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Which photo is best? Vote now for Free Press Sports Photo of the Year!

jacob rousseau and alex abrami, burlington free press
·5 min read

A year full of a championships, a year full of memories and a year full of photos.

We combed our files and narrowed down the 2021-22 school year in photos — high school and University of Vermont teams — to 20 pictures that caught our eye. To commemorate the titles and tremendous plays caught in action, we are now putting the Photo of the Year honor in your hands.

Vote for one of the following pictures to be the inaugural Free Press Sports Photo of the Year. Voting began Tuesday, July 5 and ends at 11:59 pm. on Tuesday, July 12.

Editor's note: See the bottom of the page to vote.

FALL SEASON

Marquardt's winner decides championship

Essex senior Joel Marquardt raises his hand in celebration after scoring the game winning goal in the Hornets 2-1 win over South Burlington at Burlington's Buck Hard Field.
Essex senior Joel Marquardt raises his hand in celebration after scoring the game winning goal in the Hornets 2-1 win over South Burlington at Burlington's Buck Hard Field.

Essex's Joel Marquardt battled injuries and in the season's biggest spot lifted the Hornets over South Burlington in the final minutes of the Division I boys soccer championship.

Rewind: D-I boys soccer championship: Essex scores last-minute goal to shock South Burlington

South Burlington mobs Rozzi

Members of the South Burlington Wolves mob goalie Mercedes Rozzi after defeating CVU in the 2021 D1 State Championship game at Buck Hard Field.
Members of the South Burlington Wolves mob goalie Mercedes Rozzi after defeating CVU in the 2021 D1 State Championship game at Buck Hard Field.

Mercedes Rozzi's four saves across regulation and overtime periods led South Burlington to a second straight title over CVU.

Look back: South Burlington seizes penalty shootout to outlast CVU, retain D-I girls soccer crown

Rice soccer wins title

Rice celebrates after the high school girls soccer Division II championship game.
Rice celebrates after the high school girls soccer Division II championship game.

Rice girls soccer lifted the game ball after winning the D-II girls soccer championship. Fittingly the ball was green and white.

Championship: Rice blanks Woodstock to return to top

Orvis dashes through snow

Essex senior running back Oliver Orvis breaks off a long run late in the 4th quarter of the Hornets 21-19 win over CVU in the D1 State Championship game at Rutland High School.
Essex senior running back Oliver Orvis breaks off a long run late in the 4th quarter of the Hornets 21-19 win over CVU in the D1 State Championship game at Rutland High School.

Essex rode Orvis 22 times in the second half of the D-I championship in route to the Hornets' first title since 2009.

Title: Essex downs Champlain Valley in snowy thriller

South Burlington celebrates first title since 2017

South Burlington head coach, Anjie Soucy celebrates with her team at the conclusion of the D1 field hockey championship between the Wolves and the Bellows Falls Terriers on Saturday afternoon at UVM's Moulton Winder Field
South Burlington head coach, Anjie Soucy celebrates with her team at the conclusion of the D1 field hockey championship between the Wolves and the Bellows Falls Terriers on Saturday afternoon at UVM's Moulton Winder Field

After losing to Bellows Falls three years in a row, the Wolves unseated the Terriers for the D-I field hockey championship and a Anjie Soucy photo bomb followed.

Story: Fast start propels South Burlington past Bellows Falls

Eagles finish four-peat in field hockey

The Vermont D2 field hockey champion Mt Abraham Eagles at UVM's Moulton Winder Field.
The Vermont D2 field hockey champion Mt Abraham Eagles at UVM's Moulton Winder Field.

Mount Abraham field hockey celebrated its four-peat after beating Hartford 2-1.

More: Mount Abraham topples Hartford to claim four-peat

Basa lifts UVM women to historic heights

Montpelier's Cricket Basa (black headband) scores the only goal of the contest as UVM defeats UNH in the America East Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday afternoon at UVM's Virtue Field.
Montpelier's Cricket Basa (black headband) scores the only goal of the contest as UVM defeats UNH in the America East Women's Soccer Championship on Sunday afternoon at UVM's Virtue Field.

Montpelier's Cricket Basa scored the lone goal to win the Catamounts' first-ever America East women's soccer title.

Recap: Basa lifts Vermont to historic conference crown

WINTER SEASON

Milton upsets Hartford in OT

Milton celebrates its game-winning goal in overtime after a dramatic 4-3 win over Hartford in the D2 Championship game Friday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
Milton celebrates its game-winning goal in overtime after a dramatic 4-3 win over Hartford in the D2 Championship game Friday night at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

Milton boys hockey mounted a furious comeback to beat undefeated Hartford in the D-II hockey championship. Owen Severy was credited with the winner.

Title: 'Dedicated' Milton mounts furious comeback to upset Hartford for D-II boys hockey title

Essex hockey edges Rice for title

Essex seniors Max Foster (left) and Tobey Cram (right) hug moments after their 2-1 win over Rice in the D1 State Championship game at UVM's Gutterson Field House.
Essex seniors Max Foster (left) and Tobey Cram (right) hug moments after their 2-1 win over Rice in the D1 State Championship game at UVM's Gutterson Field House.

Tobey Cram rushed to his senior goalie, Max Foster, to celebrate Essex's D-I boys hockey championship. Foster had 26 saves for the Hornets in the 2-1 win.

Take a look: Essex's late goal secures boys hockey title against rival Rice

BFA hockey finishes perfect

The BFA Comets celebrate mob goalie Makenna Montgomery moments after their 3-2 win over Spaulding in the D1 Championship game at UVM's Gutterson Fieldhouse.
The BFA Comets celebrate mob goalie Makenna Montgomery moments after their 3-2 win over Spaulding in the D1 Championship game at UVM's Gutterson Fieldhouse.

A stout Comets' defense, including goalie Makenna Montgomery's 19 saves, led BFA to a 3-2 win over Spaulding in the girls D-I hockey championship. BFA finished 22-0 for the first perfect season in program history.

Rewind: BFA girls hockey holds off Spaulding to clinch perfect season; first D-I title since 2018

Kanneh soars for Rice

Rice's Mo Kanneh blocks Rutland's Luke DelBianco's shot during the Green Knights 45-41 win over the Raiders in the D1 Championship at UVM's Patrick Gym.
Rice's Mo Kanneh blocks Rutland's Luke DelBianco's shot during the Green Knights 45-41 win over the Raiders in the D1 Championship at UVM's Patrick Gym.

Mo Kanneh soared to deny Rutland a shot in the D-I boys basketball championship. The Green Knights capped a three-peat behind Kanneh's defense.

Story: Rice dashes Rutland's title hopes to claim boys basketball three-peat in Division I

Schafzahl shines for Catamounts

UVM's Theresa Schafzahl's shot is blocked by UConn's Chloe Gonsalves during the Catamounts' Hockey East semifinal game vs the Huskies at Gutterson Fieldhouse.
UVM's Theresa Schafzahl's shot is blocked by UConn's Chloe Gonsalves during the Catamounts' Hockey East semifinal game vs the Huskies at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

Theresa Schafzahl led Vermont women's hockey to its most successful season in program history. The Catamounts fell to UConn in the Hockey East semifinals but Schafzahl, seen pictured fighting through a sea of blue, set UVM single-season records for goals and points.

Semifinals: Connecticut fires past Vermont in Hockey East semifinal showdown

Quarterfinals: UVM women's hockey routs Providence in Hockey East quarterfinal

UVM men's basketball punch ticket

Members of the UVM mens basketball celebrate after winning the America East title 82-43 over UMBC on Saturday, March 12 at Patrick Gym.
Members of the UVM mens basketball celebrate after winning the America East title 82-43 over UMBC on Saturday, March 12 at Patrick Gym.

Vermont men's basketball punched its ticket to March Madness after blowing out UMBC 82-43.

Game story: UVM men's basketball dominates UMBC for record blowout in America East championship game

Shungu game feature: UVM men's basketball's Ben Shungu rewrites history for his final game at Patrick Gym

Rice girls basketball lift trophy

Rice head coach Aurie Thibault brings the game ball to his team after the Green Knights 47-30 win over MMU in the D1 Championship game at UVM's Patrick Gym.
Rice head coach Aurie Thibault brings the game ball to his team after the Green Knights 47-30 win over MMU in the D1 Championship game at UVM's Patrick Gym.

An elated Green Knights team lift the D-I girls basketball trophy and game ball after beating Mount Mansfield.

Championship: Determined Rice ends decade-long title drought to claim D-I girls basketball crown

SPRING SEASON

Related: Free Press All-Championship Team for Vermont H.S. spring playoffs

Gintof celebrates in D-I baseball championship

Scott Gintof celebrates scoring the game's first run in front of a fired up Essex student section during the Hornets 9-0 win over Brattleboro at Centennial field.
Scott Gintof celebrates scoring the game's first run in front of a fired up Essex student section during the Hornets 9-0 win over Brattleboro at Centennial field.

Essex's Scott Gintof scored the first run of the game for the Hornets in the D-I championship.

Read more: Essex blanks Brattleboro for first baseball title in 12 years

CVU boys lacrosse climb to ninth straight title

The CVU Redhawks celebrate their 13-11 D1 Boys Lacrosse Championship win with families and fans at UVM's Virtue Field.
The CVU Redhawks celebrate their 13-11 D1 Boys Lacrosse Championship win with families and fans at UVM's Virtue Field.

Members of the CVU boys lacrosse team rushed to celebrate the ninth straight title for the Hinesburg program.

How they did it: CVU boys lacrosse stymies Burr and Burton to run record title streak to nine in a row

UVM men's lacrosse hosts America East championship

UVM's David Closterman makes a goal after being checked to the ground during the Catamounts' America East Championship game vs the Retrievers at UVM's Virtue Field.
UVM's David Closterman makes a goal after being checked to the ground during the Catamounts' America East Championship game vs the Retrievers at UVM's Virtue Field.

David Closterman fought through traffic to score in the America East championship against UMBC.

Title game: Vermont men's lacrosse holds off UMBC to claim back-to-back America East championships

BFA claims first girls lacrosse title

BFA's Sophie Zemianek leaps in the air to shoot during the Comets 10-9 win in the D1 Championship game on Friday night at UVM's Virtue field.
BFA's Sophie Zemianek leaps in the air to shoot during the Comets 10-9 win in the D1 Championship game on Friday night at UVM's Virtue field.

Sophie Zemianek went airborne for this shot during the D-I girls lacrosse championship.

Story: BFA-St. Albans holds off Burr and Burton for its first girls lacrosse championship

Dooley scores for CVU girls lacrosse

CVU's Stella Dooley shoots and scores during the Redhawks' game vs the South Burlington Wolves in South Burlington.
CVU's Stella Dooley shoots and scores during the Redhawks' game vs the South Burlington Wolves in South Burlington.

Champlain Valley's Stella Dooley shot found the back of the net during the Redhawks' regular season game against rival South Burlington.

Rice's Gatorade bath

Rice coach Luc LeBlanc receives a gatorade shower after the Green Knights 10-7 win over Hartford in the D2 State Championship game at UVM's Virtue Field.
Rice coach Luc LeBlanc receives a gatorade shower after the Green Knights 10-7 win over Hartford in the D2 State Championship game at UVM's Virtue Field.

Rice boys lacrosse celebrate the D-II championship with a Gatorade bath for first-year coach Luc LeBlanc.

More: Unbeaten Rice fends off Hartford for first D-II boys lacrosse title since 2011

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Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.

Contact Jacob Rousseau at JRousseau@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter: @ByJacobRousseau

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Free Press sports: Photo of the year contest