Lamothe, McGowan are top May athletes
Toolbox
Staff Report - Published: July 2, 2008
The Vermont Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association has named Lyndon Institute pitcher Buddy Lamothe and Hamilton College lacrosse standout Jen McGowan of Jericho the state's male and female Athletes of the Month for May.
Lamothe and McGowan are the first set of 12 monthly winners for 2008-09.
Lamothe, a junior right-hander, was virtually untouchable on the hill in May for Division II Lyndon, which ended the month 13-2. Lamothe had 70 strikeouts in 37 innings with an eye-popping 0.19 ERA. He compiled a 5-0 record, surrendered just two runs — only one earned — seven hits and 14 walks.
The games included a no-hitter with 17 strikeouts against Oxbow (while 2-for-2 and two RBIs); a one hitter with 16 strikeouts over Randolph; a two hitter with 13 strikeouts over Montpelier and a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts at Randolph (while going 3-for-4 with a home run, double and four RBI).
His fifth pitching game was nine innings of relief with 14 strikeouts in a 12-inning marathon win over Harwood. At the plate, Lamothe was 14-for-33 for a .424 average. He tallied 15 RBIs, 11 runs, three home runs and two doubles.
Lamothe won the VSSA honor by edging track standouts Ken Bunnell of St. Johnsbury Academy, Sam Grover of Williston and Wesleyan University, Andrew Wheating, Norwich and University of Oregon and Robert Edgerton, a Windsor High graduate now at the University of New Hampshire; baseball players Greg Lutton of Mount Abraham Union and Brad Polcare of Castleton State College; and weightlifter Hunter Forte, Rutland Middle School.
McGowan was the force that drove Hamilton College to twin Final Four upset wins and the NCAA Division III National Championship in women's lacrosse. The fourth-ranked Continentals ousted No. 1 (and previously unbeaten) Salisbury (Md.) 11-10 in the semifinals as McGowan scored two goals. Hamilton followed by beating defending national champion Franklin & Marshall 13-6 as McGovern tallied one goal and three ground balls for the first-ever NCAA crown for Hamilton.
The title game goal was the 42nd for the season for McGowan, a former all-state player for two-time state champion Mount Mansfield. She was named to the Final Four All-Tourney team and a second team All-American.
During the NCAA regionals, the senior midfielder played every minute as host Hamilton posted wins over Colby and Middlebury (scoring the game winner in a 9-7 victory). In leading Hamilton to a 17-1 regular-season record, McGowan was called by her coach Patty Kloidt "one of the best Division III players in the country, a special person, a great role model. Every year the first-year class, they adore her and she's the kid we want them to emulate." McGowan also was named a first-team selection for the IWLCA All Empire Region team.
McGowan, who will teach math and coach at St. Andrew's School in Delaware in the fall, won the VSSA award by edging the other nominees: track standouts Mary Krug of Essex High, Tiara Martin of St. Johnsbury Academy, Carmen Lagala of Montpelier and the University of Vermont, Georgia Griffin of Norwich and Hanover, (N.H.) High; softball players Olivia Root of BFA-Fairfax and Ashley Sanderson of Otter Valley; lacrosse midfielder Sarah Dalton of Cornwall and Boston University; and weightlifter Kelly Conway of Rutland High,
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