D2 State Championship: #1 NCU vs #2 FHU – Repeat in Barre

D2 State Championship: #1 NCU vs #2 FHU &#8211; Repeat in Barre

Cody Quattrocci

March 20, 2025 @ 10:11 AM

In a rematch of last year's matchup, we knew this one would be gritty. In what was a slog of a game where both sides struggled to catch rhythm there were a handful of players who rose to the moment and left it all on the line. Catch the standouts from FHU's 2nd championship in two years.   Tori Kelly, 6'2 F - Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2026   It was Tori who was the most dominant force on the floor. Kelly's sheer size gave NCU fits as she established post position on the blocks and finished with strong drop steps for twos at the rim. Under duress, the NCU defense sought to get more physical, but Kelly stood strong and collected FTs, finishing with a game-high 11 points on the night. In addition, Tori showed good rim protection and a nimbleness of foot which caught my eye as she challenged shots at the rim against posts or rotated to contest drivers. A strong inside presence.   [player_tooltip player_id='645778' first='Katelynn' last='Hadwen'], 5'7 G - Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2025   In a game which both sides struggled to find flow, Kate's attack mindset proved vital. On a handful of possessions, it was Hadwen who took the reins and went at her defender, snaking into the second layer where she saw the defense rotating and found the open teammate for buckets inside and out. I imagine Kate's ability to hit shots from range caused the D to step up, considering she knocked down a 24+ footer early. Defensively aware and on beat, Hadwen was able to quell lots of NCU's attacks whether on the ball or off. A repeat is a nice way to end the H.S. career.   Orianna Kerr, 5'9 W - Fair Haven Union H.S. Class of 2027   Orianna may have only gotten a handful of minutes, but from my vantage I thought she deserved more. Kerr was clearly one of the best athletes on the floor with her agility and athleticism, which combined nicely with her length, allowing her to defend various players and plug any holes as help. Moreover, her offensive decision making + aggressive mindset looked like it was poised to cause problems. Decisions were wise, on time, and often created advantages. I'll be keeping tabs on Orianna going forward.   [player_tooltip player_id='645601' first='Sabine' last='Brueck'], 5'8 G - North Country Union H.S. Class of 2025   One of the best open court players in the state was largely limited to halfcourt action, which often stifled her impact. That said, Sabine got out in transition for a handful of her patented plays. Off a couple boards, heady steals, and simply off a make, Brueck burst into her high gear and got downhill, propelling past defenders for lays at the iron. Her defense limited much of any of FHU's offensive action, but for stretches FHU recovered defensively to prevent that up-tempo transition game where Brueck thrives. An impressive campaign from the lone senior to lead this team so far.   McKenna Rowell, 5'10 F - North Country Union H.S. Class of 2027   Phew, McKenna had a lot on her hands. Rowell was tasked with going toe to toe with FHU's strong post presence who also had about four inches on her. Regardless, Rowell never wavered. Her work to maintain position was relentless as was her will to contest shots. Additionally, McKenna came back and went at her matchup a few times on the offensive end, showing promising post moves amidst the overbearing defense. A sophomore who plays her role with great energy.

In a rematch of last year's matchup, we knew this one would be gritty. In what was a slog of a game where both sides struggled to catch rhythm there were a handful of players who rose to the moment and left it all on the line. Catch the standouts from FHU's 2nd championship in two years.