photo by Dorothy Hill
State Free Throw Champions from this area were (left to right) Reegan Lumsden, Mya Lumsden, Lincoln Hill and Trevor Smith.
VERGENNES – Several local athletes in various age groups beat all comers over the weekend in the Knights of Columbus State Free Throw Competition held at Vergennes High School.
Walden’s Mya and Reegan Lumsden and Trevor Smith and Lincoln Hill of Hardwick were the best in the state in their respective age groups on Saturday in winning the annual local and state competition.
Reegan Lumsden went to a tie breaking shootout to win the 10-year-old division, sinking 22 of 30 attempts overall. Mya Lumsden missed just four out of 25 attempts to edge her opponent by a single free throw, claiming the 14-year-old division. Lincoln Hill went 19-25 from the line to win his 14-year-old division by two free throws. Smith also sank 19 of his free throw attempts to capture the 12-year-old division.
Mya and Reegan Lumsden are the son and daughter of Hazen Union varsity girls’ head coach Randy Lumsden. Mya was a freshman starting guard for a Lady Cat team that won 20 games for a second consecutive season, winning the Division III state championship last month for the first time since 1991. Randy was named Division III Coach of the Year by the VBCA and Mya earned Mountain League Second Team honors. Hill was one of three freshmen to make the Hazen boys’ varsity roster this past winter, joining Jameson Lamare and Kobe Smith. He watched his older brother Xavier lead the Wildcats to their third consecutive state title game, capping off a brilliant high school basketball career with Capital League Player of the Year honors.
Since 1972, councils have sponsored the Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship for boys and girls from the ages of 9-14 to provide an athletic outlet and encourage the values of sportsmanship and healthy competition. Kids compete within their own gender and age, progressing from local level to district, regional, and state/province competitions.
The future continues to look bright for high school basketball in Hardwick in the coming years.
