2022: A look back at Lamoille Union athletics

There — led by Barrett Freeman and equipped with a petition signed by over 100 students — athletes from multiple Vermont schools urged the committee to do what they could to pressure the Vermont Principals’ Association to do more to create a safe atmosphere free of audience heckling that crossed the line.

Freeman matched her leadership off the field with accomplishments on the field. In August, she was singled out for the East Region player roster for the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program.

The girls’ soccer team, however, was unable to replicate its overall success this year, exiting in the playdowns of the playoffs after falling to North Country Union High School, 6-1.

The boys’ soccer team, with a young roster still in a developmental period, also fell in the playdowns after a 7-0 loss to Montpelier High School.

Lamoille student athletes did find success on the Bellows Free Academy-Fairfax/Lamoille Union football team, a perennial contender that once again found its way to the Division III championship game at Rutland High School’s Alumni Field in November.

The Bullets, led by Lamoille student and quarterback Cooper Harvey, tried their run-everything playbook used all season against their recurring foe, the Windsor High School Yellow Jackets, but were defeated for the second time in two years after a competitive first half, 35-21.

Here’s how other Lamoille Union teams fared last year:

• Lamoille’s track and field teams and individual runners were competitive and distinguished themselves at meets throughout the season. At the state championship meet in Burlington, Noah Burnham defended his 110-meter hurdle title and Maggie McGee placed second in the 3,000-meter race while helping the girls take second place in the 4x400 relay race.

• The No. 12 boys’ basketball team lost in the playdowns to the No. 5 Mount St. Joseph team, 64-44.

• The No. 14 girls’ basketball team also lost in the playdowns, 49-25, to No. 3 Fair Haven.

• The No. 16 Lamoille baseball team exited in the playdown stage of the playoffs, falling to No. 1 Spaulding 23-5.

• The highlight of the Lamoille softball season came at a May 5 game against Thetford Academy, when the girls scored 11 runs in the final four innings to beat their opponent in a miraculous comeback, 14-13. Unfortunately, their season also ended in the playdowns after the No. 10 Lancers went scoreless against No. 17 Spaulding, who had 16 runs.

• Lamoille girls placed seventh and the boys placed ninth at the Nordic freestyle state championship.

• Lamoille girls placed 10th in the alpine skiing state meet at Burke Mountain.

• The Lamoille girls’ lacrosse team exited in the playdown round of the playoffs, falling to the U-32 raiders 17-6.