Hazen Union students (center from left) Chloe Cloutier, Grace Cloutier and Ethan Gann sang the National Anthem during the opening ceremony at the Barre Auditorium for the Division III championship game against Thetford, March 2. At front (from left) officiating the game were Chris Halnon, Andrew Mushevetis and Marc Bernier; in back (from left) are Head Coach Aaron Hill, Assistant Coaches Adam Gann, Travis Hill, Kevin Doyon, Letty Hill and Evans Bouchard, Managers Trevor Smith and Noah Foster and team members Morgan Michaud, Fenton Meyer, Gavon Bell, Kobe Smith, Lincoln Hill, Jameson Lamarre, Brendan Moodie, Xavier Hill, Sullivan Laflam Gabriel Michaud and Ryan Morrison.
BARRE – Coming off an emotional semifinal win over Winooski in what was the third straight heavyweight slug-fest in three years between the two teams, the Hazen Union boys’ basketball team ran out of gas and offense down the stretch against Thetford Academy over the weekend in the Division III state title game.
Hazen pulled off an epic comeback of their own at the Barre Auditorium on Thursday night, battling back from a double-digit deficit in the second half to stun defending champion Winooski 41-40.
Hazen Union teammates Xavier Hill (No. 11), Ryan Morrison (No. 23) and Gabriel Michaud (No. 21) rejoice at the sound of the final buzzer after edging by Winooski 41-40 during Division III semi-final action at the Barre Aud. February 29.
Senior Ryan Morrison had the game of his life in front of what felt like a home crowd for the Wildcats at the Aud, pouring in 16 points, pulling down 13 boards, and swatting three shots.
Fellow senior Xavier Hill added 12 points and sophomore Morgan Michaud willed the Wildcats to victory with a defensive effort for the ages.
Point guard Sam Parris was carving up Hazen through the first 20 minutes of the ballgame with 10 points and a series of precision passes. The senior playmaker found teammates Omar Turnage and Hussein Mohamed from long range on four different occasions to give Winooski a double-digit lead with less than four minutes left in the third quarter.
Hazen head coach Aaron Hill called a timeout and blanketed Parris the rest of the way with a relentless Michaud, holding him scoreless the final 12 minutes.
Hill converted a left-handed runner to end the third on a 10-0 to knot things up at 32-32 with eight minutes to play.
Hazen Union sophomore Morgan Michaud (No. 20) is double-teamed by Winooski’s Omar Turnage (No. 13) and Sam Freije (No. 10) during the semi-final action packed game held at the Barre Auditorium, Feb. 29. Hazen took the victory 41-40.
The lead was traded three more times down the stretch before Morrison was fouled battling for an offensive rebound with 14 ticks left. He converted one of two free throws and when Mohamed’s desperation three was off the mark, Hill’s Wildcats were off to their third straight Division III state title game.
“Morgan and Ryan were just unbelievable in this game. This group exceeded most people’s preseason’s expectations, and they did it by playing hard and sticking together,” said Hill.
The Wildcats came roaring out of the gate on Saturday night, but it was too much Sam Parkman in the end, as the senior center carried his team to their third championship in six years with a hard fought 57-53 comeback win.
Brendan Moodie (16 points) and Hill (17) combined for seven threes to give the Wildcats a commanding 29-20 advantage heading into the break, but a Ryan Morrison turned ankle would leave Hazen hobbled the rest of the way and Parkman (22 points) took advantage, leading the Panthers on a 23-11 run to start the second half.
Hill and Moodie kept it tied or within one possession throughout the fourth quarter, but consecutive chances to tie or take the lead in the final 20 seconds of the game ended in Wildcat turnovers.
Hazen Union junior Wildcat Brendan Moodie drives the basketball up the Barre Auditorium court past Hunter Clay of Thetford during play at the Division III championship game, Saturday, March 2. Thetford won 57-53.
Senior Gabe Michaud added seven points and seven rebounds in the loss.
Hunter Clay complimented Parkman with 15 points in the backcourt and Dempsey McGovern chipped in with 10.
It was the second time in three nights that the Panthers came back from double-digit deficits in the second half. They stormed back from 19 down to stun third-seeded White River Valley 60-58 on Thursday night.
It was Hill’s sixth trip to the Barre Auditorium in seven years, his third straight state title game (state champs in ‘21), and a season that saw him capture his 400th career coaching win at Hazen back in January. He will lose a special senior class to graduation, led by his nephew Xavier, who was undoubtedly one of the best basketball players in the state this past winter. The two-time Vermont Dream Dozen selection averaged nearly 18 points per game this season, while setting a school record for triple doubles. He will be joined by Gabe Michaud, Ryan Morrison, Fenton Meyer, and Gavon Bell.
Hazen Union players (from left): Gavon Bell, Fenton Meyer, Kobe Smith, Ethan Gann, Lincoln Hill and manager Noah Foster, as well as the crowd, react to the high and low roller coaster of emotions that was felt throughout the entire game with Hazen at the final buzzer losing to Thetford by just four points with a score of 53 to 57.
Members of the Hazen Union boys basketball team and their staff gathered at the House of Pizza in Hardwick after their finals game at the Barre Aud on Saturday. They are, front row (left to right) Trevor Smith, Noah Foster, Kobe Smith, Brendan Moodie, Letitia Hill and Kevin Doyon; middle row (left to right) Sully Laflam, Morgan Michaud, Lincoln Hill, James Lamarre, Gabriel Michaud and Gavon Bell; back row (left to right) Xavier Hill, Fenton Meyer, Travis Hill, Ethan Gann, Ryan Morrison and Aaron Hill.
“I think that Thursday night was such an emotional game for us that it took a toll going into Saturday and you saw it down the stretch. Losing Ryan was significant for us down low as well. I couldn’t be any prouder of our team and especially our seniors. Next year will bring in a new era. We are hoping to have a huge off-season this year as we know that we have some big shoes to fill,” said Hill.
Hazen senior Ryan Morrison aims for two of the 16 points he made during a highly competitive Division III semi-final game against Winooski, Thursday at the Barre Auditorium. Hazen won 41-40.
Hazen Wildcat Xavier Hill (No. 11) heads for the basket during Division III semifinal action in Barre, February 29. He was triple-teamed by Winooski players throughout the game but at the final buzzer Hazen prevailed 41-40. In the back Morgan Michaud (No. 20) follows the play.
Hazen Union Head Coach Aaron Hill (third from left) and Assistant Coaches (from left) Evans Bouchard, Adam Gann, Travis Hill, Kevin Doyon and Letty Hill, have a discussion before the Division III championship game against Thetford at the Barre Aud, March 2.
