Varsity Insider

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.

We unveiled our all-state field hockey team — our 15th annual ranking of who we considered the best in the state — in this morning on-line and print editions.

Here are the links:

First team

Second and honorable-mention teams

The state’s coaches also sent us their selections for Twin state and all-league squads.

Enjoy them and tell us what you think.

Our soccer and football all-state teams are up next.

This year’s Fearless Free Press Football Forecast comes to an end with our picks in Friday’s paper, but it’s time for us to get a little more fearless with our predictions for the high school championship games.

Here are selected staffers’ predictions for the title games and their reasoning behind them:

(Check back later as more of our staffers chime in. …)

Division I

No. 1 Essex (10-0) vs. No. 3 Rutland (7-3)

Kevin Commo: Essex 33, Rutland 20. The Raiders have been there too many times not to make a game of it, but Max Librizzi and the rest of the Essex offense are too explosive to stop, especially on artificial turf.

Alex Abrami: Essex 33, Rutland 14. There’s just too much sting in the Hornets’ attack for the Raiders. Essex’s prolific offense will pull away in the second half, much like the teams’ regular-season meeting.

John A. Fantino: Essex 40, Rutland 10: Max Librizzi has another monster game as rapid-fire Hornets breeze to first title in 17 years.

Mike Donoghue: Essex 35, Rutland 19.  “Air” Librizzi and company are too much in the passing game for any defense.  Rutland coach Mike Norman always has his team prepared for a title game, but it won’t be enough this time.

Division II

No. 1  Colchester (10-0) vs. No. 3 Champlain Valley (9-1)

Kevin Commo: Colchester 19, CVU 7. In a matchup of hard-nosed teams, Colchester’s punishing ground game proves the difference.

Alex Abrami: Colchester 14, CVU 6. By Devon Grammo’s standards, his rushing line in last week’s semifinal win was below average. Grammo’s effort in the final will likely be the difference.

John A. Fantino: Colchester 21, CVU 6: Like it has done much of the season, Colchester jumps out to quick lead, squashing CVU’s hopes of another upset.

Mike Donoghue: Colchester 21, CVU 14. Should be a great game. CHS wants to go undefeated and CVU wants its first title.  Wet weather on grass could make a difference.  The Lakers, winless as freshmen, get it done.

Division III

No. 1  Windsor (8-2) vs. No. 3 Springfield (8-2)

Kevin Commo: Springfield 20, Windsor 18. Back-to-back wins over archrival Bellows Falls show surging Springfield is ready to defend its title.

Alex Abrami: Windsor 24, Springfield 21. Windsor makes up for 2007, 2008 title-game losses with a narrow win over rival Springfield.

John A. Fantino: Windsor 27, Springfield 24: Behind experience and a high-powered offense, the Yellow Jackets avenge last year’s title-game defeat, but by a much closer margin than their regular-season win over Springfield.

Mike Donoghue: Windsor 26, Springfield 14. Windsor has been a bride’s maid for two years, but get it done this time in the battle of Windsor County.  Gavin Callahan is too much for Cosmos.

Maggie DiMasi, the youngest member of one of Vermont’s best-known hockey families, was one of the most recruited high school  athletes in Vermont history.

DiMasi made it official this week when she accepted a full scholarship to play for Northeastern University next year.  Northeastern is ranked No. 9 in the nation currently. 

DiMasi, a defenseman,  amassed about 160 points in goals and assists over her four year high school career — two years at Burlington, one at Lawrence (Mass.) Academy and one at Northwood Prep in Lake Placid, N.Y., where two of her brothers were student-athletes.

It was a tough decision for DiMasi, the 2007 Burlington Free Press “Miss Hockey,” symbolic of the best player in Vermont.  DiMasi had been contacted by just about every one of the three dozen D-I hockey schools.   Northeastern appears to be a perfect fit, she said. 

Ice hockey is the sport of choice at the DiMasi home, which often had a flooded rink in the backyard.  She is the daughter of Nancy and Lou DiMasi, who coached the St. Michael’s College men’s team for 25 years. Her oldest brother, Lou, is a former Free Press “Mr. Hockey” who went on to be a two-time All-American at Norwich University and played professionally in Europe. A second brother, Andy, played at St. Michael’s for four years, while her youngest brother, Ronny, was all-state at BHS and is on the St. Michael’s team this year. Her only sister, Molly, a four-time high school all-state selection, is playing at St. Michael’s as a senior. All five have the distinction of playing in the Vermont-New Hampshire Make-A-Wish All-Star Classic.

The Champlain Valley Union High School boys soccer team reclaimed the Division I crown Saturday afternoon.

The Redhawks didn’t win last year — its only missed title chance since 2001 — and like coach T.J. Mead said in the game story, it’s news when CVU doesn’t win.

However, this 2009 squad was a determined bunch, aiming for nothing short of the program’s 16th championship.

The return of Mike Clayton (20 goals) from injury and moving Tino Tomasi back to forward for two playoff games were two important keys for the Redhawks. However, you can’t look past the defensive effort. The defense, anchored by goalie John Milbank, Chris Beaton, Andrew Blake and Co., yielded only six goals in 17 games, including zero in the final seven.

Obviously, its the players that deserve the credit for their play and development. And who was behind that development? T.J.’s younger brother: Nick Mead.

Nick Mead, like his brother, starred at CVU and played at UVM. Nick’s rich soccer knowledge was certainly a benefit for the team’s defense.

“My brother had a real impact on the team,” T.J. said. “Nick has been the person working with them extensively every single practice session.

“Nick takes the goalies and the backs works on shape and formations … all those things.”

Having his brother by his side gave the state title extra meaning for T.J.

“I love having my brother on the sideline with me,” T.J. said. “That made it even more special.”

Readers see our high school football predictions every week during the fall. Well, now that it’s championship weekend, it’s time for the Free Press staff to share some soccer predictions, too. Here are our title-game picks:

(Check back later as more of our staffers chime in. …)

Division I girls

No. 2 Champlain Valley (13-1-3) vs. No. 5 Burlington (9-2-6)

Kevin Commo: CVU 1, Burlington 0. The first goal is bound to decide this one and the Redhawks have more weapons.

John A. Fantino: Burlington 0, CVU 0. Seahorses win the title the same way they did a year ago — on PKs

Alex Abrami: CVU 1, BHS 0. The Seahorses have had the advantage over the Redhawks the last three seasons. However, CVU’s balanced effort is the difference.

Division I boys

No. 1  Champlain Valley (15-1) vs. No. 2 Burr and Burton (16-1)

Kevin Commo: CVU 2, Burr and Burton 0. Redhawks’ defense caps a perfect postseason with a seventh straight shutout.

John A. Fantino: CVU 3, Burr and Burton 1. BBA’s inaugural Division I tour comes to an end against a CVU program hungry for its seventh crown in eight years.

Alex Abrami: CVU 3, Burr and Burton 1. I picked CVU in my playoff predictions. If anything, the Redhawks have only strengthened their case with nearly flawless play, particularly in the semifinal win over BFA-St. Albans.

Division II girls

No. 2 Milton (14-3) vs. No. 4 Harwood (11-4-2)

Kevin Commo: Milton 1, Harwood 0. Championship experience provides the difference in matchup of Milton’s balanced offense and Harwood’s rugged defense.

John A. Fantino: Harwood 1, Milton 0. Highlanders’ 10th shutout of the season results in first title.

Alex Abrami: Milton 2, Harwood 0. Although Harwood knocked off top-seeded Montpelier, the defending champion Yellowjackets have that experience — and the talent — to repeat.

Division II boys

No. 1 Springfield (14-2) vs. No. 7 Missisquoi (10-6-1)

Kevin Commo: Springfield 2, Missisquoi 1, OT. Cosmos’ potent offense prevents Missisquoi from completing upset sweep of top three seeds.

John A. Fantino: Springfield 1, Missisquoi 0. Springfield cools off Thunderbirds with early goal and notches 11th shutout of season.

Alex Abrami: Springfield 3, Missisquoi 1. One of Springfield’s two losses? Division I finalist Burr and Burton. Yeah, I like the Cosmos.

Division III girls

No. 1 Mill River (17-0) vs. No. 3 Peoples (14-3)

Kevin Commo: Mill River 1, Peoples 1 (MR wins in PKs). It comes down to finishing skills as two battle-tested teams prove their mettle.

John A. Fantino: Peoples 2, Mill River 0. Veteran-laden roster + quick-strike offense = title defense.

Alex Abrami: Peoples 2, Mill River 1. An experienced Wolves squad is too much for Division III newbie Mill River.

Division III boys

No. 2 Stowe (12-2-2) vs. No. 4 Winooski (12-4)

Kevin Commo: Stowe 3, Winooski 2. Two years of finals experience serves the Raiders well in a tight game.

John A. Fantino: Winooski 3, Stowe 2: After overcoming three-goal deficit against No. 1 Lake Region, Spartans appear destined to claim first title.

Alex Abrami: Stowe 4, Winooski 2. Winooski has the feel-good story going for them. Stowe, however, owns this division and will show no sympathy.

Division IV girls

No. 1 Arlington (16-1) vs. No. 2 South Royalton (16-0-1)

Kevin Commo: Arlington 3, South Royalton 1. All those matchups with Division III opponents, both in this year’s regular season and past postseasons, give the Eagles an edge.

John A. Fantino: Arlington 3, South Royalton 2. When in doubt, go with the higher seed.

Alex Abrami: Arlington 2, South Royalton 1. I picked Arlington before the tournament started. No reason to jump now.

Division IV boys

No. 2 Sharon (17-0) vs. No. 4 Black River (13-3-1)

Kevin Commo: Sharon 2, Black River 1. The Phoenix cap perfect season by gaining revenge for last year’s finals defeat.

John A. Fantino: Sharon 1, Black River 0. Players on the only unbeaten, untied boys team in the state are smarting from last year’s title-game loss.

Alex Abrami: Black River 2, Sharon 1 (OT). Black River stays on top and beats Sharon again.

Coaches T.J. Mead and Luke Laroche faced off in Tuesday’s Division I high school boys soccer semifinal.

Mead and the top-seeded Redhawks blanked Laroche’s upstart BFA-St. Albans squad, 4-0.

Although coaches now, 10 years ago the pair were high school stars. Mead was the field general for a CVU team that racked up a 17-0-1 record en route to the 1999 Division I crown. Laroche was a scoring machine during Colchester’s run to the final.

Tuesday, Mead and Laroche crossed paths for the second time on a high school soccer pitch since that 1999 soccer final (they were co-captains of Vermont’s twin-state soccer team the next summer).

“I still don’t like losing to him,” Laroche said with a chuckle after Tuesday’s semifinal.

“It’s been a healthy rivalry,” Mead said.

When I was writing for the Times Argus back in 2004-05, I did a story on the promise of a new track and field program at Randolph Union High School. Ginny Richburg was the driving force behind the re-birth of the Randolph program.

A couple of years ago, Richburg started the cross country program. The Galloping Ghosts concluded their second varsity season with a Division III team championship on Saturday.

Richburg was pumped for her youthful team — two freshmen were Randolph’s top finishers — but it was just the start of her weekend. Sunday, Richburg was inducted into the Brandeis University athletic hall of fame.

Richburg, a 1981 Brandeis graduate, starred in the heptathlon. She was the first Brandeis woman to qualify for the NCAA championships.

Congratulations, Ginny.