BARRE – The Hazen Union girls basketball team ran their winning streak to 22 games over the weekend, using a big second half for a come-from-behind win over crosstown rival Peoples Academy (PA) in the Second Annual Winter Solstice High School Basketball Classic.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
The Lady Cats erased a nine-point halftime deficit to clip an upstart PA team 48-43 on Saturday in what was their first trip back to the Barre Auditorium since they cut down the nets in the Division III championship game last March.
Autumn Dailey’s team high 15 points paced a balanced Lady Cat attack, with fellow sophomores Kelsie Rivard (12 points) and Taylor Thompson (11) also combining for 13 steals on the afternoon. Point guard Mya Lumsden chipped in with five points, 11 boards, and seven more steals in the backcourt for Hazen. Eighth grader Daisy Berg stole the show on the big stage, giving PA a 29-20 lead at the break behind a game high 19 points. Rivard returned from first half foul trouble and teamed up with Dailey to punish the Lady Wolves in the paint and take the lead for good 40-36 with eight minutes left to play. PA was a final four team behind 1,000-point scorer Shelby Wells two years ago but failed to make the state tournament last season. The rebuild looks bright for the Lady Wolves program led by Berg and a talented young core.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
“They have some good young talent and Berg hit some big shots from long range in the first half. We hadn’t really been tested with adversity in our first two games, so I was happy to see this young team dig deep and claw their way back to get the win. Peoples played hard on defense, we struggled with foul trouble, and just didn’t shoot very well. It was a great atmosphere and great for the girls to return to the Aud after accomplishing what they did as a team last season,” said head coach Randy Lumsden.
Hazen (3-0) steamrolled Lyndon Institute 68-20 just before Christmas break on Banner Night behind 22 points from Rivard, with Lumsden and Dailey combining for 22 more in the win. Inclement weather postponed a much-anticipated showdown between Hazen and three-time Division IV champs West Rutland last Thursday. The Lady Cats ended West Rutland’s 40 game win streak last season. The all-world Peyton Guay and her Golden Horde teammates will now look to return the favor on their home floor, February 8. Lumsden thinks the scheduling change could be a blessing for his young team.
photo by Vanessa Fournier
“We prepared all week for a tough West Rutland team and had to shift gears quickly to PA at the Aud, and we didn’t handle it that well. With the game rescheduled for next month, it gives us more time to develop as a team and it will serve as great tournament prep for the playoffs, where some very good teams in Division III will be gunning for us,” said Lumsden.
The Lady Cats hosted Enosburg on Tuesday and are scheduled to travel to Stowe Thursday, before returning to the Cat Den next Tuesday for a tough match-up against Richford. All home games can be streamed on Hardwick Community Television, hctv.us.
