HARDWICK – Jay Terrien will take over the reins of the Hazen Union varsity girls’ soccer program this fall, replacing Harry Besett after six years on the sidelines.
Wildcat Taylor Thompson (left) runs the ball up the field followed by Lamoille’s Hailey Porter (right) during a scrimmage held at Hazen Union, August 28.
Besett guided the Lady Cat program to their first state title match since 1987 in 2020 and reset with a dynamic group of freshman and sophomores around their two-time Vermont All-State midfielder Caitlyn Davison last season. Besett earned Mountain League Coach of the Year honors after leading his young team to a 7-7-1 record and their first home playoff match in three years. Terrien, a former All-State and Twin-State selection himself out of Burlington High School, inherits a talented group of young athletes to mold to his system, while Besett shifts his focus to the Hazen boys’ varsity program. Terrien is the new music teacher at Craftsbury Academy (CA), was also a standout on the pitch for Bates College, and brings decades of coaching experience to the Lady Cat program.
“We had a really positive and competitive camp with a pool of 18 players coming out. Our collective team goal has been to assess each player to determine the best ways to utilize their individual athletic abilities and personalities in a variety of formations. Every training session we are teaching them pro-level tactical concepts and responsibilities,” said Terrien.
Hazen Union’s Adelina Augsberger (left) looks to steal the ball from Lamoille’s Emmelia Whittemore (right) during an August 28 scrimmage held on Hudson Field. In the center following the play is Ada Moore of Lamoille.
Terrien will have holes to fill with the graduation losses of Davison and fellow First Team Mountain League selection Tessa Luther, along with Sarah Collier and Craftsbury Academy’s Sadie Skorstad and Sophia Augsberger. He does return a wealth of young talent however, led by top scoring junior striker Isabelle Gouin and sophomore Taylor Thompson, who earned Mountain League First Team honors after a sensational freshman campaign. Junior Brianna Holbrook earned Second Team honors last fall and also returns to anchor the defense. Five players from CA will be on the Hazen roster this season led by senior Savanah Boyce, junior Adelina Augsberger, and first year players Ada Allen, Berenise Calvo-Ruiz, and Linsey Allen.
“Our strong defensive leaders will be Brianna, Savanah, Autumn Dailey, Ursa Goldenrose, Julia des Groseilliers, and goalkeeper Ella Renaud. Taylor, Kelsie Rivard, Mya Lumsden, and Baylie Christensen return this season to patrol the midfield with creativity, pace, and bite. Isabelle, Adelina, and Natalie Michaud are attacking offensive players and provide us with very capable scoring threats. Ada, Linsey, Berenise, Ava Gallison, and Piper Hall are also expected to contribute this season. This new regime is an all-in family-first dynamic that is laser focused on creating success immediately. They are an awesome group of girls, and we are looking forward to the season!” said Terrien.
Hazen is scheduled to open the season at Vergennes on Friday and will stay on the road for a match-up against Peoples Academy next Monday.
ed. note: An earlier version of this story misspelled Jay Terrien’s name. It has been corrected here
