BURLINGTON — The Burlington High School Seahorses dominated faceoffs and possession time, rolling to a 10-6 victory over the Stowe Raiders in the VPA Division 2 championship game on Thursday afternoon on Buck Hard Field.
Using the faceoff skills of Clark Stephenson to earn control of the ball the Seahorses held a huge edge in first half possession time and used it tobuild a 5-2 halftime lead. Goals from Duncan MacDonald and Sevin Gulfield put BHS up 2-1 after a quarter and three straight from Shane Centerbar, Stephenson, and Paul Palasits build the lead to 5-1 before Storey Reynolds cut it to 5-2 for the Raiders at the break.
Goals from Brody Snow and Stephenson built the lead to 7-2 mid-way in the third quarter before Chad Haggerty answered for Stowe. But Palasits’ second of the game with just four seconds left in the third made it 8-3 Burlington after three.
The Raiders attempted a rally in the fourth as back to back goals from Haggerty and Riley Levine cut the Seahores lead to 8-5. But Stephenson’s third of the game and Centerbar’s second restored the five goal margin and BHS eased home to the win.
In winning their first state championship since 2007 Burlington ends the year 18-1. Stowe ends the season 13-4.