Times Argus Sports Guide Spring 2019 | Page 6

6 Season Athletes of the Week Attilio Perantoni SPAULDING HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR, BOYS LACROSSE GOALIE Perantoni and the Crimson Tide are quickly proving that the difference between Division I and II may not be so big this year. The Tide goalie made 14 saves in a 9-7 victory over Rutland, a D-I oppo- nent that has already beat Woodstock and Burr & Burton. When D-II Spaulding returned to action against Stowe, Perantoni served up 16 saves during an 8-5 victory. The scored was tied at 3 entering halftime before Spaulding built a two-goal lead in the fourth quarter. The Raiders intensified their attack at the end, but Perantoni turned aside seven shots in the fourth quarter to seal the deal. The Tide (2-0) are a program on the rise after enduring win- less seasons in 2013, 2016 and 2017, plus one-victo- ry seasons in 2014 and 2015. Cypress Levitt U-32 HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR, GIRLS LACROSSE MIDFIELDER The defending Division II state champs started the season late because fields were still drying out, but they got down to business quickly with four victories in eight days. Levitt scored six goals in a 19-6 victory over Harwood before punishing Milton with our goals and three assists in a 20-2 romp. The three-sport standout scored seven goals at St. Johnsbury, sparking an 11-10 victory. She close out last week with five goals and two assists during a rain-shortened 13-2 win over Woodstock. The Raiders will host Hartford at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Madison Fornwalt OXBOW HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, SOFTBALL PITCHER The reigning Times Argus Softball Player of the Year helped the Olympians kick off their title defense with Thursday’s 15-0 victory over Lamoille in five innings. It was only the third time out on the field for Oxbow’s players and no Olympians recorded multiple hits, but Fonrwalt’s magic on the mound carried her team. She threw a one-hitter in the complete-game victory, piling up 11 strikeouts while issuing one walk. Even though Fornwalt did not start pitching until age 11, she was a quick learner and has been a four-year standout for Ox- bow while recording 430 career strikeouts. Owen Kellington U-32 HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE, BASEBALL PITCHER Kellington and the Raiders are quickly proving that you don’t need a lot of outside practices to ex- cel on the baseball diamond. Poor field conditions have limited U-32’s outdoor exposure this spring, but the Raiders have persevered while starting the season with a 5-2 record. Kellington was on fire during a doubleheader sweep over Randolph, leading his team to a 16-9 victory in the opener before taking the mound and sparking a 5-0 vic- tory. During the first game Kellington went 2-for- 3 with a double. The Ghosts had no answer for him in the second game, recording one hit over seven innings. Kellington recorded 18 strikeouts and issued zero walks to silence Randolph. Earlier in the week the Raiders scored five runs in the sixth inning to steal a 12-9 victory over Peoples. The U-32 offense is averaging nine runs per game. AJ Castellaneta SPAULDING HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, BASEBALL CATCHER The talented football player has also been a four- year standout on the baseball diamond, giving the Crimson Tide lots of scoring potential near the top of the order. Castellaneta helped his team kick off a busy week with a 13-11 victory over BFA-Fairfax. He was walked three times and scored a run for the Tide. Three days later Castellaneta came through again, helping Spaulding hold on for an 8-7 victory over Middlebury. The next day Castellaneta belted a grand slam in the fourth inning, putting an excla- mation point on an 11-1 victory over Mount Abra- ham. The Tide’s three-game winning streak ended The Times Argus Spring Sports Guide 2019 with Saturday’s 13-10 loss against Vergennes, but Castellaneta showed off his power again with a sixth-inning homer. Evan Parent SPAULDING HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, BASEBALL PITCHER The Crimson Tide’s multi-sport star was in the zone during a busy stretch as his team closed out the regular season with five games in eight days. Parent hit home runs in three straight games, helping Spaulding secure the No. 11 seed for Divi- sion I playoffs. He homered in a 13-10 loss against Vergennes before fueling a 12-7 victory over U-32, avenging last year’s defeat against the Raiders. Parent belted a three-run double in the first inning against the Raiders and clobbered a three-run ho- mer in the sixth inning for a six-RBI performance. He homered again two days later, sparking an 11-7 victory over Milton. The following day he gave up four hits over three-plus innings on the mound during a 5-4 loss against Mount Abraham. Parent finished with week by recording one hit during a 5-2 loss against Lyndon. Lucy Krokenberger U32 HIGH SCHOOL SOPHOMORE, GIRLS TENNIS, SINGLES PLAYER Krokenberger is no stranger to success after winning a Nordic ski title last winter and clinching a 2017 cross-country running crown following a tiebreaker decided by each team’s sixth runner. She continued to excel on the tennis courts this spring, leading the Raiders (11-2) to their first championship appearance in program history. The Raiders kicked of Division II playoffs by securing a 7-0 victory over Harwood, with Krokenberger holding on for a 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 victory over Lilianna Ziedins. U-32 extended its winning streak to seven matches with a 6-1 semifinal win over Burr & Burton. Krokenberger rolled past Bulldogs opponent Spencer North, 6-1, 6-1. The Raiders standout provided the highlight to a 5-2 championship loss against Woodstock by defeating Lydia Howe, 3-6, 6-0, 13-11.