Harwood Roundup: Highlander girls varsity soccer rides a high-scoring winning streak
October 17, 2020 | By Katie MartinHarwood Girls Soccer had another big week methodically knocking off each opponent on the road and at home starting last last Saturday, Oct. 10, against Peoples Academy. They took home a 6-1 win thanks to junior Tenum Nelson coming up big with four goals for the Highlanders.
Nelson got the first goal with a solid pass set up from Junior Emma Ravelin, followed by another Highlander goal by Quinn Nelson, assisted by Sophomore Lousia Thomsen. Peoples Academy was able to squeak one goal past the Highlanders, but couldn’t catch up afterward.
Harwood’s team manager, senior Ellett Merriman, said Harwood wasn’t afraid to get down and get tough, playing Peoples. “The team also wasn’t afraid to play tough when Peoples Academy got rough. Louisa Thomsen, Tanum Nelson and Tela Haskell played an incredibly physical game which kept the ball on Peoples field."
Peoples Academy goalie Shelby Wells stops the ball in front of Harwood's Emma Ravelin at the Sat. Oct. 10 game in Morrisville. Photo by Sarah Milligan.
Harwood 5, Montpelier 0
On Wednesday, Harwood Girls Soccer hosted Montpelier High School keeping the season’s momentum rolling and earning another high-scoring game win.
In a neck-and-neck start to the game, both teams battled for the chance to break the ball down the field and earn a shot on net. Harwood claimed most of the ball possession in the first half but was unable to successfully get a passing system down for a shot. The score was tied at 0-0 at the half.
Switching gears, Harwood entered the second half scoring their five goals in succession. Highlander team manager senior Ellett Merriman said the team's intensity in the game spiked when freshman Quinn Nelson shot on the Solons’ net and hit the crossbar.
Nelson came out in the second half of the game and netted the first goal for Highlanders with a cross assist from junior Josie Rand. Harwood’s Lousia Thomsen shot a long air ball goal from around the 18 yard line that sailed over the Solons’ goalkeeper to give Harwood the extra boost; Thomsen was assisted by Tanum Nelson. Rand scored again with an assist from Tanum Nelson. Junior Emma Ravelin scored off rebounds to make the last two Harwood goals.
“Harwood's girls varsity soccer has some strong players and going head-to-head with their long-standing rival Montpelier brought out everyone's fire,” Merriman said. “The defensive line in this game worked together wonderfully which made a large difference when the game shifted to their half of the field while the midfield worked on give and goes and staying open for passes as well as looking for crosses.”
Harwood's Tanum Nelson controls the ball during last Saturday's game against Peoples Academy. Photo by Sarah Milligan
Harwood 6, North Country 1
The girls kept their winning streak going Friday afternoon, traveling to Newport where they bested the Falcons at North Country Union 6-1.
The team plays at home on Monday, Oct. 19, hosting Thetford Academy.
The girls record this season is 5-0, with 36 goals scored and only 2 scored against.
Girls Volleyball
Harwood 3, Lyndon 2
Coming off a recent loss, Girls Volleyball was able to take control of the court and tally one in the win column in a match against Lyndon Institute on Wednesday, Oct. 14.
In the first set, Harwood was able to squeak by with a 25-23 win.
Coach Peter Arsenault said the team looked a lot better and worked for more opportunities to set up an aggressive attack. In practices leading up to the Lyndon match, the team worked on serving and receiving, which paid off. “Our serves (when they were in) proved to be difficult for the other team to handle and was the determining factor to provide us the points needed to catch the lead in key moments of certain sets,” said Arsenault.
Highlights of the game include Harwood’s 21 ace points. An ace is a serve which lands in the opponent's court without being played, or is played by the opponent but unable to be kept in play by the receiving team players. Sophomore Mia Lapointe led the team with eight aces, and Senior Lynn Russel led the team with 30 serving attempts and 19 points - four of them aces. “She brought us the win in the 1st set by bringing us back from a 9-point deficit with an 11-point run serving,” Arsenault said.
“We had a wider range of players providing good passes in serve-receive which led to more opportunities towards an attack/kill. The most notable was better passes which can make a big difference in the execution of a game. [Sophomore] Teras Wood and Lynn Russell led the team with passing,” added Arsenault.
Girls volleyball plays Randolph today, Oct. 17, at Montpelier High School at 4 p.m. Leading up to today’s match, Arsenault said his team was working to reduce missed serves under pressure. He said he wants the team to work on increasing aggressiveness on the attack and to make more scoring opportunities.
Field Hockey
Harwood 1, U-32 3
Harwood Girls Field Hockey traveled to U-32 Oct. 10, hoping to gain their first victory this season. But after a back-and-forth game, the Raiders pulled off the win over the Highlanders 3-1.
After a scoreless first and second quarter, U-32 netted the first goal in the third as Alanna Beauregard shot one in. U-32 kept the 1-0 lead until the fourth quarter when Caitlyn Fielder scored twice for the Raiders. Harwood managed to notch one in, as junior Rachel Goodwin got one on the board for Harwood.
“The team felt frustrated with the loss today, but still felt it was a close game that could have gone either way,” said Highlanders head coach Sophie Tretiak. In net for the Highlanders was junior Grace Heller; U-32 had Kaelyn Hayward.
Harwood 1, Stowe 4
Harwood hosted Stowe High School midweek on Oct. 14 and the Stowe Raiders were able hold off the Highlanders for a 4-1 victory.
Stowe struck the first blow with a goal from senior midfielder Stella Frame, who would score a second goal of the game in the second quarter. Harwood senior captain Charlotte Cook scored one in the second quarter to even it up, putting Harwood on the board.
But Stowe wasn’t finished yet, scoring two more goals to seal the deal in the fourth quarter: one goal apiece for senior midfielder Skyler Graves, and one from senior forward Abbie Rice.
“Stowe was a very skilled team that moved the ball and communicated well. We will be working on channeling and positioning at practice,” Tretiak said.
Harwood 1, Spaulding 0
In a rainy away game on Friday afternoon, Oct. 16, Harwood Girls Field Hockey won their first game of the season against the Spaulding Crimson Tide.
The Highlanders eked out the win after junior forward Rachel Goodwin was able to get one past Tide defense with just 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Goodwin was assisted by Maggie Aiken and Chloe Joslin.
Spaulding tried to answer back when they had multiple offensive corner opportunities with circle play, tallying up 16 corners against Harwood’s two. Spaulding had two goals coming off of offensive corners called back as the ball never came out, and back into the circle successfully.*
Kaylee Cameron in net for the Highlanders made 15 saves; defender Allie Brooks played a strong game with many defensive stick saves and preventing goals scored against.
“The team played well as a unit. Charlotte Cook played mid and defense for us and had a strong game and helped to control the tempo,” Tretiak said. The team at this point in the season is 1-5-0 and they will play next on Monday, Oct. 19, against Milton.
*A corner is when there is a foul in the defensive circle, causing an advantage for one team who can stack up as many players as they want on the semi-circle against four defenders and a goalie. The ball is inserted out into play by the team who earned the foul - the ball must come out of the circle, and then brought back in before it is shot to be counted as a goal.
Boys Soccer
Harwood 2, Peoples 1
Boys Soccer also traveled to face Peoples Academy Saturday, Oct. 10, and they came home with another win to their record.
In the 36th minute of the game, junior Jack Birmingham scored the first goal for Harwood unassisted. Minutes later it was senior Hayden Adams who landed one with an assist from junior Skylar Platt. That would cap the scoring for Harwood, as Peoples tried to
rally back, when Ollie Nigro earn their first and only goal of the game later at 65 minutes into play.
“We started a little slow, but got some good goals. Giving one back in the second half was tough, but we did well to preserve the win after the game got tighter. We created good spaces. Our attackers working to control long balls helped us keep the ball on their half. Ollie's goal from a freekick was hit perfectly,” said Harwood Coach Joe Yalicki.
When asked what they might work on in their next game, Yalicki said playing with more assertiveness, and moving and defending with more purpose.
Harwood 1, Montpelier 0
On Thursday, Oct. 15, Harwood Boys Soccer hosted the Montpelier High School Solons for a close, even-matched game where the Highlanders held a close lead for 78 minutes of the regulation game.
Harwood came out on the pitch scoring early, earning their first goal just two minutes into the game. Senior Gavin Thomsen scored the Highlanders’ first, only, and game-winning goal, assisted by junior Finn O’ Hara. Yalicki said that Thomsen’s goal was the momentum-shifter that his team needed early in the game, and that goaltender Jake Collier had a great game – even saving a breakaway play.
Harwood held its lead for the remainder of the game, keeping the Solons scoreless. Coach Yalicki said that holding the Solons was a highlight. “Jake Collier was really on today in goal. All parts of his game. Jack Birmingham was the most composed player on the field. Hayden created chances in several different parts of the field and created most of our good chances,” Yalicki added.
When asked after the game what Harwood would be working on to keep the momentum in the later part of the season, Yalicki said building connections and working on team playing.
At 5-1-0, the boys head to play North Country on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Golf
Girls and Boys Golf have both finished their short seasons, with the girls placing third in Division II and boys ranking fifth – one stroke behind fourth place – in their State Golf Championship matches last week.
Head Coach Brian McCarthy said he was very pleased with his team's placement amidst the weather conditions, particularly for the boys team. On a high note though, it was their first and only golf competition, he noted.
The team lost three weeks starting late into September due to COVID-19. When asked about standouts, McCarthy mentioned a few: “Jacob Green's 82 in states placed fourth and that was amazing. Jordan Hunter's freshmen year will prove to be the start of a very nice high school golf career.”
Hunter in her first year shot 99 at the Vermont State Championships and earned herself a spot in the New England Championship which will take place next year in Keene, N.H.
“We need more female golfers since both Emma Kellett and Maddy Cheney graduate in the spring,” added McCarthy. “Parker Davey and Adyn Oshkello also had impressive rookie seasons. The boys have a few other young golfers who if they come out next spring, Harwood could be back in the hunt for a championship.”
McCarthy expressed thanks to the Country Club of Vermont, Blush Hill Country Club, and Sugarbush for letting the team use their courses.
Katie Martin is the JV and middle school field hockey coach at Harwood Union High School and a member of the Waterbury Select Board.