By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
SWANTON (December 1, 2025) – After dropping a game where they had a double-digit lead against Stryker in their last game, Fayette left no doubt their next time out, as the Eagles raced out to a first-quarter double-figure margin and raced on to a 61-20 win over Swanton.
“Our biggest thing is we have got to do things right all the time,” Eagles coach Travis Arkwright said.
“We can’t just take advantage of situations, we can’t just go stat hunting, we still have to go play as a team and within our system and do our jobs.”
“If we go outside of what we do offensively and defensively, we can look really silly, but when we do what we are supposed to do collectively as a team, we look a whole lot better.”
Fayette scored the first 12 points of the game, thanks to seven first-quarter Bulldog turnovers. Kelsie Storrs found Mesa Gorsuch and Kennedy Kunkle for layups in transition after two of those miscues, Addison Schang added another on a steal and score, then Monroe Simon’s tip pass to Kunkle for an easy one after a fourth turnover boosted the Eagles up big.
Lauren Bettinger’s foul line jumper got the Bulldogs on the board with 1:22 left in the first, then Carli Lagrange’s halfcourt heave at the buzzer went through to keep Swanton within single digits at 17-8.
That nine-point lead soon exploded to over 20 as Fayette outscored the Bulldogs 19-5 in the second.
Schang scored seven off layups after Swanton mistakes, Gorsuch added two more baskets off steals, and freshman Ally Kessler came off the bench for two more baskets that gave Fayette a 36-13 bulge at halftime.
The Eagles then rattled off the first 12 points of the second half to reach the 35-point running clock gap.
Willow Mitchell found Kunkle and Schang for layups, then Gorsuch and Kunkle hit easy ones, both from Schang, to help make it 48-13.
The Eagle lead continued to grow in the fourth. Shelby Phillips also came off the bench for eight of her 12 points, and Ellie Williams scored another hoop as 10 Eagles hit the scoring column.
Schang’s 16 led Fayette and Kunkle added 12 more to the 12 Phillips scored. Lagrange got to double figures for Swanton (0-3) with 10.
Swanton travels to Evergreen on Thursday while Fayette plays at Montpelier on Friday.
FHS 17 19 15 10 – 61
SHS 8 5 2 5 – 20
FAYETTE (61) – Schang 16; Storrs 4; Simon 1; Mitchell 0; Kessler 5; Phillips 12; Gorsuch 8; Kunkle 12; Williams 2; Wilson 1; Beers 0; Totals: 26-9 – 61
SWANTON (20) – Yeager 2; Hamrick 0; Rominski 0; Bettinger 2; Anderson 0; Pelland 6; Cooper 0; LaPoint 0; Lagrange 10; Totals: 3-4-2 – 20