Landen Elliott-Knaggs, 21, of Dummerston, and Tammy Richards, 38, of Williamsville, were the men's and women's overall winners at the 2012 Brattleboro Turkey Trot 3-miler.
Last Thursday's race drew a record field of more than 300 runners, including the one-mile kids' race. The unseasonably mild November weather certainly helped swell the entry list; there were 237 runners last year.
Elliott-Knaggs finished in 16 minutes, 1 second, 32 seconds ahead of runner-up Jared Oubre, 27, of Allston, Mass. Tomas Bok, 44, of Somerville, Mass., placed third in 17:10.
In the women's division, Richards posted a time of 18:34, just six seconds faster than runner-up Anna Novick, 23, of Cambridge, Mass. Natalie Kratz, 25, of Somerville, Mass., was third in 20:41.
Ethan Misark, 14, of Northampton, Mass., won the kids' race in 6:17, while Whitley Neumeister, 14, of Vernon was the top girls' finisher in 8:27 to finish 10th overall.
Complete results can be found at www.redcloverrovers.com.
Brattleboro wins Pop Warner Superbowl
The Brattleboro Generals, a Junior Midget team in the Central Massachusetts Pop Warner Football League's Division II, won the Superbowl on Nov. 18, by beating the North Country Panthers, 21-0, at North Middlesex High School in Townsend, Mass.
The Generals and the Panthers also met in last year's title game.
Brattleboro is the only Vermont team in this Pop Warner league, which has teams from much larger schools in Central and Western Massachusetts. The Junior Midget level is for ages 10-12 who are 90-145 pounds, and 13-year-olds who weigh 90-120 pounds. Ages are determined by birth date as of Aug. 1.
After a dismal season for the Brattleboro Union High School football team, Colonel fans have some reason to cheer, for the stars on the Generals - who have played in the Superbowl two years running - will likely be filling the varsity ranks by the 2015 season.
Running back Zeb Lesure was the star for the Generals. He opened the game with a 39-yard touchdown run, and scored again on a two-yard run set up by an interception by cornerback Leif Bigelow. Fullback Treston Jordan got the last touchdown with a 20-yard run for a 21-0 lead at the half. Stout defense by the Generals made that lead stand up.
Coaching the Generals are Michael Cersosimo, Glen Lesure, Jim Gaboriault, John Lynde, and Jim Derosia.
Other members of the team include Kyle Derosia, Tony Martinez, Matt Gaboriault, Tanner Bell, Chayse Cunniff, Brandon Barnard, Adam Curtis, Jordan Wright, Kris Carroll, Isaiah Gilbeau, Tyler Godin, Jacob Lyon, Tyler Germain, Griffin Lynde, Max Cobb, Jack Price, Danny Petrie, and Anthony Hall.
You can watch the game on BCTV's website at http://bit.ly/Wphotp.
Local players take part in North-South game
The 12th annual North-South Senior Bowl was played at Castleton State College on Nov. 17, and Burr & Burton quarterback Jake Stalcup was the big hero in the South's 39-36 victory. Stalcup was 23 for 34 and threw for 309 yards and four touchdowns, including the game-winner to Fair Haven's Dakota Euber with 1:25 left in the game.
Bellows Falls, the runner-up in Division II football this season, had five players selected to the South squad: linemen Danny Armstrong, Jacob Hodsden, and Zak Tarvit; wide receiver/defensive back Mike LaBeau; and running back/defensive end Zach Rawling, who could not play due to a knee injury sustained in the championship game again Rice the week before.
Brattleboro sent three players to the South team: quarterback/defensive back Tyler Higley, tight end/defensive end Phil Perkins, and wide receiver/defensive back Noah Simeon.
The new season
Practices for the winter high school sports season began this week, so we won't be seeing games until a couple of weeks from now.
Ice hockey begins on Saturday, Dec. 8, when the Brattleboro girls host Burr & Burton at Whitington Rink for a 4:45 p.m. game. The Brattleboro boys open the season on the road at Woodstock on Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 5:45 p.m.
Girls' basketball starts on Dec. 8, when Twin Valley travels to Massachusetts to take on Mount Everett Regional for an 8 p.m. game.
On Monday, Dec. 10., Leland & Gray hosts West Rutland. Bellows Falls hosts Springfield on Thursday, Dec. 13, while Brattleboro opens at home against Wahconah on Friday, Dec. 14. All these games start at 7:30 p.m.
Boys' basketball also gets going Dec. 8, when Bellows Falls travels to Poultney for a 2:30 p.m. game. Brattleboro hosts Burr & Burton on Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the BUHS gym. On Dec. 12, Leland & Gray hosts Burr & Burton. Twin Valley is last to start, with a road game at Rivendell Academy on Dec. 14 at 5 p.m.
The Brattleboro Nordic teams have their first meet scheduled, weather-permitting, for Saturday, Dec. 15, at Prospect Mountain in Woodford.
The BF/Hartford joint wresting team hosts its first meet on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 9 a.m. when Conval visits.
Bill Koch League seeks new skiers
The Putney Ski Club's Bill Koch League (BKL) has introduced hundreds of area youth to cross country skiing and racing for more than 30 years. It provides a supportive environment for children and parents to get outside and enjoy the snow while learning to ski or improving their skills.
The BKL program includes weekly practices and both competitive and non-competitive weekend events, with the emphasis on having fun on skis. There will be a chance to sign up for the 2012-13 season on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 4 p.m. at The Grammar School after the first dryland practice that day.
Also, on Friday, Nov. 30, from 3 to 5 p.m., and Monday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a ski and skate sale at The Grammar School. Proceeds benefit the BKL. For more information and a schedule of events, visit BKL online at bklputney.blogspot.com.
Mixed reviews on deer season
The Vermont rifle and shotgun deer hunting season wrapped up Nov. 25, and while there are a record number of deer in the Green Mountain State, warm weather kept them from roaming the woods as they normally would in late autumn.
According to the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), the mild and relatively snowless winter of 2011-12 led to the state's deer herd being a little bigger this year, with 125,000 deer compared to 123,000 in 2011.
Last year, a total of 12,132 deer were harvested in Vermont, according to DFW figures. The final tally for this year's rifle season won't be ready for a couple of weeks, but there were 2,420 deer taken during archery season this year, which DFW says is a 20 percent increase over the average for the last three seasons.
But with daytime temperatures in the 50s, and no snow, the deer still have easy access to food and haven't had to wander too far, which makes it more difficult for hunters.
Another factor making things tougher for hunters is the increase in posted land around Vermont. DFW says that since 1971, the amount of land now off limits to hunting, fishing, and trapping has gone from 100,000 acres to 230,000 acres as of 2011.
Still to come is muzzleloader season, which in Vermont takes place Dec. 1-9.