Friday, October 6, 2017
Rutland Herald Fall Sports Guide
19
“I’m optimistic,” Clement said.
Much of the optimism stems from the way her team
progressed in the Play Day on the turf at Burr and Burton
Academy against Bellows Falls and Woodstock.
“They were tentative at first but got more aggressive as
it went on. You could see the confidence start to build,”
Clement said. “I would like to find a backup goalie. It’s
always good to have a backup.”
The Slaters have kept the program together despite the
lack of a feeder program. One development could help.
Clement has taught Family Consumer Science for 25 years
in the lower grades. Now, she has moved up to the high
school to teach the subject.
She figures by being in the building that she can get
some enthusiasm going for the sport and maybe get a few
more players out for the team.
OTTER VALLEY
The Otters have had larger turnouts for the sport. But
they have had smaller turnouts, too.
Otter Valley had only three players on the bench in
2015 and things turned out just fine. The Otters won the
Division II state championship that year, blanking Mount
Abraham 1-0 in the title game.
“We are still a small team,” Edmunds of this year’s
16-player team. “But we have grown accustomed to hav-
ing a small team.”
The Otters will be starting over in goal with last year’s
backup sophomore Ellie Ross taking the reins.
“It will be exciting to watch her develop,” Edmunds said.
Katie Coolidge and Kelsey Reed are the returning
seniors. Coolidge will see action at midfield and forward
and Reed as a forward.
Gabby LaGrange returns to the defense where she
started last year and Sophie Markowski is back after start-
ing at midfield.
The team gets a lift from the return of sophomore Alia
Edmunds, who will be on the front line and at midfield.
She has not played field hockey in two years because of
twin ACL injuries 10 months apart.
Livia Bernhardt can play anywhere on the field. She
played forward, midfield and defense last season and it
looks like more of the same this time around.
“She is very versati