BALL & PRATT EARN VERMONTS TOP ATHLETIC AWARDS
This past Sunday the Vermont Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association named David Ball of the University of New Hampshire football team and Mackenzie Pratt of Lamoille Union High as the state's 2006-07 Male and Female Athletes of the Year at Norwich University.
Pratt, a top three-sport athlete for four years from Hyde Park, received a standing ovation from the banquet audience at Plumley Armory. Pratt, 18, said she was thankful for the support shown through the years by various groups, including her family, teammates, coaches and community. Pratt, who is currently battling her second bout of cancer, said sports is what has kept her going.
Pratt is a four-year standout soccer goalie, one of the state’s most dominating softball pitchers and was a starter for the Lamoille basketball team, which went to the Final Four all four years and won the D-II state title this winter. Pratt plans to attend Norwich University in the fall to study nursing and is expected to play at least softball.
Ball, 22, a three-time All-American wide receiver is fighting for a spot on the Chicago Bears football roster and was unable to attend the banquet. His mother Kathy Ball, who spoke on his behalf, said he was appreciative of the backing he has received from Vermonters and the coverage by the media. She noted that her son recently told the family that no matter what happens, Vermont will always be his home.
The former three-sport standout at Spaulding High in Barre, became the most prolific scorer in NCAA Division 1-AA history with 58 touchdowns to shatter NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice's career record of 50 scoring receptions at Mississippi Valley State more than 20 years ago. Ball holds most of the New Hampshire and Atlantic 10 receiving records, while also being in the top five in several national categories. Ball, who still holds the Vermont High School high jump record, also was a letter winner for the UNH men’s track team.
Pratt was voted the female Athlete of the Month for May 2006 for softball, when she threw three no-hitters and three one-hitters while still undergoing cancer treatments. Ball was selected the male Athlete of the Month in September 2006, when he tied Jerry Rice’s career touchdown record.
The male and female Athletes of the Year, which were announced by VSSA President Tom Haley of the Rutland Herald, came from the list of 12 male and 13 female (tie in December 2006) athletes selected for their specific monthly performances during 2006-07 by the 100-member statewide association.
Gov James Douglas, who caught a red-eye flight back from California to be at the noontime banquet, saluted the monthly winners for their efforts in the field of athletics, but also for what they bring to the State of Vermont and sports fans.
The male monthly winners were: Collin Vero-Casavant of Rutland High tennis (May); Garrett Calkins of St. Johnsbury Academy Track (June); Trevor Murphy of St. Johnsbury Country Club and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte (July); Taylor Grey of Williston and Knights Swim Team (August); David Ball of Washington, Vt. and University of New Hampshire football (September); Andrew Plumley of Burlington High football (October); Brendan Mullins, of St. Michael’s College basketball (November); Pat Bergmann of Rice Memorial basketball (December); T.J. Bowse of Rutland hockey (January); Robert Hamlin of Mount Mansfield Union wrestling (February); Tyrone Conley of Burlington High basketball (March), and Kyle Henry of Brattleboro and University of Vermont baseball (April).
The female monthly winners were: Mackenzie Pratt of Lamoille Union softball (May); Katelyn Billings of BFA softball (June); Erin Clodgo of Richmond and Mount Mansfield Union wrestling (July); Molly Aronsson of Shelburne, Vermont Amateur golf (August); Abby Benton of Vergennes Union soccer (September); Courtney Chadburn of Mill River Union (October); Amanda Pickering of Arlington and Vermont Tech basketball (November); Mikayla Calkins of St. Johnsbury Academy gymnastics and Maggie DiMasi of Burlington High girls hockey (December co-winners); Alexa Johnson of Enosburg girls basketball (January); Mary Krug of Essex High gymnastics (February), Kelli Hier of Rice Memorial basketball (March) and Meggan Roberge of Sheldon Springs and St. Michael’s College softball (April).
Several other states’ top athletic awards were presented during the banquet.
The Ralph Lapointe award for outstanding contributions to Vermont sports was presented to Ernie Farrar, longtime radio and sports announcer with WVMT and the director of the Vermont Golden Gloves, and Robert "Stretch" Gillam, who has coached high school basketball for almost 50 years, while also being a longtime key figure with the Vermont-New Hampshire Maple Sugar Bowl Football Game.
The VSSA Coaching Achievement Award for their positive efforts working with student-athletes was presented to high school coaches Gail Jette of Middlebury Union and Bill O’Neil of Essex.
EVENT NOTES
Mill Rivers Soccer Sensation Courtney Chadburn (October 2006) was accompanied by her entire family, long time friends of mine Randy and Robin her parents and their daughter Carisa who will be a junior at Castleton State. As a matter of fact Courtney will be joining her sister at Castleton in the fall. It will be great fun to see the Chadburn girls together on the field. WSYB’s Jack Healey did the honor of introducing Courtney to the attendees.
Rutland’s Hockey Goalie TJ Bowse (January 2007) who is a junior will be attending prep school next season in New Hampshire. His mom Margaret and sister Kelley who is a sophomore at Harvard were in Northfield for the big day as well. Raiders coach Scott Maxham was there in support of TJ too. It was a real honor to introduce TJ on this special day to the sports faithful of Vermont and I can’t tell you just how proud we all are of TJ and what he has accomplished to this point of his career in Hockey.
Collin Vero-Casavant a former Rutland High Tennis Star (Mat 2006) was with his mom and dad for the big event. The Rutland Heralds Chuck Clarino introduced Casavant. It’s hard to believe Collin is off to college now and continuing his great tennis career, our kids in the area grow up so fast.
It was a night of celebration for the Castleton Spartans Men’s Hockey team and their supporters on Wednesday night at the Palms Restaurant in Rutland. Picked to finish no higher than 8th in the 10 team ECAC East division the Spartans finished their season with a 17-6-4 record including an 11-1-1 mark at home and finished 5th overall in the league. To top that off they were tied for 1st at one point in the season, were in contention for an NCAA berth at seasons end and played two tough games against Norwich and Middlebury two programs storied in tradition.
Had a few breaks gone the Spartans way they would have had victories against these two. But all in all after winning only 4 games in their first three years in existence what the Spartans accomplished in the 2006-07 season was a tribute to hard work and the belief that they belonged with the elite in Division III hockey. Look for the Spartans to keep up the hard work and bring themselves to that next level in 2006-07 and the years beyond.
Congratulations go out to coach Todd, his great staff of Terry and TJ Moran, the team and everyone else involved in Spartan’s Hockey. Thank you for bringing the Rutland community an exciting season. We look forward to more in 07-08 and years beyond and we hope that you are able to achieve your goal and bring home the hardware to the fieldhouse. You know the one you really want that NCAA Division III Mens Hockey National Championship Trophy.
The following is the list of awards given out the banquet
VermontSportsNow.com Most Improved Player- Craig Richardson
Hannoush Jewelers Rookie of the Year- Steve Culbertson
The Palms Unsung Hero Award- Jared Lavender
VermontSportsNow.com Most Valuable Player- Joe Huchko
Academic Excellence Award- Jay Seals
Coaches Award- Rich McKenna
Strength and Conditioning Award- Evan Romeo
Presentation of Award Plaques that will hang in the Fieldhouse
By Fred Bagley and Chip Ogg
These plaques are engraved with the award winners from 2005-06 and 2006-07 they will hang in the locker rooms and the lobby of the fieldhouse for fans and players to see as will future years award winners.
Announcement of the Captains for the 2007-08 Spartans Men’s Hockey Team were made at the conclusion of the evening.
Captain- Brandon Heck
Assistant Captain- Jared Lavender
Assistant Captain- Travis Martell
Burlington VT. Tim Carpenter’s goal with 9:25 to go in the 2nd overtime ended the Rutland Raiders dream season and propelled the Essex Hornets to their 2nd consecutive Division I state championship at the Gutterson Fieldhouse Monday night.
Carpenter took a pass from teammate Bryan Currier on the left point and fired it Raiders goalie TJ Bowse (26 saves) Bowse was unable to get the stick down in time and the puck slipped under him for the games only score. “ We just went our hardest and put the puck on net and see what happens” said Carpenter. “Getting the game winning goal is just the best feeling in the world.”
The goal gave Rutland their first loss of the season putting their final record at (20-1-2). “It was the end of a great season, we had one loss, unfortunately it was at the end” said Raider coach Scott Maxham. “It’s just a sad time in that locker room right now”
Early on in the contest it looked as the Rutland would be the one parading the championship trophy around the ice surface at Gutterson as they controlled much of the early tempo. But Essex goalie Mike Fogg (30 saves) came up big time and time again for the Hornets. Rutland’s Alexander Porrier the hero of Rutland’s overtime win in the semifinals against BFA St Albans dazzled the crowd with some fancy stick handling and skating and led his club with 9 shots on goal. But unlike last Wednesday Porrier was unable to cash in.
By the end of the 1st overtime period the Raiders had outshot the Hornets by a margin of 30-19 but when the 2nd overtime began the Hornets swung the momentum in their favor with an early scramble in front of Bowse but were unable to score until Carpenter’s game winner. The win for Essex finishes their season at 17-6 and is the school’s third championship in the last four years. In fact the championship was the 12th that Essex has garnered in 39 Division I championships. The Hornets along with BFA Saint Albans have combined to take 27 state titles and there has only been 7 finals contested that didn’t involve either of the two schools.
Contact Matt Keith, mattk@vermontsportsnow.com
 
Photo left, Rutland High Schools Andrew Pryor consols goaltender TJ Bowse following the overtime loss the Raiders suffered in the finals against Essex.
Photo Right, Rutland Hockey fans came to Burlington at over 1000 strong to cheer on their beloved Hockey team.
Thayer Sports Photos 2007
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