Champlain Valley Girls Score 19 Points For 10th Straight

By Mary Albl of DyeStat 

Saturday afternoon on the challenging, hilly course that is Thetford Academy, the Champlain Valley girls put together a show of dominance. Led by sophomore Alice Larson’s victory, Champlain Valley had a near perfect effort as all seven runners finished in the top 10 to tally 19 points and win the Division I Vermont State Cross Country Championships. It was the program’s 10th straight title. 

“If I’m going to complain, then I have a problem because that was a really, really good performance,” head coach Scott Bliss told the Burlington Free Press. 

Larson won the 5,000 meter race in a time of 19:29, while teammates Ella Whitman (19:35) and Chloe Silverman (20:25) finished 2-3. Of the seven Champlain Valley runners, only two are seniors. 

In the boys Division 1 race, Essex defended its title, scoring 27 points as junior Henry Farrington won the race in 16:35. In total, five Essex runners finished in the top 11. 

In the girls DII race, freshman Ava Thurston led Harwood to a team title as she won the race in 20:23. Harwood won with 46 points and produced three runners in the top 6.  

The boys Division II race was won by U-32 has the team dominated, scoring 23 points. Senior Andrew Crompton led the way, winning in 16:53.

The girls Division III race was all Bellows Falls as freshman Abby Broadley won in 20 minutes, guiding her team to a 14 point effort to win the team title. 

Thetford Academy senior Owen Deffner won on his home course in 17:42, claiming the DIII individual victory and leading his team a title. 

Team Champions 

Boys D1 - Essex 27 points

Girls D1 - Champlain Valley 19 points

Boys D2 - U-32 23 points

Girls D2 - Harwood 46 points

Boys D3 - Thetford Academy 28 points

Girls D3 - Bellows Falls 14 points