themselves trailing 17-2 early and by 12 at the half. However, the Slaters refused to lose. No. 2 Fair Haven erased both the first-quarter and halftime deficit to rally past top-seed defending champion North Country 55-50 to claim the Vermont Division II girls basketball crown Saturday at the Barre Auditorium.
The Falcons came out on fire, but the Slaters were able to weather the storm. Fair Haven cut their deficit to single digits by the end of the opening stanza, but North Country recovered to lead 30-18 at the half.
The Slaters battled their way back in the third behind the hot shooting of Izzy Cole who talled nine points in the quarter.
The fourth was a see-saw affair with the teams trading the lead back-and-forth. The final lead change came with Fair Haven grabbing a 50-48 advantage on a Maddy Perry trey. The Slaters held on the rest of the way with Perry and Elizabeth Love converting key free throws.
Cole led Fair Haven with 19 points. Kate Hadwen added 12. Perry contributed eight, Love seven, and Victoria Kelley six.
Sabine Brueck led North Country with a double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds. Josi Fortin had nine points, and Aaliyah Wilson seven.
Fair Haven ends the season 20-4 with their fourth state championship. North Country finishes 21-3.
Westside Tames Mountain Lions for State Title
West Rutland Captured their third straight state title and sixth in program history as they pulled away in the fourth quarter to tame top-seeded Long Trail 49-38 in the Vermont Division IV girls basketball championship game at the Barre Auditorium.
The Mountain Lions led 7-3 early, but Westside took an 11-9 lead on a 3-pointer from Emily Trapanier and never gave it up. The Golden Horde led 15-9 after the first.
West Rutland led 24-15 at the break but Long Trail sliced the deficit to 33-28 heading to the fourth.
The Golden Horde opened the final frame on a 6-2 run to lead 39-30, increased the lead to as much as 12 after a trey from Peyton Guay, and held on the remainder of the contest.
Guay led West Rutland with 22 points. Aubrey Beaulieu added 11. Bella Coombs contributed eight points and 14 rebounds.
Olivia Cole-Bugay led the Mountain Lions with 16 points. Camilla Marcy chipped in nine.
Molly Luikart pulled down 10 rebounds.
West Rutland finishes 21-3. Long Trail ends the season 21-2.
North Warren Edges Schoon Lake-Newcomb
North Warren is headed back to the state Final Four, but they certainly had to work for it. The Cougars edged Schoon Lake-Newcomb 57-56 with a bucket in the final seconds in the Class D regional final at Clinton Community College Saturday afternoon.
The victory gives North Warren a return trip to Cool Insuring Arena for the state semifinals.
The Section VII champions had taken a 56-55 lead in the closing seconds with a free throw. North Warren eighth grader Semaj Cuyler then took the inbounds pass, dribbled the length of the court, drove the lane, and kissed a shot of the glass to give the Cougars the lead.
A last-second attempt for the win by Schroon Lake-Newcomb rolled off the rim and the Cougars held on for the win.
The game was tight throughout. The Wild Huskies led 13-12 after a quarter, but the Cougars grabbed a 27-24 lead at the half.
North Warren used an 11-9 third quarter to lead 38-33 heading to the final stanza.
Schroon Lake-Newcomb outscored the Cougars 23-19 in the fourth, but Cuyler’s clutch shot allowed North Warren to secure the win.
Wyatt Jennings connected on five 3-pointers to lead North Warren with 17 points. Cuyler added 16 and Derrick Tyrell 14.
Logan Bush paced the Wild Huskies with a game-high 28 points.
North Warren improved to 20-4. Schroon Lake ends their campaign 16-8.
