The Brattleboro Colonels got the 2018-19 girls' basketball season off to a fast start with a sweep in the Leland & Gray Booster Club Tip-Off Tournament in Townshend.
• Brattleboro opened the tournament on Dec. 7 against the Burr & Burton Bulldogs and the Colonels seemed to have a case of first-game jitters as they were unable to score a basket for the first 7 minutes and 30 seconds of the game until Lauren McKinney broke the ice with a lay-in.
Hailey Derosia followed with two free throws, and the Colonels had a 4-3 lead after the first quarter. The Colonels then made up for lost time in the second quarter, scoring 14 points to take an 18-12 lead over the Bulldogs at the half. Nicole Norcia hit a pair of three-pointers and added another basket in the second.
The scoring pace for the Colonels slowed in the third period, but Rachel Rooney scored six points to give Brattleboro a 27-17 lead heading into the final quarter.
Norcia hit a pair of three-pointers and sank all four of her free throws, while Derosia added another three as the Colonels held off the Bulldogs to win, 43-32. Norcia finished with 18 points to lead the Colonels. Ashley Heaton was the Bulldogs' high scorer with 11 points.
• Leland & Gray also got off to a slow start against Arlington in the nightcap on Dec 7, before the Rebels got it together and beat the Eagles, 37-29.
The Rebels trailed 8-0 after the first three minutes of the game, but Maris Linder hit a three-pointer and got another basket and Sydney Hescock also scored to get back into contention.
Hescock led the Rebels with six points in the second quarter as the Rebels led 21-19 at the half, and managed to outscore the Eagles, 16-10, in the second half to seal the win. Hescock and Linder led the Rebels with 15 and 9 points, respectively
Arlington was held to just a pair of free throws in the final quarter, thanks to good defense by the Rebels. Schuylar Nolan led the Eagles with 11 points, but was held scoreless by the Rebels in the second half.
• The Colonels and Rebels played in the championship game on Dec. 8, and it was all Brattleboro as the Colonels took a 24-8 lead at the half and rolled to a 38-12 win.
Rooney scored 13 points to lead Brattleboro, while Norcia and McKinney added seven and six points, respectively. Hescock led the Rebels with seven points.
• In the consolation game on Dec. 8, Burr & Burton beat Arlington, 53-22. Heaton scored 24 points to lead the Bulldogs, including seven three-pointers. Nolan led the Eagles with 10 points.
• McKinney was selected as the tourney's Most Valuable Player. Selected to the All-Tournament team were Linder, Hecock, Norcia, Nolan, and Heaton.
Girls' basketball
• Halle Dickerson led Bellows Falls with 13 points as the Terriers won their season opener, 44-40, over West Rutland on Dec. 8 at Holland Gymnasium.
BF's Abbe Cravinho and Taylor Goodell added 11 points each. Elizabeth Railey scored 21 points to lead West Rutland.
• Twin Valley opened its season at home on Dec. 7 with a 47-24 win over Poultney.
Sadie Boyd scored 14 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Wildcats. Jarrett Niles added 14 points, along with five assists and seven steals, and Jayden Crawford chipped in eight points.
Winter cycling workshop to be held Dec. 16
• VBike Solutions and Brattleboro Community Bicycle Clinic, with the support of Local Motion will facilitate a winter cycling workshop on Sunday, Dec. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon at Central Fire Station, 103 Elliot St., Brattleboro.
Everyone from dedicated winter riders to the curious is invited. Participants will discuss and discover the unique thrill of winter biking for commuting, errands, or just plain having fun.
They will share experiences and learn how to use a car less and have an absolute blast while avoiding “winter body syndrome,” as well as acquire important tips on clothing, equipment, maintenance safety and all-round riding skills.
Participants are encouraged to bring their bikes for hands-on skill-sharing. There will be presentations from seasoned riders, as well as maintenance help with Fhar Miess of Brattleboro Community Bike Clinic, along with demonstrations, drinks and snacks, and fun videos.
For more information, contact Dave Cohen at [email protected].
Deer poachers, beware! Game wardens are watching.
• Vermont state game wardens in Windham County will be conducting a roadside checkpoint for fish and wildlife violations sometime within the next two weeks.
According to a news release from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, these checkpoints “are both necessary and effective to serve the public's interest in enforcing Vermont's wildlife laws.”
Muzzleloading and bow and arrow deer hunting season ended on Dec. 9, concluding the 2018 deer season in Vermont. To keep up with the various game seasons and other fishing and hunting regulations, visit vtfishandwildlife.com.
BGCB offers discounted Mount Snow lift tickets
• The Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro has a limited number of all-day lift tickets available to Mount Snow, for $50 each. These tickets are valid from Jan. 7 through Jan. 18.
That's less than half the price of a full-day lift ticket, and all money raised goes to support the programs and activities of the Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro.
Tickets can be purchased at the Club on Flat Street, Burrows Specialized Sports, and on the club's website, www.bgcbrattleboro.com. To learn more about the Club and its programs and activities visit their web site, stop by the club, check them out on Facebook, or call 802-254-5990.
BOC to hold annual meeting on Jan. 10
• The Brattleboro Outing Club (BOC) will hold its 95th annual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m., at the River Garden, 157 Main St, Brattleboro. It will be preceded by a monthly Board of Directors meeting, at 6 p.m.
The public is invited to either or both meetings, and refreshments will be served at the annual meeting.
BOC is one of the oldest civic outdoor sports associations in the country. Founded in 1922 by local sports enthusiast Fred Harris, its original mission to “encourage, develop and promote family outdoor life and good fellowship” holds true to this day.
Outdoor activities include clay-court tennis, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, rowing, and paddling.
The annual meeting will include a review of the past year's activities from each program chair, as well as a look into the future. A recap of finances, discussion of special projects, election of officers and time for Q&A will also take place.
They are always looking for new members, who want to have family fun with other outdoor enthusiasts, year round. For more information, visit www.BrattleboroOutingClub.org or call 802-254-3666.
Senior bowling roundup
• Team 5 (51-19) had a 5-0 week to stay in first place, while Team 2 (49-21) went 4-1 to stay close behind in second place after Week 14 of the fall season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl.
Team 7 (42-38) also went 5-0 to move in sole possession of third place, followed by Team 4 (40-30), Team 1 (37-33), Team 11 (36-34), Team 10 and Team 8 (both 36-35), Team 3 (33-37), Team 9 (32-38), and Team 6 (23-47).
Pat Bentrup again had the women's high handicap game (248) and series (700). Stan Kolpa had the men's high handicap game (256) while Marty Adams had the high handicap series (694). Team 11 had the high team handicap game (917), while Team 5 had the high team handicap series (2,568).
In scratch scoring, Robert Rigby (640) and Marty Adams (635) each had a 600-plus series, while Josie Rigby (548) joined Gary Montgomery (541), Warren Corriveau Sr. (552), and Jerry Dunham (551) in rolling a 500-plus series.
Dunham (232), Montgomery (229), and Robert Rigby (228) were the male bowlers to top 200 for a single game, while Josie Rigby rolled a 202, and Pat Bentrup had games of 181 and 180.