Winter Sports 2016-17

Varsity Boys Basketball:

• Record last season: 18-4
• Key Returns: Kyle Booth (Sr), Quintin Pelzel (Sr), Hayden Roberge (Jr), Ford Porter (Jr)
• Key Additions: Gus Obeldobel (Sr), Jordan Hawkins (So), Trevor Day (Jr), Josh Farber (Jr)
• Key Losses: Jackson Mccoy, Derek Cote, Dash Vermilya, Jacob Toro, Zack Taylor

The Raiders, led by Kyle Booth, begin their season with key games against Williamstown, Woodstock and Mount Mansfield. They will look to build off of a successful season last year and continue the success that the graduating seniors left them with. The Raiders have several key additions including Gus Obeldobel, who did not play last year. Even though this team is younger than they were last year, they have more discipline on a team that has seen improvement in each of the first two years of Coach Dan Gauthier’s tenure.

Varsity Girls Basketball:

• Record last season: 20-1
• Key Returns: Katie Morrissette (Sr), Sam Fielder (Jr), Anna Richardson (Jr), Jayden Hudson (Jr)
• Key Additions: Emma Olmsted (Jr), Jozie Bolduc (Sr), Reilly Flye (Jr)
• Key Losses: Liz Aitchison, Jessica Mugford, Lilly Richardson, Andrea Symonds, Krista Towne

The Varsity team lost a whopping 5 seniors and are a drastically younger team. The Raiders, led by Katie Morrissette have a lot of potential. Even though they are young, they have several key additions including junior Reilly Flye — a spaulding transfer — who will be added to an all-new starting five this year. The Raiders play with a lot of energy and have already rattled off an impressive win against Mount Mansfield. How far the Raiders get in the playoffs will depend on if they can get some of their younger players to step up and replace the Senior-filled starting lineup from last year.

Varsity Boys Hockey:

• Record last season: 20-2-1
• Key Returns: Conor Barrett (Sr), Lucas Eldred (Sr), Matt Hynes (Sr), Brendan Marineau, Malone Bruce, Zach Lague
• Key Additions: Harper Wimble (Sr), Parker Schaarschmidt (Jr), Coby Gilander (Jr)
• Key Losses: Dalton James, Colby Brochu, David Woolaver, Ryan Andreoletti, Connor Carbo  

After closing out last season with a championship, the Raiders look to get back to the gut in a different division. The Raiders have moved to D1 this year and will play the powerhouses in the metro division. After losing many seniors and their starting goalie to a club team, the Raiders have still held onto their core team. Lucas Eldred and Conor Barrett — 30 goals and 18 goals last year, respectively — will look to help lead the team and pick up from where they left off last year. It won’t be easy after losing seven players from the championship team but players such as Harper Wimble — who played for the Vermont Lumberjacks — and Parker Schaarschmidt will almost certainly give this team a boost, both offensively and defensively. It looks like we’ll get to watch the Raiders compete for a championship in back to back years.

Varsity Girls Hockey:

• Record Last season: 17-5
• Key Returns: Michaela Bernier (Sr), Jordyn Michaud (Sr), Ellie Stroh (Sr), Acadia Zabriskie (Sr), Payton Kurrle (So)
• Key additions: Bella Parento (Fr), Jenna Mekkelsen (Fr), Renee Robert (Fr) 
• Key Losses: Logan Blake, Chloe Sairs, Megan Ryan, Natalie Lavigne, Madi Woodard, Nell Peterson, Dillon Raftery

The Raiders had an impressive season last year and ultimately lost to CVU/MMU at the gut. The Raiders lost a total of seven seniors but they still have top scorer Michaela Bernier and Jordyn Michaud, who will almost certainly be on the first line again this year. The Raiders have yet another impressive senior class that will be leaned on heavily by the underclassmen. If the Raiders are going to get back to the gut, they will need a lot of production from the younger players on the team. They have a lot of upside and are projected to have yet another great season under head coach Jeff Wuorinen.