The calendar read Sept. 15, but the race time conditions for the annual Russ Pickering Invitational cross-country race at Bellows Falls Union High School was more like July - mostly sunny, 85 degrees, and high humidity.
Despite unseasonably hot weather, the Brattleboro Colonels didn't wilt, taking first place overall in the girls' race, and second in the boys' race.
In the boys' race, Stratton Mountain School's Ben Ogden and Brattleboro's Issac Freitas-Eagan dueled on the 3.1 mile course, and it wasn't until the homestretch that Ogden got some separation. In a close finish, Ogden won in 16 minutes, 23 seconds, just a second faster than Frietas-Eagan's time of 16:24.
Also finishing in the top 10 for Brattleboro were Trevor Kipp (sixth, 17:48) and Colin Costa-Walsh (eighth, 18:14). Ian Walling was the top Bellows Falls runner, finishing seventh in 18:05. Teammate Tim Salter-Roy was 10th in 18:30.
Stratton finished first in the team scoring with 22 points, followed by Brattleboro (41), Bellows Falls (67), Rutland (111), Burr & Burton (147), St. Michael's School (150), and Springfield (176).
In the girls' race, Stratton runner Anna Lehmann and Brattleboro's Sarah Gallagher had a similar duel at the front of the pack. Lehmann got the win in 19:46, two seconds ahead of Gallagher's time of 19:48. BF's Lia Clark was third in 21:23.
Other Brattleboro girls in the top 10 included Annie Takacs (fourth, 21:42), Liz Morse (seventh, 22:27), Alexandra Miskovich (eighth, 22:48), and Molly Patenaude (ninth, 23:01).
With five runners in the top 10, the Colonel girls won easily with 26 points, Stratton was second with 63 points, followed by Rutland (62) and Burr & Burton (80).
• It was the second strong finish of the week for the Colonel runners. On Sept. 12 in Bennington, Freitas-Eagan and Gallagher were the individual winners in a four-school meet.
Freitas-Eagan was first in 17:14 to lead the Colonel boys. Rounding out the top five were Costa-Walsh (fifth, 18:20), Kipp (sixth, 18:51), Evan Koch (11th, 19:45), and David Pierce (12th, 19:52). Brattleboro won the boys' meet with a score of 35 points, followed by Stratton (36), Mount Anthony (49), and Burr & Burton (121).
Gallagher won the girls' race in 20:43, while teammates Takacs (eighth, 23:37), Morse (10th, 23:57), Miskovich, (12th, 24:06) and Patenaude (13th, 24:22) helped the Colonels to a second-place team finish with 44 points to Mount Anthony's 39. Stratton was third with 49 and Burr & Burton fourth with 95.
Football
• Burr & Burton got a modicum of revenge for losing the Division II state championship game last year to Bellows Falls with a 23-6 win over the Terriers at Hadley Field on Sept. 15.
The BF defense had no answer for Bulldogs quarterback Jay McCoy, who ran for 170 yards and passed for 127 more.
Burr & Burton scored on its first two possessions in the first quarter and added another touchdown in the second quarter for a 20-0 lead at the half. BF was shut out until running back Shane Clark scored on a 12-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Now 2-1, the Terriers take on Springfield at Brown Field this Friday night. The Bulldogs improved to 2-1.
• Brattleboro's home opener was one to forget as the Mount Mansfield Cougars rolled over the Colonels, 41-0, at Natowich Field on Sept. 15.
After a scoreless opening quarter, the Cougars scored 27 points in the second quarter to put the game out of reach by halftime. Jeric Hackney scored on runs of 9 and 16 yards, Dylan Davis scored on a 16-yard run, and David Seymour scored on a 27-yard run during the quarter.
Mount Mansfield added two more scores in the fourth quarter as starting quarterback Matt Wixson threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Silas Diamond and backup quarterback Asa Carlson lofted a 35-yard TD to Bryce DiNardo.
The Cougars held the Colonels to 136 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers. Quarterback Tyler Millerick ran for 46 yards, and running back Chris Frost added 36 rushing yards.
The 0-3 Colonels host Burliington on Saturday at 3:45 p.m. to cap off homecoming weekend. Mount Mansfield improved to 2-1.
Girls' soccer
• The Mount Mansfield Cougars spoiled Brattleboro's home opener on Sept. 11 with a 9-1 drubbing at Tenney Field.
Devyn Beliveau-Gale was the catalyst on offense for the Cougars, taking five shots on goal and converting two of them for scores. One of those goals came in the first half as Mount Mansfield took a 5-1 lead. Desitrae Youngman scored twice in the first, and Macey Wissell and Skye Fitzhugh also scored.
Colonels goalkeeper Megyn Ayotte had a busy first half. She made six saves in the opening half, including a diving stop to her right to rob Fitzhugh on a penalty kick, to keep the game from being even more lopsided than it was.
The only Colonel goal came in the 13th minute, when Ashley Dierkes caught Cougars goalkeeper Ursula Moran out of position. That made it 1-1, and it was the closest the Colonels came to taking a lead. Mount Mansfield scored four more times in the second half, with Beliveau-Gale, Fiona Tynion, Allie Charland and Ava Esmay picking up goals. The loss left the Colonels at 0-3.
• Ava Sutton scored two goals, and Brooke McKeen and Olivia Rockwood also scored as Windsor beat Bellows Falls, 4-1, on Sept. 11. Hannah Dupuis had the only goal for the hosts.
• Twin Valley fell to Green Mountain, 4-1, in Chester on Sept. 12. Taylor Courchesne scored the only goal for the Wildcats.
Paige Karl and Erin Otis scored a pair of goals apiece for the Chieftains. Goalkeeper Celia Betit finished with 13 saves for Twin Valley.
• Ellie Longo scored a pair of goals to give Leland & Gray a 2-1 win over Otter Valley on Sept. 12 in Brandon. It was the Rebels' first win of the season.
Boys' soccer
• Leland & Gray started its season with three straight overtime games. The third OT game was not a charm as the Rebels lost 4-3 to Stratton Mountain School on Sept. 12.
Trailing 3-0, the Rebels got goals from Quinn Kelloway, Pat McDonald, and Riley Barton in the final 12 minutes to force overtime.
The Rebels fared better on Sept. 15 in Ludlow as they beat Windsor, 3-0, in the opening round of the Josh Cole Tournament. Barton had two goals and Pat Meyer added another for the Rebels. Cam Anderberg earned the shutout victory in goal.
• Brattleboro lost to Mount Anthony, 2-1, in the first round of the John James Tournament in Bennington. Jack Price scored the only goal for Brattleboro; Elliot Bauer assisted.
The Colonels opened the week with a 6-1 win over Fair Haven on Sept. 11 at Tenney Field. Luke Williams scored two goals, and Nick Campbell, Jasper Reed, Carter Faulk, and Price all scored one goal each. Emmett Dews and Josh Nordheim split the goalkeeping duties.
• Dylan Howe and Collin McHale scored as Twin Valley shut out Springfield, 2-1, on Sept. 12 in Springfield.
Field hockey
• Bellows Falls shut out Mount Anthony, 5-0, on Sept. 12 in Bennington. Molly Kelly scored first for the Terriers, followed by Dani Marchica. Sophia Hyslop added two more goals, and Reaghan Baldasaro added the final tally.
The BF defense was equally dominating, as they didn't allow a single shot on goal by MAU.
• Gracie Frost and Kharisma Boyd each had a goal and an assist as Brattleboro beat Fair Haven, 4-0, at Tenney Field on Sept. 14.
Olivia Reihl and Kalin Noble also scored for the Colonels, while Olivia Stent added an assist. Natalya Forkin and Kaylyn Bailey split the goaltending duties, making a combined eight saves.
Run with the firefighters
• The Brattleboro Fire Department will host its fourth annual Firefighters For Fitness 5k Trail Run/Walk again on Oct. 7 at 10 a.m.
The run starts at the Harris Hill Ski Jump on Cedar Street and traverses the Brattleboro Retreat Trails before ending up back at the ski jump. There will be prizes for the top finishers and medals and t-shirts for the first 75 entries.
After the race there will be a firefighter challenge for all to try. This involves pulling a firehose, using a sledge hammer, dragging a dummy, and maybe a few more tasks. A percentage of the proceeds is going to the Uniformed Services Program at the Brattleboro Retreat. Last year, they were able to raise more than $500 towards this great cause.
Fall paddling with the BOC
• The Brattleboro Outing Club (BOC) will host a series of end-of-season paddle trips in Vermont and New Hampshire. All outings are free and open to the public, and no reservations or registrations are required - just show up with a boat or SUP, and life jacket. Suggested items to bring along are listed at www.BrattleboroOutingClub.org, click on “Summer Paddling” and go to “bring.”
On Saturday, Sept. 23, the destination is the Ponds of Pillsbury State Park in Washington, N.H. Brattleboro-area paddlers should meet in Hannaford's parking lot at 8:30 a.m. New Hampshire paddlers can join the trip in the State Park on Route 31 in the boat launch area for May Pond, around 10:30 a.m.
The season ends on Sunday, Oct. 1 at Somerset Reservoir. Meet at 9 a.m. at the “Coffee House” in Wilmington (junction of Route 9 West and 100 South), or the car-top launch area at Somerset (very end of the road) around 9:30 a.m. Complete descriptions of both paddle trips are listed on the BOC website above. For additional information, or weather related changes, call Larry at 802-254-3666.
Brattleboro Heat softball team to hold tryouts
• The Brattleboro Heat Fastpitch Softball Program will be holding a tryout for girls interested in playing for its summer 2018 14-year-old team. The travel softball team will include girls born from 2003-2005. The tryout will be held on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Living Memorial Park on Guilford Street.
The Brattleboro Heat is in its 11th year providing opportunities for girls from our region to develop their skills and knowledge of the game while playing against the best players from throughout New England. Many Heat players have gone on to play softball in college. In recent years, the Brattleboro Heat has included players from 25 high or middle schools in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
Brattleboro Heat Program Director Mark Bodin said that the team will play in five summer tournaments throughout New England from late-June through July. Bodin says the program gives girls from our area the chance to compete at a level they don't get to experience in school or local recreation leagues.
Players interested in attending the tryout should contact Bodin at [email protected] or Caitlyn Arellano at [email protected]. Interested players unable to attend the tryout, or interested players born before 2003, should contact Bodin.
Senior bowling roundup
• Week 2 of the fall season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League saw Team 7 (9-1) in first place, with Team 1 and Team 10 (both 8-2) tied for second, and Team 2 and Team 5 (both 5-5) tied for third. Team 3 and Team 8 (both 4-6) are tied for fourth, followed by Team 4 (3-7) and Team 9 and Team 8 (both 2-8).
Sally Perry had the women's high handicap game (251) and Josie Rigby had the high handicap series (664). Warren Corriveau Sr. had the men's high handicap game (260) and series (706). Team 2 had the high team handicap game (997) and series (2,614).
Corriveau (684) rolled a 600-plus series with three 200-plus games (246, 214, and 204). Rigby (547) was the lone woman with a 500-plus series. Fred Ashworth (543), Jerry Dunham (559), and Wayne Farnham (507) were the men in the 500 club. Dunham (204) and Ashworth (205) also rolled 200-plus games.