MONTPELIER, Vt. - Hartford field hockey’s season ended Tuesday afternoon against the one team nobody has solved this fall. Top-seeded and unbeaten U-32 beat the fourth-seeded Hurricanes 4-2 in the semifinals at U-32.
Hartford made it a much closer game than the first meeting. U-32 won 5-0 on Sept. 1, the second game of the season, and the Raiders had outscored their previous five opponents 34-1 coming in. On Tuesday the Hurricanes found the net twice against them.
U-32 improves to 14-0 and moves on to the final on Sunday, Nov. 1, at Burr and Burton Academy. The Raiders will face the winner of Wednesday’s other semifinal between Otter Valley and Bellows Falls.
Hartford finishes 9-6-1, two more wins than last season’s 7-7-2 team, and reached the semifinals for the second straight year. The Hurricanes earned this trip with a 3-0 home win over Spaulding in the quarterfinals on Oct. 22, their fifth shutout of the season.
This was a young team that grew up fast. The roster was built around sophomores and juniors, including Nora Comeau, Bella Lombardi and Amaya Argyros, who all scored in last year’s quarterfinal win over Spaulding.
Longtime coach Heather Scudder saw this coming before the season. “I am looking forward to seeing their growth as players, teammates and young ladies,” Scudder said. Nine wins and a semifinal trip later, that growth showed.
That wraps up the day for Hartford High School sports. We’ll see you next time!