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B Section
THURSDAY, Â SEPTEMBER Â 22, Â 2016
ANDY KIRKALDY
SPORTS
ALSO IN THIS SECTION:
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Sports BRIEFS
Looking  back  at  predictions  on  Boston  baseball Sports  writers  love  to  make  pre- dictions.  Usually,  they  are  forgotten.  Unless,  of  course,  they  are  proven  correct. In  the  interest  of  standing  by  mine  right  or  wrong,  I  have  made  three  public  predictions  about  the  Red  Sox,  two  in  writing,  (one  of  which  KDG PRUH ZDIĂ€HV WKDQ 5RVLHÂśV DQG one  verbal  on  Sept.  15  made  in  re- sponse  to  a  ques- tion  posed  by  Corey  Buxton.  Corey,  whom  I  often  see  in  the  Middlebury  Col- OHJH ÂżHOGKRXVH after  we  each  run  around  pretend- ing  to  be  athletes,  prompted  my  pre- VHDVRQ ZDIĂ€LQJ E\ DVNLQJ P\ RSLQ- LRQ EDFN LQ 0DUFK DERXW %RVWRQÂśV chances  this  season.  Basically,  I  answered  the  Sox  had  too  many  unknowns  to  feel  com- fortable  making  an  educated  guess.  Included  on  that  list:  Were  pitchers  going  to  be  healthy  or  bounce  back  from  off  years,  were  young  play- ers  going  to  develop,  could  Hanley  5DPLUH] KDQGOH ÂżUVW EDVH DQG ZRXOG Pablo  Sandoval  be  seen  playing  third  EDVH RU Ă€RDWLQJ RYHU )HQZD\ ZLWK D tire  logo  and  a  camera  hanging  from  his  midsection? I  wrote  a  column  here  that  listed  those  issues  and  also  mentioned  some  pluses,  and  also  looked  at  the  fact  that  every  other  team  in  Bos- WRQÂśV GLYLVLRQ DOVR KDG SOXVHV DQG minutes.  It  concluded  about  the  Sox:  “They  could  be  OK.  The  funny  thing  is  you  could  say  the  same  thing  about  the  entire  American  League  East.â€? The  next  public  prediction  came  RQ $XJ RQ D &KDG )LQQ )DFHERRN SRVW )LQQ ZULWHV IRU WKH Boston  Globe  and  Boston.com,  and  New  England  fans  who  do  not  read  his  much  more  balanced  reporting  and  opinions  than  the  usual  gloom-Âand- doom  stuff  coming  out  of  Beantown  are  advised  to  check  out  his  work.  Despite  the  fact  the  Sox  were  not  playing  their  best  at  the  time,  I  com- mented  in  response  to  a  piece  about  (See  Kirkaldy,  Page  3B)
ScoreBOARD HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS Field Hockey 9/19  Mt.  Abe  vs.  Burlington  ......................2-Â0 9/21  Mt.  Abe  at  Colchester  ....................Late 08+6 DW 0W 0DQVÂżHOG  ..................Late 9/21  Bellows  Falls  at  OV  .......................Late Boys’ Soccer 9/20  MUHS  vs.  CVU  ................................1-Â0 9/20  VUHS  vs.  Missisquoi  .......................3-Â0 9/20  Milton  vs.  Mt.  Abe  ............................2-Â1 9/21  Mill  River  at  OV  ...............................late Girls’ Soccer 9/19  VUHS  vs.  Missisquoi  .......................4-Â0 9/19  MUHS  vs.  Woodstock  ......................6-Â2 9/20  OV  vs.  Twin  Valley  ...........................3-Â0 9/21  Rice  at  MUHS  ................................Late 9/21  Milton  at  Mt.  Abe  ............................Late COLLEGE SPORTS Men’s Soccer 9/21  Keene  St.  at  Midd.  .........................Late Women’s Soccer 9/21  Castleton  at  Midd.  ..........................Late
Schedule
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS Field Hockey 9/24  Burlington  at  MUHS  ..................10  a.m. 9/24  OV  at  Woodstock  ........................2  p.m. 9/27  CVU  at  MUHS  ............................4  p.m. 9/27  S.  Burlington  at  Mt.  Abe  ..............4  p.m. 9/28  Burr  &  Burton  at  OV  ....................4  p.m. 9/29  Mt.  Abe  at  CVU  ...........................4  p.m. 9/29  S.  Burlington  at  MUHS  ...............4  p.m. 9/30  OV  at  Hartford  ............................4  p.m. 0W 0DQV¿HOG DW 08+6  ...............3  p.m. Football 9/23  Colchester  at  MUHS  ...................7  p.m. 9/23  Mt.  Abe  at  N.  Country  .................7  p.m. 9/24  OV  at  Windsor  ............................1  p.m. 9/30  MUHS  at  S.  Burlington  ...............7  p.m. 10/1  Missisquoi  at  OV  ....................2:30  p.m. 10/1  Lyndon  at  Mt.  Abe  ..................3:30  p.m. Boys’ Soccer 9/22  VUHS  at  Milton  ...........................7  p.m. 9/23  Mt.  Abe  at  MUHS  ...................4:30  p.m. 29 DW 6SULQJ¿HOG  ......................11  a.m. 29 YV 6SULQJ¿HOG DW $UOLQJWRQ  ....5  p.m. 9/28  Milton  at  MUHS  .....................4:30  p.m. 9/28  Rice  at  VUHS  ........................4:30  p.m. 9/28  Mt.  Abe  at  Missisquoi  ..................7  p.m. 9/29  &  30  OV  at  Arlington  Tourney  ........TBD 10/1  MUHS  at  Rice  .............................3  p.m. 10/1  Mt.  Abe  at  Milton  .........................3  p.m.
(See  Schedule,  Page  3B)
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OV runners crack top 10 in MVL meet
MOUNT  ABRAHAM  UNION  High  School  sophomore  Kai  Dobek  knocks  the  ball  away  from  Milton  junior  Cameron  Goodrich  Tuesday  afternoon  in  Bristol.  The  Eagles  lost  the  game,  2-Â1. Independent  photos/Trent  Campbell
Eagles  show  promise,  but  fall  to  Milton
By  ANDY  KIRKALDY BRISTOL  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  Visiting  Milton  scored  early  and  late  to  earn  a  2-Â1  vic- tory  over  the  Mount  Abraham  Union  +LJK 6FKRRO ER\VÂś VRFFHU WHDP RQ Tuesday,  but  Eagle  Coach  Mike  Co- rey  was  not  unhappy  afterward  about  KLV LQH[SHULHQFHG JURXSÂśV HIIRUW The  senior-Âladen  Milton  squad  im- proved  to  3-Â2,  with  those  losses  com- ing  on  the  road  in  close  games  to  Di- vision  I  teams  with  winning  records,  ZKLOH &RUH\ÂśV (DJOHV ² VWDUWLQJ only  three  seniors  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  dropped  to  2-Â2.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;They  did  everything  I  could  ex- pect  of  them  and  more  against  a  quality  team  like  Milton  at  this  stage  of  the  season,â&#x20AC;?  Corey  said. &RUH\ ZDV KDSS\ WKDW KLV PLGÂżHOG- ers  and  backs  defended  well  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  in  a  formation  that  used  three  defenders  DQG ÂżYH LQ WKH PLGÂżHOG ² DQG GLG not  allow  the  Yellowjackets  to  create  consistent  pressure. Milton  did  threaten  with  longer  balls  sent  through  and  over  the  de- fense,  but  the  Eagles  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  notably  ju- QLRU Ă&#x20AC;DQN GHIHQGHU (OL 5LFNQHU VH- nior  central  defender  Owein  Labarr,  and  freshman  goalie  Ethan  DeWitt  IRXU VDYHV LQ WKH VHFRQG KDOI ² IRU the  most  part  did  a  good  job  of  snuff- ing  out  those  challenges.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;We  stayed  pretty  well  organized.  Broke  down  a  couple  times  in  the  back,  but  we  had  some  speed  to  save  our  bacon,â&#x20AC;?  Corey  said.  Corey  acknowledged  the  Eagle  PLGÂżHOGHUV GLG QRW H[FHO DW FUHDW- ing  threats  against  a  veteran  Milton  defense  led  by  sweeper  Spencer  Marquis,  but  they  did  disrupt  the  <HOORZMDFNHWV DW PLGÂżHOG DQG PRUH than  hold  their  own  in  competing  for  EAGLE  JUNIOR  JACKSON  Counter  sails  over  the  back  of  teammate  Eli  Rickner  to  head  the  ball  out  of  the  50-Â50  balls.  Juniors  Sam  Paradee  Mount  Abraham  zone  during  Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  game  against  Milton.  and  William  Schoenhuber  and  soph- The  3-Â5-Â2  formation  also  helped  because  there  seemed  not  to  be  those  said.  omores  Owen  Maille  and  Kai  Dobek  8QIRUWXQDWHO\ RQH RI WKH (DJOHVÂś probably  fared  the  best  among  the  VORZ 0LOWRQ DW PLGÂżHOG &RUH\ VDLG huge  holes  where  they  could  just  â&#x20AC;&#x153;I  thought  that  was  helpful  today,  do  whatever  they  wanted  to  do,â&#x20AC;?  he  Eagle  middies.  (See  Eagle  soccer,  Page  2B)
(DJOH ÂżHOG hockey  tops  Burlington BURLINGTON  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  The  Mount  Abraham  Union  High  School  ¿HOG KRFNH\ WHDP ZHQW RQ WKH road  on  Monday  to  pick  up  a  Metro  Conference  win,  2-Â0,  at  Burlington. The  Eagles  evened  their  record  at  2-Â2  heading  into  a  Wednesday  afternoon  game  at  Colchester,  played  after  deadline  for  this  section.  They  return  home  on  Tuesday  to  take  on  defending  Division  I  champion  South  Burl- ington,  a  team  off  to  a  strong  start  this  season. Against  the  1-Â3  Seahorses,  se- nior  forward  Jackie  Reiss  scored  twice  for  Mount  Abe,  once  in  the  ¿UVW PLQXWH DQG RQFH LQ WKH VHF- ond  half  to  pad  the  lead.  Eagle  goalie  Chessley  Jack- man  turned  aside  the  only  shot  the  Mount  Abe  defense  allowed  on  her  cage,  while  Seahorse  goal- ie  Devin  Libby  made  10  saves. Â
RUTLAND  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  The  Otter  Valley  Union  High  School  cross-Âcountry  team  on  Tuesday  placed  two  boys  in  the  top  10  at  a  Marble  Valley  League  meet  hosted  by  Mount  St.  Joseph  at  the  College  of  St  Joseph.    Otter  Anthony  Rovi  took  fourth  in  20:41,  and  teammate  Wesley  Smith  ¿QLVKHG QLQWK LQ $OVR IRU WKH 29 ER\V +D\GHQ *DOOR ÂżQLVKHG LQ WK LQ DQG =DFKDU\ 6FDUERU- RXJK ÂżQLVKHG LQ UG LQ Colby  Smith,  who  recently  joined  the  team  and  could  not  compete  of- ¿FLDOO\ DOVR UDQ DQG ÂżQLVKHG WKH UDFH in  29:26. )RU WKH 29 JLUOV .\OD 'RGJH *RVKHD ÂżQLVKHG LQ WK SODFH ZLWK D WLPH RI ZKLOH %ULWWQH\ 'DQ- forth  came  in  21st  in  33:34.  Another  new  runner,  Brianna  Martone  ran  XQRIÂżFLDOO\ ZLWK D WLPH RI
Middlebury  women  top  Amherst,  1-Â0 MIDDLEBURY  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  The  Middle- EXU\ &ROOHJH ZRPHQÂśV VRFFHU WHDP knocked  off  visiting  NESCAC  ri- val  Amherst  on  Saturday,  1-Â0,  to  improve  to  3-Â1,  1-Â1  in  league  play.  The  Purple  &  White,  ranked  No.  10  in  NCAA  Division  III  last  week,  dropped  to  2-Â2,  1-Â1  NESCAC.  The  Panthers  also  defeated  visiting  Plattsburgh  on  Sept.  14,  4-Â1.  The  Panthers  were  set  to  host  Cas- tleton  on  Wednesday  after  deadline  and  will  host  league  foe  Bowdoin  on  Saturday  at  11  a.m. ,Q WKLV SDVW 6DWXUGD\ÂśV ÂżUVW KDOI the  Panthers  had  the  best  chance,  as  Adrianna  Gildner  hit  the  crossbar  from  25  yards  out  midway  through  the  period.  The  Panthers  threatened  again  in  the  52nd  minute,  but  Amherst  keeper  Chelsea  Cutler  dove  to  deny  .DWKHULQH +REEVÂś VKRW IURP yards  out.  Amherst  had  a  pair  of  great  op- portunities  in  the  60th  minute.  Af- ter  Panther  keeper  Ursula  Alwang  came  out  to  cut  down  the  angle  after  Hannah  Guzzi  cut  in  from  the  left  VLGH WKH UHERXQG ZHQW WR $PKHUVWÂśV Sloan  Askins,  but  her  shot  at  an  ap- parent  open  goal  was  knocked  away  by  Panther  defender  Amanda  Haik. 0LGGOHEXU\ÂśV (PPD 6KXPZD\ VFRUHG WKH JDPHÂśV RQO\ JRDO DW
For  the  record CORRECTION:  The  Middle- EXU\ 8QLRQ +LJK 6FKRRO ÂżHOG KRFN- ey  goaltender  who  made  19  saves  vs.  Rice  on  Thursday,  Sept.  15,  was  PLVLGHQWLÂżHG LQ RXU 0RQGD\ ZUDS XS of  local  games  in  that  sport.  Bridget  Audet  played  in  goal  for  the  Tigers.  The  reporter  apologizes  for  the  error. Â
Quenneville  repeats  as  NASCAR  Vt.  champ WEST  HAVEN  â&#x20AC;&#x201D;  NASCAR  has  RIÂżFLDOO\ QDPHG 9LQFH 4XHQQHYLOOH Jr.  of  Brandon  the  Division  I  Vermont  Champion  of  the  NASCAR  Whelen  All-ÂAmerican  Series  for  a  second  con- secutive  year.  4XHQQHYLOOH FOLQFKHG WKH WLWOH ZKHQ heavy  rains  forced  the  cancellation  of  Sunday  night  dirt  track  racing  at  the  'HYLOÂśV %RZO 6SHHGZD\ 7KHUH ZDV DQ RII FKDQFH 4XHQQHYLOOHÂśV FORVHVW ULYDO for  the  crown,  Bobby  Hackel  of  Rens- selaer,  N.Y.,  could  catch  him  with  a  ZLQ RQ 6XQGD\ LI 4XHQQHYLOOH ÂżQLVKHG far  enough  back.   More  than  60  tracks  across  North  America  operate  with  NAS- CAR  Whelen  All-ÂAmerican  Series  1:$$6 VDQFWLRQ ZLWK FRPSHWL- tions  for  state,  provincial  and  national  championships  under  a  common  point  V\VWHP WLWOH (DFK GULYHUÂśV EHVW UHVXOWV IURP -DQ WKURXJK 6HSW count  toward  the  titles,  which  allows  GULYHUV WR UHSODFH EDG ÂżQLVKHV LQ IDYRU RI EHWWHU ÂżQLVKHV RQFH WKH\ÂśYH UHDFKHG WKHLU UDFH PD[LPXP 'HYLOÂśV %RZO 6SHHGZD\ 4XHQQHY- LOOHÂśV KRPH WUDFN LQ :HVW +DYHQ UDQ (See  Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Bowl,  Page  3B)
VINCE  QUENNEVILLE  JR.  of  Brandon  clinched  his  second  consecutive  NASCAR  Whelen  All-ÂAmerican  Se- ries  Vermont  State  Championship  at  Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Bowl  Speedway. Photo  by  Andrew  Cassidy/Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Bowl  Speedway