Youth hockey tournament update

Youth hockey state tournaments are nearing conclusions, or in some cases have already concluded, at venues all over Vermont.

I’ve been fortunate enough to be at several, but certainly not all games and with the help of local coaches and from information gleaned from the state tournament website I think I’ve put together a pretty comprehensive look at the tournament outlook and results for the St. Albans Skating Association and the Missisquoi Amateur Hockey Association team - both of which I’m VERY proud to work with for their team and individual photos.

As with any venture like this, I run the risk of unintended consequences. If I misspell a name, get a score wrong or make other mistakes - as I am prone to do - please correct me and I’ll fix the information on this blog post. Also, I just thought of doing this late in the tournament season, so I don’t have a lot of names or results from games earlier in the month.

Next year, assuming SASA and MAHA invite back, I’ll try to get ahead of the curve and we can make this space Tournament Central and get all the results of all the games included.

Without further ado or disclaimer, here’s what I know - or at least I think I know - about our local youth hockey teams’ progress and results in the state tournament.

SASA U-10 girls celebrate a goal.

Saturday, the SASA Squirt A Leafs play with a chance to win the state championship with a win at Carins. The game begins at 10:40 a.m., weather permitting. If the Leafs lose, the winner-take-all game is Sunday at 8:30 a.m.

On Tuesday, the Squirts team remained unbeaten with a 5-2 win over Essex in the six-team tournament.

Mason Yandow had four goals and Connor Wood had one. Tyler Laroche earned the win in net for the Leafs, who are off until Saturday when they play the winner of a game between Essex and Burlington at 10:40 a.m.

At 10:10 Saturday morning, the MAHA U-12 Thunderbirds girls team plays the SASA U-10 girls at the Collins-Perley rink for a chance to win the U-12 AB state championship.

If the SASA Saints win, the winner-take-all championship game is Sunday at 8 a.m.

The Thunderbirds advanced to the final round with a win over CSB on Feb. 19.

CSB beat SASA in the first game of the three-team tournament, but the Saints prevailed 3-0 in the rematch on Thursday night.

Elizabeth Dukas, Julia Knight and Cameryne Hemingway scored for the Saints and Maddie Hungerford worked the shutout in goal.

In the five-team U-14 AB girls tournament, the MAHA Thunderbirds will play in the semifinals against Northshire at 10:45 a.m. Saturday in Middlebury. SASA also competed in the tournament.

The four-team midget state tournament begins Saturday in St. Albans. The Leafs play Wolf Pack at 4:10 p.m.

In tournaments that have been completed:

In the state Squirt B tournament, the Milton Youth Hockey Association Warriors won the state title on Feb. 19 after advancing out of the North Division playdown with 2-0 record, outscoring opponents 7-1. St. Albans went 0-1-1 and did not advance.

On Thursday, the SASA Peewee A team lost to CSB 3-0 in the state title game.

St. Albans earned a trip to the finals Tuesday night with a a 7-2 win over Essex at the Collins-Perley rink.

Cooper Cioffi had three goals and an assist, Logan Stanislas and Isaac Cioffi each had a goal and two assists, Keegan Morin had a goal and an assist and Cam Beattie also scored. Keegan Streeter had two assists and Owen Hungerford, Jacob Hall and Brent Boissoneault each had one assist. Goalie stats were not kept, but Stephen Peebles was stellar in goal.

SASA led 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 before scoring the final four goals in the third period.

SASA Peewees

Thursday night, the SASA U-14 A girls bowed out of their tournament in the championship game, losing to Rutland, 4-2.

Both SASA goals were both scored by Elena Brigham. The first goal was assisted by Maddy Dean and Aliza Ellis and the second goal was assisted by Dean. Gabi Metz was the SASA netminder.

On Tuesday night, SASA bowed out of the Bantam A tournament at Essex after a 3-2 loss to the hosts in the semifinal round.

Hunter Kirouac had a goal and an assist for the Leafs, who led 1-0 after one period and who later rallied to tie the game at 2-2 on Cameron Russell’s goal 6:44 into the third period. Sam Shorey assisted on the first score. Goalie stats were not kept, but Ben Lovelette was brilliant in net.

SASA finished runners up in the Bantam AB tournament with a 3-2 record.

In the state Squirt AB tournament that concluded with a Stowe win on Feb. 18, the Missisquoi Amateur Hockey Association Thunderbirds picked up a triple-overtime win in their game, but dropped their next two games.

In the 11-team Peewee AB tournament, MAHA won three games and lost two and Milton won two games and lost two.

In the 10-team Peewee B tournament, SASA won its first game, but dropped its next two.

In the nine-team Bantam B tournament, SASA lost its two games. MAHA lost its first game, but the on-line tournament bracket does not have a result for their second game. They did not advance to the medal round.

The SASA U-12 A girls dropped both of its tournament games.

Again, if I have made some factual errors, please let me know and I'll correct them.

Dance State Championship news and notes

A few things to know about today's Vermont dance state championship at Vergennes High School.

This is the seventh year dance has been an organized athletic endeavor in Vermont.

The first year, the sport was a demonstration sport. In 2007, the first state championship was awarded to Springfield.

South Burlington goes through it's practice routine / Shawn Corrow, coldhollowphoto.com

Other past champs are South Burlington (2008), Burr and Burton (2009 and 2011) and Colchester (2010).

There are three genres of dance championships awarded: Pom, Jazz and Hip Hop.

Teams can compete in two genres. The team with the highest combined score for both dances wins the state title.

There are five judges for each dance. The top and bottom scores are thrown out. The maximum score for each judge is 100. The combined scored of the remaining three judges is combined for a total score of a maximum of 300. According to event chair Sean Farrell, South Burlington has posted the high score in the regular season, scoring nearly 280 points.

Eleven schools are competing - Arlington, BFA-St. Albans, Burr and Burton, Colchester, Lamoille, Middlebury, MVU, Mount Anthony, Mount Mansfield, South Burlington and Springfield.

The largest team is MMU with 21 dancers listed on its roster; MVU has just 5.

South Burlington goes through it's practice routine / Shawn Corrow, coldhollowphoto.com

Here's the scoring matrix:

Teams could score as many as 100 points based on five categories: Communication and projection (10 possible points); choreography (40 possible points, 10 each for appropriateness to genre, difficulty and creativity; five points each for formations/transitions and the way the dance compliments the music; group execution (25 possible points, 10 each for synchronization, timing with the music and five points for spacing; dance technique (20 possible points, 10 each for rhythm and body control/placement; five points for image of a high school dance team in regards to appropriateness of music, lyrics, movement and apparel.

Photo of the day, July 8, 2011

I typically don't do two different photos of the day, but before heading to a wedding rehearsal and a Little League softball game I came across a few young ladies skinny dipping in a pond in Franklin and I couldn't resist snapping a photo.

Photo of the day, July 8, 2011

There's a reason why I do this job and the joy the Northwest Little League softball team showed after its win over Essex in the 11-12 softball win over Essex on Friday exemplifies that reason.

Tweets of the Week, Part II

I use the Roman numerals in homage to Super Bowl XXXLVIdon'thaveanyideaanymore.

Yes, TotW is back for a second week. Thanks to all who commented about it this week and made it a goal to be included. You both are very kind and clearly need to set your goals MUCH higher.

Before I get into this week's list, which is chronological (although I'm still not committed enough to throw dates and time stamps on the posts) I'll ask a favor. I'm kinda stuck on who I want to follow. Do you follow someone who is sometimes (or better yet consistently) funny, or ribald or perhaps pithy. (They are real words people, look them up!) Please leave their Twitter names in the comment section or shoot me an email.

Ok, I know, enough with the chitter-chatter.

Here's Week two of the OTS Tweets of the Week (did I mention I didn't invent this? I was STUNNED to do a Google search and see others have been doing this for a while - I HONESTLY thought I invented this. God, I'm a dork. OK, I'm done digressin - I promise!).

RIP Jack LaLanne. Well, so much for that ridiculous myth that exercise is GOOD for you. @alyankovic

(Yeah - the guy only lived to 138)

If I could have one super-power, I would select Paula Dean's ability to add ingredients without measuring.
@DennisDMZ

(Mine would be to turn water into hollandaise sauce)

Just got done talking to the kids at Brubaker Elementary...first question asked " Are you rich?"
@MBlakely2211

(Compared to them, yeah you probably are - but you now live in Iowa ... ewww!)

One day after Jets clean out lockers, universe is restored to order on NY's three tabloid back pages: Jeter. Jeter. Jeter.
@sportswatch

(It's going to be a long year for Jeets I fear. Or is that hope?)

Just got back from the Lakers-Jazz game. I might have to shower to get Utah's stink off me. They are a bad body language quagmire.
@sportsguy33

(Nobody turns a phrase like Bill Simmons - I'm stealing that one for sure)

I suspect these next four unfortunate posts - all made within about 5 minutes - are what happens when a 50-year-old is forced to Tweet by upper management.

@AdamSchefter yo adam, this is your colleague steve levy and i'm new to twitter and yur the 1st person i'm following, congratulations 2 u!

yes i'll be the guy watching the nhl's mock all-star draft on the nhl network at 8pm eastern...who's with me ?

van pelt, add me 2 your followers.rediculous since i'm sitting next 2 u for next 5 hrs but whatever. yeah i'm on twitter. B afraid & B Easy

@MattBarnabyESPN barnaby, its levy and yeah i'm on twitter and yeah i'm following you...and not to raleigh either, enjoy sullivans every nt

(On the up side, I don't think Steve Levy has Twitted - and yes I'm coining that term for dumb Tweets - since)

ok baby room, it's me and you tonight. how many think i can put a crib together?
@Pink

(Yes, I follow Pink - I'm not proud and that's not really that funny, I but I like her profile pic)

(These next few of posts are shamelessly self-promoting in so many ways - and therefore positively Twitterific! I mean what else is the point in this exercise, right?)

My goal for next week: Get mentioned in@scorrow's Tweets of the Week blog post.
@aabrami5

I think you did it!
@scorrow

Thanks for the rewteets lately-Now I just have to come up withthe killer tweet to complete w/ Alex on the Tweets of the week.
@vtscoreboard

I'd suggest the Alex Abrami sucking up approach!
@scorrow

(Anyone else want a piece of this Tweety goodness? C'mon, it's free. @jfantino, I'm talking to you!)

Did Egypt shut down Twitter and Facebook, too? How did people follow the Kardashians and ignore updates of dopes you knew in HS?
@PeteAbe

(My favorite - clean - TotW. If you are Sawx fan don't follow Pete then what's the fricken point of having an account.)

I feel pretty good that Vermont lost to BYU early in season. Jimmer Fredette is pretty much the best shooter in the world!
@VermontSports

(Good call there - Jimmer is going to be a verb in the tournament - i.e., Duke just got Jimmered out of the second round.)

Is it wrong to scream “You got pwned” in your son’s face after beating him at Hungry Hungry Hippos?
@ConanOBrien

(Why is Conan so much funnier in 140 words than on TV?)

Based on extensive field research, I can safely say TI's "Bring Em Out" may (still) be the most popular hoops warm-up song in the northeast.
@banner_sports

(But that doesn't make it good - I pray I see the day someone goes old school Motown for a smooth 20-min. of pregame tunage, but then again I'm really old.)

Pit boss great show shorty bad ass lol
@OzzieGuillen

(I know English is his second langauge, but is Ozzie even speaking English here?)

Watching curling before I head out to be a model tonight... I love Canadian TV. And curling. Best sport in the world after hockey.
@CarolineBright

(We might have to revoke her Miss Vt. title over this post.)

“@HeartbreakHeeb: What was your favorite bar in Burlington @ryenarussillo? I peg you as an Ake's place guy” Blarney Stone
@rayenarusslio

(Blarney Stone? Man, I thought Ryen was cool.)

Just when u think u've got parenthood nailed, u've got a burrito wrapped cryer laying sidewise on your lap in the dark in a rockin' chair
@BillyDemong

(This tweet from a U.S. Olympian skier could be put to music and rocket to No. 1 on the Country Top 40.)

My review of Dead Space 2 - furious dudes w/ slingblade arms kill you and eat your face ..for an hour. Then you put EA '11 back in. The end
@notthefakeSVP

(Methinks Mr. Van Pelt was not amused.)

It's none of my business, but if you're putting hot sauce on your pizza you're eating the wrong pizza.
@RobNeyer

(Obviously, Rob's dumb. Love a little hot sauce on everything except - to steal a line from SVP - cereral and ice cream).

He shoots, he scores! Martin St. Louis gives Team Lidstrom a 10-8 lead. #nhl #allstar
@WCAX_Seth

(I only hope that Seth was at work when he Tweeted this. I mean I love to Tweet, but NHL All-Star hockey tweets - with hashtags?!? You better be getting paid Bro!)

There's one more TotW I'm dying to post - made me laugh way too hard - but it's a little blue. I've debated posting it all weekend, but I decided I'll keep this a family blog given my line of work. However, if you email me - and I know you - I'll send it along.

Please send along any good Tweets you get and if you have someone I should be following, please let me know.

•••

SHAWN CORROW, when he's not dying to post just ONE more TotW - from SarahKSilverman - is owner of Cold Hollow Photography, a freelance photojournalist, a recovering sports editor, a temporary part time worker and permanent full-time smart ass.