ESSEX JUNCTION — The top seeded Essex Hornets jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead and cruised past the Middlebury Tigers 7-0 in a Vermont Principals Association Division One Semi-Final on Saturday evening on the Essex Rink.

Essex took two early penalties early in the first period, giving Middlebury a lengthy two man advantage, but the Tigers were not able to take advantage of the opportunity, and the situation went from bad to worse when Essex senior Jonah Janaro came out of the box and busted into the Middlebury zone, setting up classmate Grady Cram for Essex’s first goal at 5:36. The Hornets then added a pair of goals, both from junior Willem Barwin, in the next three minutes and forty seconds to push the lead to 3-0. That was the score after one.

The Hornets quickly pushed the edge to four as sophomore Max Line scored 21 seconds into the second. They then pushed it to 5-0 on Cram’s second of the night at 12:42, carrying that lead to the locker room after two.

Charles Wiegand IV pushed Essex’s lead to 6-0 four minutes into the third, before Cram finished his hat trick with a shorthanded goal at 10:31.

Essex senior Sam Foster made 24 saves in net for the shutout.

Essex, now 17-3-2, advances to the Division One Championship game on Wednesday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse. Middlebury ends their season at 10-9-3.