SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Last week on Monday, April 1, in Springfield, Vt., the Springfield High School Unified Basketball team had their opening game of the season, hosting their rival Brattleboro Bears, and on Friday, April 5, they hosted the Hartford Hurricanes.
This year the Cosmos are heading onto the court with veterans Larkin, Bills, Toner, Bailey, Short, Salo, and Leon. Cosmos veterans welcome new teammates Powers, Todd, Johnson, Bates, Orchitt, Puffer, Shaw, and Paul. The Cosmos will return with coaches Gultekin and Pinter-Petrillo, along with scorekeeper Morgan Fontaine.
Springfield lost both games last week, with a 44-52 score against the Brattleboro Bears, and a 44-48 score against the Hurricanes.
In game one of the season, it was Lexy Bills that led her team with 12 points, with Sam Bailey trailing behind her with 10 points. New athletes senior Trinity Todd and freshman Colby Bates brought six points to the game. Emily Toner is a junior veteran, coming back onto the court to support her team with buckets and many assists throughout the game. Junior Isaiah Short contributed four points to the team’s total. New athletes Lucas Orchitt and Summer Johnson each scored their first bucket,with Salo also adding two. Teammates Paul, Puffer, Shaw, and Larkin contributed by helping their teammates get the ball down the court.
The team has been fundraising with bake sales, raising $265 from the high school’s spring theatre performance, and $75 from this first game.
On Friday, the Cosmos faced the Hartford Hurricanes, and left the game with a four point loss of 48-44.
Cosmos freshman Colby Bates led his team with 12 points, and junior Emily Toner followed with 10 points. Senior Lexy Bills scored 8, and new athletes Orchitt and Johnson each pitched in four. Todd, Short, and Rosie Leon scored two each. Again Larkin, Paul, Puffer, and Shaw do a nice job communicating with the team. Three are new to the team, but Larkin brings his experience from last year on and off the court.
Morgan Fontaine returns to the Cosmos as scorekeeper. Morgan is a graduate of Springfield, and a Unified veteran athlete.
Springfield has two more home games on Thursday, April 25, and Tuesday, May 2.