Sports Central

Because I know you were wondering...

Those watching the Memphis games all NCAA tournament and season long, the Anderson who plays for Memphis, Antonio Anderson, is the younger brother of Manchester Millrat/ABA All-Star MVP/ABA League MVP Anthony Anderson, who played at UMass-Amherst. Former coaching home of current Memphis coach John Callipari? UMass-Amherst. Coach Cal didn't coach the elder Anderson, however.

--Anna Grearson

Cabot boys back in action

A story developed and un-developed over 24 hours involving the Cabot boys varsity and junior varsity basketball teams.

A Cabot parent informed the Times Argus of an incident involving a rumor that a player told the administration about at least one other player smoking marijuana on the trip home from a game at Concord last Wednesday. It was unclear whether the incident happened on the bus or at a dinner stop at the St. Johnsbury McDonalds. The season was suspended over the weekend - no games were missed, just practice on Friday and Monday - while an investigation was completed, which I corroborated with the chairman of the Cabot School Board, Chris Tormey. The issue was brought up and sent to executive session at the Cabot School Board meeting Monday night.

"There was information brought forward to the administration about violation of drug policy, and late last week, practice and games of boys were suspended over the weekend. Disciplinary action was taken and practices resumed today. We're looking forward to the start of the Cabot Tournament on Friday and finishing up Saturday," Tormey said.

Tormey deferred specifics to the Superintendent, who along with other members of the Cabot administration and athletics staff, did not immediately return phone calls placed Tuesday afternoon.

Regardless:

"The investigation is completed, proper actions completed based on the school’s drug and alcohol policy and the season has resumed," Tormey said Tuesday night.

This is the second instance of marijuana use by a high school boys basketball team on a road trip that I have heard of in the last 5 or 6 years, and the fourth instance of a violation of drug and alcohol policy by a high school athlete this school year that I can think of off the top of my head. Spaulding is halfway through at least four suspensions stemming from a winter break underage drinking party; U-32 lost a football player to a possession arrest late in the season and other athletes were involved in a Facebook party picture 'scandal,' and a CVU boys basketball star was in a courtroom on drug charges hours before suiting up on the hardcourt earlier this season. Anyone else seeing an alarming pattern here?

--Anna Grearson 

Chaloux, Cox in double figures in Colby-Sawyer win

Pete doesn't exactly enjoy it when I just copy-paste things into this blog, but, tonight that's what I'm doing. I just got this release from the Colby-Sawyer men's basketball win over Castleton State, and there's more than a few familiar names in it from both sides.

Chargers Cruise Past Castleton

NEW LONDON, N.H. - December 4, 2007 – Junior Duncan Szeliga (Newmarket, N.H.) scored a game-high 25 points and Junior Ryan Murray (Killingworth, Conn.) added 11 rebounds as the Chargers of Colby-Sawyer defeated the Castleton State Spartans 84-70 in non-conference men’s basketball action Tuesday night.

Down by seven, 26-19, with seven minutes left in the first half, Colby-Sawyer rattled off the game’s next 17 points, taking a commanding 10 point lead, 36-26, into the halftime locker room.

In the second half, the Chargers added to their lead, pushing the Castleton deficit to as many as 24 (57-33) with just over 12 minutes remaining in the game.  The Spartans cut the deficit to 11, 66-55, with just under six minutes remaining in the game, but the Colby-Sawyer defense held, as the Chargers went on to the 84-70 victory.

Dave Rosso (Wilmington, Vt.) added 16 points for the Chargers while the Colby-Sawyer tandem of Chrispatrick Cox and Jon Chaloux, both from Barrie, Vt., added 11 and 12 points respectively. 

For Castleton, Alden Gregory (Corinth, Maine) led the way with 21 points while Josh Howe (Randolph, Vt.), Joey Farley (Fairlee, Vt.) and Kevin Cayea (Red Hook, N.Y.) all scored in double figures, adding 14, 13 and 10 respectively. 

Colby-Sawyer (4-2) returns to action on Thursday, December 6 when they travel to Bowdoin College for a 5:30 p.m. match-up with the Polar Bears. Castleton (2-4) returns to action on Thursday, Dec. 13 when they host New England College in a 7:30 p.m. match-up.

Get out of the stands

Here's a good idea to, hopefully, silence those who feel that high school basketball exists for the sole purpose of disagreeing with every call made by every official in every game. With the regular and unwarranted abuse heaped on officials it should come as no surprise that people aren't exactly breaking down the doors to officiate high school games, and the referees are looking for a few or more good men and women.

Classes for new basketball officials will be held at Spaulding High School beginning on Oct. 29 from 6:30-9 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. To register, or for more information, contact Gary Lavin at 802-479-9118 or Ed Clodfelter at 802-229-0967.

The loudest of you who prefer officiating from the stands should put up (in the form of signing up for the classes) or shut up (and at least not drive those who do take whistle in hand away from the court).

And there's money in it too.

College basketball, pros and cons

So, as of tomorrow night, college basketball is officially over. Consider my life on hold until November.

I used to say the collegiate game was my favorite by far over the NBA, but, the egos are coming, the egos are coming! And along with egos come the dollars, the deals, the hype, the everything I hate about the NBA game. Regardless, I'm sad to see it be put away for the summer.

How do you all feel about the difference between the NCAA and NBA?

Bring on the Vols, bring on Rutgers - should be an excellent game.

--Anna Grearson

Area schools show support at the Aud

This time of year, the Barre Aud brings a variety of basketball fans out into the cold for some heated hoops action. But for as long as I can remember, the student sections were reserved for students of the two schools looking to keep respective seasons alive.

At tonight's Division II boys semifinal between Montpelier and Mount Abraham, it seems like every time I scanned the student section from the far press box at the Barre Auditorium tonight, I came up with more and more students not from the two competing schools.

I saw basketball players from the Montpelier girls team, but with them were students from U-32, Chelsea, Williamstown, Spaulding and probably others I didn't recognize. Even one football player who I know has graduated from Spaulding was right there in the mix. Weird.

AAU and other summer league basketball along other sports (and after-school jobs, other activities like theater and whathaveyou) have brought students from the area schools together more so than in the past, but the Aud has traditionally been a place where one doesn't disclose any sort of relations with other schools. I definitely went to games at the Aud when I was a Spaulding student, but I certainly stayed as far away from the student section as possible. It was just the way it was. And that was five short years ago.

What has changed?

- Anna Grearson

   

slim pickings with local teams in the winter playoffs

In taking a look at the pairings on the VPA website, I can't help but wonder what went so wrong in central Vermont for almost all of our teams to make early exits from the boys and girls state hockey and basketball tournaments?

The Montpelier boys basketball team remains the lone team carrying the torch for the majority of our readership area. No pressure, guys.

This is what I found upon scrolling through the eight basketball and four hockey brackets:

Girls Basketball Division I:

Spaulding lost to CVU in the first round

Girls Basketball Division II:

U-32 lost to MSJ in the first round

Harwood lost to Mt. Abe in the first round

Montpelier lost to Milton in the second round

Lamoile, a team we barely see except when it travels to the greater Montpelier area, won the whole thing.

Girls Basketball Division III:

Hazen lost to South Royalton in the first round

Northfield lost to Green Mountain in the first round

Williamstown lost to Lake Region in the first round

Girls Basketball Division IV:

Cabot lost to Whitcomb in the first round

Craftsbury lost to Proctor in the first round

Chelsea lost to Danville in the first round

Twinfield lost to Danville in the finals

Boys Basketball Division I:

Harwood lost to North Country in the first round

Boys Basketball Division II:

Peoples Academy lost to Mt. Abraham in the first round

Randolph lost to Otter Valley in the first round

Lamoille lost to Burr and Burton in the first round

U-32 lost to Windsor in the second round

Montpelier is still alive and faces Mt. Abe in the semis tonight (Wednesday)

Boys Basketball Division III:

Williamstown lost to Lake Region in the first round

Hazen lost to Lake Region in the second round

Stowe lost to Thetford in the second round

Boys Basketball Division IV:

Cabot lost to Websterville Baptist in the first round

Twinfield lost to Arlington in the first round

WBCS lost to Sharon Academy in the second round

Chelsea lost to West Rutland in the second round

Danville lost to Arlington in the second round

Boys Hockey Metro:

Spaulding lost to Essex in the first round

Boys Hockey Lake:

Peoples Academy lost to Middlebury in the first round

Stowe lost to Mount Mansfield in the first round

U-32 lost to Hartford in the second round

Harwood lost to Burr and Burton in the third round

Girls Hockey Metro:

Stowe lost to BFA in the second round

Spaulding lost to Burlington in the second round

Girls Hockey Lake:

Montpelier lost to Missisqoui in the third round

Northfield lost to Burr and Burton in the third round

In other sports, area gymnastics was unable to take down northern powers Essex and St. Johnsbury; Spaulding wrestling made it to the New England championships, Randolph wrestling made a great run despite a lack of numbers, both nordic and alpine skiing were able to get in decent seasons despite an early lack of snow, and indoor track and field went its usual course.

A note about cheerleading: U-32 made it one place higher than last year in the state championships, but where were the other local teams? Spaulding? Who else even has cheerleaders anymore around here?

So, were northern and southern teams that much better than our central schools? Teams that succeeded early and got sent home just as early like the Montpelier and U-32 girls basketball teams - I think at least one of them deserved another game or two. All of the Spaulding teams in the playoff hunt had the potential for a longer run.

This is no knock on the teams listed above and the teams who fell short. Rebuilding years happen, funny things happen in playoff games and any number of issues can arise during a season to sour the post-season. A handful of transfers didn't amount to any big shake or controversy, either.

Still, why such a lean year?

--Anna Grearson