It was a mixed week for the Brattleboro Colonels boys' hockey team.
The Colonels lost to Burr & Burton 4-1 in Manchester on Jan. 30. Nik Rancourt scored the only goal for the Colonels, who fell behind 2-0 in the first period and gave up two more goals in the third. Greg DiSilva made 22 saves in goal.
If that game was a rare stinker for the Colonels, they returned to form two days later with a 5-2 win over Milton at Withington Rink.
Brattleboro opened the scoring with three minutes left in the first period as freshman forward Evan Perkins deflected a slap shot by sophomore defenseman Cooper Turner-Renaud.
In the second period, senior forward Adam Griffin scored on a tip-in. After Milton's Brandon Cardinal made it a 2-1 game with a goal, senior forward Andy Harris scored twice to give the Colonels needed breathing room. Harris would earn his third goal of the night late in the final period.
The Colonels finished the week at 11-3 and are tied for second with Northfield in the Division II standings.
Girls' hockey
• The Brattleboro girls held their own for as long as possible, but the Colonels fell to Northfield, 3-1, at Withington Rink on Jan. 30. Maddie Rollins scored the Colonels' only goal early in the third period.
The Marauders put 42 shots on Colonels, but had to contend with no-nonsense goalie Alex Fellows and her defenders Meyru Bhanti, Lou Lou Terwilliger, Rebecca Potter, Madison Doucette, and Kellie Schiller.
Considering Northfield beat the Colonels 7-1 the last time they squared off, this game marked a significant improvement. Unfortunately, that improvement didn't carry over into last Saturday's game against Rutland at Withington Rink. Rutland scored twice in the opening period and cruised to a 3-0 win. The Colonel girls finished their week at 3-9.
Girls' basketball
• Abbi Molner and Colton Butler combined for 13 points in the fourth quarter to give Twin Valley a 45-35 win over Leland & Gray in Townshend last Thursday. Molner and Butler finished with 10 and 11 points, respectively, but defense cinched it for the Wildcats.
Senior forward Lexi Reinertson had the task of shutting down Leland & Gray center Ashley Goddard, and helped hold her to just five points. Still, the Rebels were effective from outside as Chelby Nystrom, Jordan Gouger, Alex Morrow, and Haley Buffum each finished with seven points.
It's been a tough stretch for the Rebels, as this was their fourth loss in five games. They've fallen from the top of the Division III standings and face the prospect of starting the playoffs on the road. With a 6-6 record, the Rebels need to pull together a winning streak to hang on to home court for the first round.
Last Friday the Wildcats hosted Proctor and lost the game 30-15. Holding Division IV's top team to 30 points was a testament to Twin Valley's great defense, but the Wildcats struggled to score, particularly in the second half. Twin Valley finished the week at 5-10.
• Brattleboro lost a tough one to Otter Valley at the BUHS gym on Jan. 31, so close at 46-43. Jessica Frazier scored 19 for the Otters; Maddy Derosia put in the most points, seven, for the Colonels.
• Bellows Falls traveled to Springfield last Thursday and came home with a 53-37 loss. The Terriers hold a 3-7 record.
Boys' basketball
•Woodstock put a scare into Leland & Gray, but the No. 2 team in Division III pulled it together in the second half as the Rebels stung the Wasps 63-49 in Townshend last Friday.
Drew Barnum led all scorers with a season-high 22 points and keyed a 24-9 burst in the third quarter, turning a 24-23 halftime deficit into a 47-33 lead heading into the final quarter. Mike Bergeron added 17 points; Jake Sherman posted 13.
The Rebels beat Springfield 51-39 on Jan. 19. Barnum and Sherman combined for 30 points. The Rebels finished the week at 10-2.
• Burr & Burton broke open a close game in the first half, pressing on to beat Brattleboro, 55-42, in Manchester on Jan. 30. A 13-0 run in the second period set the tone for the Bulldogs, and the Colonels never recovered. Chris McAuliffe led the Colonels with 13; Jackson Batchelder added eight.
• The Nesbitt brothers, Dal and Cade, wrought the most damage as Twin Valley crushed Black River, 63-30, in Wilmington on Jan. 29. Dal led all scorers with 26, while Cade added 10 points. Colin Lozito netted 12 points and 15 assists as the Wildcats pulled away early, freeing up coach Chris Brown to give his reserves significant minutes, seeing six points from Justin Hicks in his varsity debut.
Discounted skiing at Mount Snow
• During three Sundays in the coming weeks, Feb. 10 and 24, and March 3, Mount Snow offers a discount to Brattleboro Area Middle School and their friends. Tickets will be $33 per youth and $38 per adult for a full-day lift ticket.
Tickets must be purchased as a group, and 10 people must go each week to lock in the discount. To confirm your place, call 802-254-2879 or write [email protected] before 6 p.m. the Saturday night prior. Tickets will be distributed between 9 and 9:15 a.m. on Sunday beneath the clocks at the rentals entrance.