Jack Healey’s Blog January 3rd, 2018

 

2017 was a great year for local sports and this is oriented toward the Rutland area, but what was your top sports story of 2017? I have a few in no particular order except for #1. This has to be #1:

Yes Rutland’s thrilling overtime victory over CVU to win its first Division 1 boys basketball championship in 50 years. It was a magical night at the Patrick Gym as the Raiders took home the title after so many years of heartbreak. If there ever was a program that suffered the “agony of defeat and the thrill of victory” it was the Raider boys basketball program. Like his father before him Leon Wood in 1999, Mike Wood rode home a state champion.

Here are some other top sports stories;

Rutland High’s first ever Division 1 state championship in girls hockey

The three-peat for MSJ girls basketball in Division 4 and Proctor boys basketball in Division 4.

The 2nd straight Vermont victory in the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl Game. Yes the game is still relevant as far as I’m concerned. The victory this year not as big as last year even though it will always be big for the players and coaches. Any Vermont victory in the Shrine game is big. Vermont’s sweep in both Lions Cup Twin State Soccer Games. Rutland’s Jeff Paul of Colchester coaching Vermont to victory in the girls game. Vermont’s victory in the girls Twin State basketball game as West Rutland’s Brooke Raiche was named the Vermont MVP a little over a month after helping lead West Rutland to the Division 4 state high school softball championship. Rutland continued its dominance in cheerleading winning its third straight Division 1 state championship after taking home the national championship at a competition in Maryland. Otter Valley’s 3-2 win over U32 in the Division 2 state high school baseball championship on a walk-off  2 out RBI single by Nate Hudson. The 2nd year of over 34,000 watching the two days of the World Cup at Killington over the Thanksgiving weekend!

Fair Haven’s romp over Bellows Falls in the Division 2 state championship game in high school football on a frigid November afternoon at Rutland’s Alumni Field as Cam Coloutti another one of Brian Grady’s sensational quarterbacks led the way. Coach Grady picking up his first state title with the Slaters after winning two Division 1 state championships at MSJ. Fair Haven also won the boys Division 2 state championship in indoor track. The second straight national championship for The College of St. Joes baseball team. Rutland High’s Jared Nelson, who will be playing his college golf at Siena, twice winning Division 1 state medalist honors in boys golf in the same calendar year.. He won in the spring of 2017 as Rutland won the Division 1 state title and won in the fall of 2017 as golf became a fall sport for the first time. Castleton winning another NAC baseball championship in baseball and Castleton winning mens and womens NAC championships in soccer. Castleton winning back the “Maple Sap Bucket” in football with its victory over Norwich. Norwich’s 2-0 victory over Castleton in mens hockey at the Spartan Arena. Not the game itself of course, but that was the final Spartan sporting event for outgoing Castleton University President David Wolk. It was also the same day that it was announced that Spartan Stadium would be renamed Dave Wolk Stadium and the “Wolk Cup” would be given to both the mens and womens winner in the Castleton-Norwich hockey series. Oh what a legacy he has left!!!  2017…What a year!!! Here’s to 2018 I gave you a few, but what is your top sports story of 2017? I’d like to know. Email me at jhealey@catamountradio.com