Just got back from the Enosburg-MVU girls basketball game in the 'Burg tonight (won by the Hornets, 50-40) and thought it was time to share some thoughts on the young season.
Starting with the game I saw tonight, it was mighty strange to see an Enosburg girls basketball game without Maria Gleason and Lindsey Larivee on the court. I had the pleasure of being an assistant coach their freshmen and sophomore years and covered a bunch of their games in their last two seasons.
I'm pleased to say both are off to good starts at their respective schools - Gleason at Johnson State and Larivee at Plattsburgh State. There has been no better two-some from the same class in the 'Burg and I doubt there ever will be.
I was pleased to see new Enosburg coach Gary Geddes pick up his first win - asuper nice guy and seems to really know his stuff.
I was also impressed with the MVU girls. They aren't going to wow teams with their finesse, but they sure do play hard and gave the Hornets a battle from start to finish.
Milton girls for real
Did you know the Milton girls basketball has nine seniors on it. Nine! They also have no juniors. None! I know it's early, but my guess is the Yellowjackets win it all. They have a ton of size, quickness and talent and coach Mike Lefebvre is good coach and an even better person.
I saw the 'Jackets open up against Harwood and it was 16-0 less than four minutes into the game. Ouch! Lefebvre then called off his press.
Everyone knows Brittaney Rice is a player, but the one I was most impressed with in that game was Kaitlin Geary. If she continues to light it up inside and out for Milton, then a trip to Barre is a given.
MVU boys hockey appears primed for great season
Of course, three games does not a season make, but I've gotten a couple of close-up looks at the MVU bosy hockey team this season and they seem like Division II contenders.
They have plenty of size, speed and skill and I love the approach coach Jason Brace brings to the table. Brace is brash, fun-loving and passionate about the sport and his team and his boys are reflecting that in their play on the ice.
They'll face a tough test Wednesday night at BFA, but regardless of that outcome they should ride the momentum of a stellar soccer campaign into a deep run in the D-II playoffs.
Speaking of campaigns, Brace will leave on a National Guard deployment next month in a stark reminder that for all the blessings we have in this wonderful country there is a price to be paid. Thank God for people like Brace and our other brave troops.
MVU boys hoops on the rise
Another great developing story out of MVU-land is the boys basketball team, which posted one it is most impressive wins in many a moon on Monday when it defeated Division I power Mount Mansfield in overtime.
I'll be shooting the start of the T-Birds' game with Enosburg on Saturday and I'm excited to see them in action. Same too, for the boys from the 'Burg. I'm sure new coach Steve Jette will have his Hornets ready to run with the high-flying T-Birds.
Same old BFA
I watched the first period of the BFA-St. Albans' girls hockey win over the Burlington Seahorses on Saturday and not surprisingly the Comets look very good. I had the pleasure of covering the first few seasons of BFA girls hockey and back then they had lots of depth, tons of talent and had incredibly dedicated and skilled coaching. Nearly 10 years later, nothing has changed.
Change is good
The BFA boys basketball team opened its season a week ago with a win over Colchester and I must say I didn't recognize the Bobwhites. Sure, ageless Kenny Fairchild still roams the sidelines, but who were those whirling dervishes running amok? Fairchild assured me these indeed were his Bobwhites, but given his team's make-up - lots of speed, little height - they are going to be running-and-gunning in the sweatbox otherwise known as the Academy gym this winter. He joked after the game that it's driving him nuts not being able to call plays and that sometimes the pace is too quick for his 'old' eyes to follow. Nice try Kenny. Any coach willing and able to adapt after all of these years is still at the top of his game.
One more thing ... watching Nick Swim run the point is worth the price of admission.
Friday, December 11, 2009 at 9:39AM 
