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