ADDISON COUNTY INDEPENDENT
B Section
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 MATT DICKERSON
SPORTS
ALSO IN THIS SECTION:
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Desert trout and other wild things My wife and I went to a museum last week. It was called a museum, anyway. But was more of a zoo, botanical garden, aviary and aquarium of native local plants and animals all rolled into one. And it was mostly outdoors. We spent time watching a prowling cougar, a pair of bobcats grooming each other, and a pacing black bear. One coyote sat posing on a rock while another one prowled. There was a large riverine otter environment (though the otter was nowhere to be seen). Trout swam in the aquarium. And one of the docents had a peregrine falcon out for display. There was also a porcupine, but we didn’t bother going to see it. Of course these are the sorts of animals one would expect in a zoo in Vermont, or up in Montreal at the BioDome. But we were at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum near the outskirts of Tucson. And while I know that cougars roam much of the west, and black bears and coyotes are also ubiquitous in North America, I don’t think of otters and trout when I think of the deserts of Arizona. This was not a land of maple trees and ponds. The nearby “forest” was a cactus forest in Saguaro National Park. Most of the flowers we enjoyed were cactus blossoms. (Late March is a fantastic time to visit Arizona if you want to see cacti in blooms.) I first visited the museum when I spent two weeks in New Mexico and Arizona in 2014 while working on my book “Trout in the Desert.” I was staying in Tucson with former Middlebury resident John Jewett, who now teaches chemistry at the University of Arizona. He suggested I visit the museum, I did, and was I greatly taken by it. I returned each of the next two years with my wife. If I go back to Tucson again, I’ll probably visit it again. I also learned quite a bit. Tucson sits an elevation of about 2,400 feet above sea level. It receives on average of a little over 11 inches of rain per year, which is right around the borderline in the definition of desert. But the city is surrounded by mountains. You can look out from Tucson in any direction and see gray jagged (See Dickerson, Page 3B)
Schedule HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS Girls’ Lacrosse 4/8 Woodstock at MUHS ...............4:30 p.m. 4/9 St. Albans at MUHS ....................11 a.m. 4/11 MUHS at Rutland ...................4:30 p.m. Boys’ Lacrosse 4/7 Woodstock at MUHS ....................4 p.m. 4/9 U-32 at Mt. Abe........................... 11 a.m. 4/11 Mt. Abe at OV .............................4 p.m. 4/12 Essex at MUHS ..........................4 p.m. 4/16 Rutland at MUHS......................11 a.m. 4/16 Mt. Abe at Montpelier................11 a.m. Baseball 4/8 OV at Burr & Burton.................4:30 p.m. 4/11 Mill River at OV ......................4:30 p.m. 4/13 OV at Brattleboro ........................5 p.m. Softball 4/9 OV at Bellows Falls ....................11 a.m.
(See Schedule, Page 4B)
Amherst tips Middlebury softball team AMHERST — The host Amherst College softball team defeated Middlebury twice this past weekend, while the third game between the NESCAC West rivals was suspended due to darkness on Saturday with the Panthers leading by three runs after five innings. Middlebury officials said both coaches could not agree that the result should be final, and the (See Softball, Page 3B)
Sports BRIEFS Men’s tennis falls in spring trip finale
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE SENIOR Jon Broome, above, tries to get a clear shot on net during Saturday’s game against Amherst, while teammate junior goalie Will Ernst, below, holds his ground in net. Broome had a goal and an assist and Ernst had six saves in Middlebury’s 17-14 win.
Independent photos/Trent Campbell
Men’s lax picks up pivotal victory Panthers bounce back vs. Amherst By ANDY KIRKALDY MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College men’s lacrosse team bounced back from a pair of onegoal road losses, both against teams ranked in the top 20 in NCAA Di-
vision III, to defeat another ranked team on Saturday — Amherst, 1714, at home. The Panthers (5-4, 3-2 in NESCAC) are ranked No. 12 because of a schedule that has included four
losses to top 13 teams by a total of five goals. On Saturday they scored five straight times to close out the first half and take a 9-4 lead against an Amherst team that came in ranked at No. 4, but dropped to No. 7 in this week’s poll. Middlebury led by as
many as seven goals before settling for the three-goal win over Amherst (7-2, 3-1 in NESCAC play). Saturday’s loss followed an 11-10 Wednesday setback to No. 2 R.I.T. in a game played in Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome and a 9-8 loss at (See Lacrosse, Page 2B)
CLAREMONT, Calif. — Host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, the No. 4 men’s tennis team in NCAA Division III, on Saturday knocked off No. 3 Middlebury, 6-3, in the Panthers’ final match of their California trip. Middlebury (7-2) will visit No. 9 Williams this Saturday. In doubles action, at No. 1, the Stags’ No. 1 team of Skyler Butts and Daniel Morkovine defeated Middlebury’s Ari Smolyar and Noah Farrell, 8-3. At No. 2, Middlebury’s Palmer Campbell and Hamid Derbani defeated Glenn Hull and Lestter Yeh of CMS, 8-3. At No. 3, the Panthers’ Timo van der Geest and Kyle Schlanger defeated Max Macey and Bryan Mehall, 8-6. At No. 1 singles, Farrell defeated Butts, 6-1, 7-5. At No. 2 singles, Hull clipped Smolyar, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2. At No. 3 singles, Morkovine defeated, Campbell, 6-1, 6-1. At No. 4 singles, Macey defeated de Quant, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4). At No. 5 singles, Yeh got past Derbani, 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2. At No. 6 singles, Patrick Wildman defeated van der Geest, 6-3, 6-3.
Top team defeats women’s tennis CLAREMONT, Calif. — The Middlebury College women’s tennis team, ranked No. 7 in NCAA Division III, finished its California trip this past Saturday with a 6-3 loss to host No. 3 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The 5-2 Panthers next visit No. 2 Williams this Saturday. The Athenas (12-4) took two of three doubles matches. At No. 1, the CMS team of Caroline Ward and Katie Kuosman defeated Middlebury’s Ria Gerger and Kaysee Orozco, 8-2. At No. 2, Middlebury’s Lily Bondy and Sadie Shackelford earned at 8-3 win over Kyla Scott and Jessie Cruz. At No. 3, the CMS duo of Lindsay Brown and Bria Smith defeated Alexandra Fields and Lauren Amos. At No. 1, Gerger earned a point for the Panthers with a 6-4, 7-6 (7) victory over Ward at No. 1. The other Middlebury point came from Orozco at No. 6 over Smith (4-6, 6-2, 6-1). At No. 3, Brown defeated Bondy, 7-5, 6-2. At No. 4, Cruz defeated Amos, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1. At No. 5, Scott defeated Middlebury’s Christina Puccinelli 7-6 (5), 6-4, and at No. 2 Kuosman defeated Fields, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
ScoreBOARD COLLEGE SPORTS HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS Girls’ Lacrosse 4/4 St. Albans at MUHS ........................ Ppd. Boys’ Lacrosse 4/4 OV at Randolph .................. Ppd. to 4/19 COLLEGE SPORTS Women’s Lacrosse 3/30 Midd. vs. Stevenson ......................18-6 4/2 Midd. vs. Amherst ..................... 8-7 (OT) Men’s Lacrosse 3/30 RIT vs. Midd. ...............................11-10 4/2 Midd. vs. Amherst ..........................17-14 Baseball 3/30 G. Adolphus vs. Midd.......................5-3 4/1 Williams vs. Midd. ..............................8-2 4/2 Midd. vs Williams .............................11-4 4/2 Midd. vs Williams ...............................2-1 4/5 Norwich at Midd. ..................Ppd. to 4/11 Softball 4/1 Amherst vs. Midd. ........................ 5-3 (9) 4/2 Amherst vs. Midd. ..............................7-4 4/2 Midd. vs. Amherst ......9-6 (Susp. After 5) 4/5 Union at Midd. ...................... Ppd. to 4/6
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State trout season begins on Saturday MONTPELIER — Vermont’s can often afford an angler the greattraditional trout fishing season is est opportunity to catch trout in rivset to open on Saturday, April 9, ers and streams. and officials from Vermont Fish & “Some of the biggest trout caught Wildlife say the mild in Vermont rivers winter could be a each year are taken boon for early season Anglers can during the spring trout action across the visit www. season,” said Palmer. state. vtfishandwildlife. “And, given the cur“Snow is either al- com to purchase rent conditions, you ready gone or disapsee some really a fishing license, may pearing from the rivnice trout taken startview Vermont erbanks quickly,” said ing on April 9.” Eric Palmer, fisheries Fish and Wildlife Vermont is known director with Ver- Department for its excellent fishmont Fish & Wildlife. trout stocking ing opportunities for “Anglers should have schedules and wild trout, as well good access to rivers as for stocked trout and streams through- learn more — including large, out the state, and wa- about fishing in 2-year-old “trophy” ter temperatures may Vermont. trout that will be warm up enough to stocked statewide get the trout moving and feeding later in the spring. Early spring fishearly this year.” ing is generally supported by wild Vermont’s spring trout season, trout, while much of the stocking in which is well known among resi- streams and rivers gets under way dent and non-resident anglers alike, (See Trout season, Page 4B)
Gearing up: Five essential flies for opening day Krystal Caddis Larvae Expert angler Jesse Haller describes five of “This is an early season imitation of the the flies he’ll be using during opening weekcaddis fly. They tend to have a bright charend. These are flies designed treuse or tan belly and they stick out good for fishing slower and in the water. When the water is off-color deeper water where American Pheasant Tail Fly or because of extra water due to snowmelt, cold-blooded fish are that extra color can be what you need to get likely to be. a fish to move over.” Sexy Stone San Juan Worm “The Sexy Stone or Girdlebug is a very general stone“This is an artificial fly imitation that’s a very buggy looking imitation and lots of fish are caught on it in the early season, especial- imitation of a worm. ly in scenarios where there’s higher water. I would espe- When flowing water cially recommend the coffee-and-black-colored kinds.” eats away at the banks, Krystal Caddis Larva Fly it pulls worms into the water, which sink. Bunny Muddler When you see exposed “The Bunny Muddler or White Conesoil, this is one to reach head Muddy Buddy is a white for.” (See image on Page 4B.) streamer imitation that works particularly well. Pheasant Tail Nymph Smaller fish don’t “Since we’re a little ahead of schedule with the have much pigweather at this mentation and point, there’s a chance when a fish Bunny Mudler Fly we could start getting dies it turns some fly activity early white and sinks to the bottom. When the water level and this is a great imicomes up in the spring it pushes that stuff around and tation of a mayfly.” some fish might be feeding on dead fish, others will be — Evan feeding on live fish. White is particularly good color Sexy Stone Fly Johnson for the early season.”