By Roger Brown
MaxPreps.com
Next fall will be like none in recent memory for David Hibma, who has been involved with the Rice Memorial High School football program since 1976.
Hibma, 56, announced his retirement as Rice head coach last Friday, but stressed that he will still be keeping an eye on his players.
“I reminded them I lived two blocks away from school and I still had their phone numbers,” Hibma told the Burlington Free Press.
Hibma had been Rice’s head coach since 2005. He was a part of four championship teams (1983, 1988, 1989 and 2004) and was inducted into the Rice/Cathedral Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.
Rice athletic director Mary Goodridge-Miller called Hibma “an intense, but caring coach.”
Hibma, who played college football at the University of Vermont, joined the Rice program as offensive line coach in 1976. The school has not named his replacement, but Hibma said each of his four assistant coaches is qualified to be the program’s head coach.
“The Rice program is in good shape,” Hibma said. “We have 25 sophomores and a good group of juniors. The freshmen coming up are quality.”
Football: Shrine Roster Selected
The following players were selected to represent Vermont in this year’s Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl. The Vermont all-stars will play New Hampshire on Aug. 1 (2:30 p.m.) at Windsor High School.
Vermont will be trying to end an eight-game losing streak this year. New Hampshire won last year’s game, 42-0, and leads the series 40-13-2. Vermont’s 36-player roster:
Jeromy Anderson (Spaulding), Connor Beerworth (Rutland), Brandon Bergeron (Hartford), Beau Bomhouer (Hartford), Chris Carswell (Bellows Free Academy), Mark Comstock (Rutland), Keith Cook (Springfield), James Durham (Spaulding), Adam Farmer (South Burlington), Steve Frankiwicz (Brattleboro), Heath Genier (Fair Haven), Sean Harrison (Middlebury), Travis Haskins (Brattleboro), Garett Jacobs (Brattleboro), Houston Judd (North Country), Cameron Landry (Hartford), Terrell Martin (Hartford), Jacob McArdle (U-32), Stephen Miller (Springfield), Evan Parker (Montpelier), Ethan Peterson (Rutland), David Reffi (Brattleboro), Patrick Riley (Hartford), Josh Robinson (Woodstock), John Roeder (South Burlington), Kris Sabourin (Bellows Free Academy), Jerall Sinclair (South Burlington), Ben Smith (St. Johnsbury), Cody Tancreti (Windsor), Joe Thieret (Essex), Joshua Waldner (St. Johnsbury), Grant White (Springfield), Allan White (Mill River), Emmanual Whyte (Mt. Anthony), Brian Wilcox (Mt. Mansfield) and Mick Wong (Hartford).
Springfield’s Mike Hatt will serve as Vermont coach this year. Hatt guided Springfield to an 11-0 record and the Division III championship last season.
“I think we’ll have some good athletes, and I like the size on our team,” Hatt said. “It should be a very athletic group. I like our skill.”
Girls Hockey: Spaulding Suffers First Loss
Goals by Lily Sargeant, Kelsey Watkin and Kayleigh Ehler-Vock helped South Burlington beat previously undefeated Spaulding, 3-2, Saturday.
South Burlington overcame a two-goal deficit and raised its record to 9-3-1. Sargeant scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal with 5:40 left in regulation.
Sophomore Jennifer Arnold made 23 saves for the Rebels, who trailed 2-0 until Watkin scored with 24.4 seconds left in the second period. Ehler-Vock tied the game 1:19 into the third period.
The loss dropped Spaulding’s record to 10-1-1.
