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Rutland Herald Winter Sports Guide 2018-2019
Girls Basketball Preview continued from 11
be more balanced and we are athletic.
The players understand the concept
of playing defense and we haven’t had
that.”
The Blue Devils endured a 4-17 season
including a fi rst-round playoff loss to an
Arlington team that made it to the Final
Four in Barre.
The Devils open Friday at Twin Valley.
Proctor
The Phantoms came within an eyelash
of making the trip to Barre last year,
losing to Arlington in a quarterfi nal
game.
Coach Hughes believes the pieces are
there to be able to take that fi nal step
and get back to the Barre Auditorium
for the Division IV Final Four.
And there are a lot of pieces. The
Phantoms return four starters but fi ve
in all. Lyndsey Elms, who started for
MSJ, makes an already strong team even
stronger.
Allie Almond, Maddie Flanders,
Rachel Stuhlmueller and Maggie McKe-
arin are the four who started for Proctor
last season.
They also have Sarah Pecor back after
getting a good deal of playing time last
year.
Another transfer is Maeve Sheehe,
a sophomore who comes over from
Rutland.
Rounding out the squad are Sydney
Wood and fi ve freshmen: Kaitlyn Regula,
Lacie French and triplets Dez Angel and
Jazz Traverse.
“We’re very excited to have Lyndsey.
She has been in a lot of big games and
has played very well in so many big
games,” Hughes said.
The point guard responsibility will
fall to Almond, who is strong in so many
facets of the game. She can not only
handle the ball, but score.
“Allie will be our primary point guard
but Maggie McKearin, Maddie Flanders
and Lyndsey can all handle the ball. We
have got multiple ball handlers which I
love to have,” Hughes said.
The Phantoms open on Dec. 12 at
home against MSJ.
“Division IV is more wide open than
ROBERT LAYMAN / STAFF PHOTO
Girls from the West Rutland basketball team practice at Hinchey Gymnasium.
usual,” Hughes said.
He sees the Rutland County triangle
of the Phantoms, West Rutland and MSJ
all being serious contenders but he adds
that Blue Mountain and Arlington also
are capable of making the run.
The Phantoms have Sharon Academy
and Rivendell new to the schedule.
Rutland
Elise Magro and Leah Charron are
the only two returning starters for the
Raiders, but that’s a good foundation to
build around. Magro gives Rutland some
scoring from the outside and she is also
a good ball handler who can crash the
boards. Charron is a post player who can
rebound and score on the interior.
Kendra Sabotka and Rylee Burgess
also played signifi cant minutes.
Makieya Hendrickson and Anna
Bower were sub-varsity players who
should make a strong bid for apprecia-
ble playing time on varsity this season.
“They have been doing well at try-
outs,” Rutland coach Nate Bellomo said.
The opener comes on Dec. 7 with the
North-South Challenge featuring Essex,
Spaulding and Mount Anthony.
Bellomo believes he has a group of
players accustomed to playing with one
another from the lower levels and that
could translate into a little different
look.
“They may have a little bit more free-
dom this year with the ability to create
on their own,” Bellomo said. “And we
would like to push the ball a little more.”
In order to do that, they will have to
rebound. Charron gives them the size to
lead that challenge.
“Big is one thing, but we also have to
have the right mentality to rebound,”
Bellomo said.
That could be the key to advancing in
the Division I playoffs, where the Raiders
got knocked out in the fi rst round by
South Burlington.
He feels the Marble Valley League
portion of the schedule will not be easy.
“It’s a grind by the end of the season
in the MVL with Brattleboro, Burr and
Burton and Mount Anthony. It comes
down to who is playing well at that time
and who is healthy,” Bellomo said.
The numbers are down in the
program, but Bellomo said the players
who are there are the ones who should
be there.
Springfi eld
The possibilities of taking the next
step after a 10-10 season are exciting in
Cosmos Land.
They played a Randolph team that
made it to Barre very tough before
bowing out of the Division II playoffs
last year and most of those players are
returning.
That includes senior and four-year
starter Hannah Crosby. She brings it all
to the equation: ball handling, passing,
scoring and defense.
Junior Hailey Perham will be a
three-year starter lending even more
experience.
Julianna Albero-Levings is one of the
league’s better defenders.
Then, there is the post presence of
6-foot-2 Gabby Wardwell.
“She came to basketball late as an
eighth grader,” Springfi eld coach Joe
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