The state American Legion Baseball crown is back in Brattleboro.
A deep pitching staff, timely hitting, and steady defense propelled Brattleboro Post 5 to its seventh state title, and its first since 2016.
Post 5 took two games from S.D. Ireland on July 31 to win the double-elimination tournament as coach Eric Libardoni won his second state Legion title.
Unlike the 2016 champions, this year's Post 5 did not feature one lights-out pitcher like Leif Bigelow, that year's ace.
Instead, Libardoni had three solid pitchers in Jeremy Rounds, Adam Newton, and Christian Thomsen, plus a capable supporting cast of Forrester Avard, Alex Kendall, Alex Bingham, Joe Rafus, Evan Finnell, and Tyler Millerick. Libardoni's deft deployment of these pitchers, putting them into the right situations at the right time, was the primary strength of this team.
• Everything fell into place for Brattleboro to make the final dash toward glory. Their trip to the final was set with a 10-0 win against Rutland Post 31 on July 30.
Before they took on Post 5, Rutland had to pull out a 7-6 win in extra innings on July 29 against Lakes Region, and then win a 13-11 slugfest over the Colchester Cannons the next morning. The effort expended to win those two games left Rutland's tank absolutely empty and Brattleboro took full advantage.
Despite having to sit through two lengthy rain delays, Christian Thomsen went the distance for Post 5, holding Rutland to just one hit over seven innings. He struck out five and walked two. Chris Frost, Newton, and Rafus each drove in two runs as Post 5 got nine hits off Rutland's pitchers.
• With Thomsen's effort, Post 5 had its pitching perfectly set up, with two of their three best pitchers - Newton and Rounds - rested and ready for the two games against winners bracket champion S.D. Ireland on July 31.
Post 5 won the morning game, 9-5, and it took an all-hands-on-deck pitching effort to win it.
Newton was the starting pitcher in the morning game, and went 3 2/3 innings. Bingham, Avard, Kendall, and Rounds all took turns in relief and kept things under control before Millerick came in and got the final out with two SDI runners on base and the tying run at the plate. The pitchers allowed a combined seven hits, 11 walks, and eight strikeouts.
Dan Petrie started the scoring for Post 5 with a three-run homer in the first inning. SDI responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Post 5 got a run in the second, and SDI would get a run in the third and two in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead.
From there, Post 5 would tie it up at 5-5 in the fifth and took control with four runs in the seventh. SDI would get one run in the bottom of the seventh off Rounds, who was credited with the win, before Millerick came in to pick up a save.
Petrie, Newton (two runs scored), and Frost (two RBIs) each had two hits. Millerick and Finnell each drove in a run, while Rafus had two RBIs.
• Rounds was the winning pitcher in the afternoon game, which Post 5 won, 5-2. Rounds lasted 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and two runs, with four walks and four strikeouts, before he had to come out because he reached his pitch limit. Millerick again came in as the closer, and got the last two outs for the save.
On offfense, Rounds had two hits, scored a run, and stole two bases. Millerick also had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Frost, Petrie, Newton, Pattison, and Price all had a base hit.
• Rounds was selected as the Most Valuable Player for the tournament. He batted .348, scored seven runs, stole five bases, and was the winning pitcher in both games against S.D. Ireland in the championship round.
“When I pitched at the end of the first game, I was having a little bit of trouble with my control, but the second game I focused in on my throwing and it just worked itself out,” Rounds said. “I knew it was going to be hard. I knew we had to beat S.D. Ireland twice, but it was definitely the goal the whole time.”
He had plenty of company on the all-tournament team: Petrie at catcher, Beebe at first base, Millerick at second base, Pattison at third base, Frost in the outfield, and Thomsen as one of the pitchers.
This was the second state title for Petrie, who is going to Castleton University this fall. His first title came when he was one of the youngest members of the team. This year, he was the steady and experienced hand that kept the pitching staff on task.
“You're playing the best in the state, and you don't know what's going to happen,” said Petrie. “But I know my teammates, and they all work hard. They're all determined. They knew what it was going to take to win and we did it.”
Petrie also credits Libardoni's leadership, and how he taught everyone “to work hard whether someone is watching or not watching. It pays off. Nobody expected Post 5, the third seed, to win.”
• The next stop for Post 5 is the Northeast Regional tournament, which will be played in Worcester, Mass., at the College of the Holy Cross's historic Fitton Field.
Brattleboro will face Southington Post 72, the runner-up in the Connecticut state tourney, at noon in the opening game of the double-elimination tournament on Aug. 7. The winner of the Northeast Regional advances to the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C.
N.H. snaps Vt. win streak in Shrine game
• New Hampshire went old school in the 66th annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl on Aug. 3 at Castleton University's David Wolk Stadium.
The Granite Staters used a punishing ground attack to beat Vermont, 21-9. It was led by Kingswood Regional's Cameron Mann (16 carries,137 yards) and Windham's Tommy Emrick (19 carries. 80 yards), as New Hampshire ate up the clock by running the ball for all but four of their total plays from scrimmage.
Vermont was held to a 23-yard field goal by Rutland's Noah Crossman in the first half and a 40-yard touchdown pass late in the second half from Fair Haven's Cam Colutti to Burr & Burton's Jake Baker.
Area representatives included Brattleboro receiver/defensive back Kris Carroll and Bellows Falls lineman Reno Tuttle. Brattleboro's Mike Empey coached Vermont's offensive line.
The defeat ended a three-game win streak for Vermont in this annual showcase of newly-graduated high school football stars. New Hampshire had a 48-16-2 lead in the series.
BUHS football starts practicing Aug. 12
• Another season of Brattleboro Union High School varsity football will begin with equipment issue for players on Sunday, Aug. 11. Incoming seniors will lead off at noon, incoming juniors will follow at 1 p.m., incoming sophomores will go next at 2 p.m., and incoming freshmen will be issued their equipment at 3 p.m.
There will also be a mandatory parent meeting on Monday, Aug. 12 in the BUHS Multi Purpose Room at 7 p.m. If parents have any questions, contact head coach Chad Pacheco at [email protected].
Varsity practice for seniors, juniors and sophomores starts on Aug. 12, with double sessions that week going from 7 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Freshmen start practicing on Monday, Aug. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m.
The varsity football season begins Friday, Aug. 30, when the Colonels play Bellows Falls at Hadley Field in a 7 p.m. game. Brattleboro has dropped down to Division II this season, which makes this game count toward the playoffs for both teams.
Little League roundup
• The Brattleboro 11-year-old Little League All-Stars spent last week in Beverly, Mass., to play in the Eastern Regional Tournament of Champions at Harry Ball Field. The nine-team tournament featured top 11-year-old squads from across the Northeast from New Hampshire to Maryland.
In the opening game on July 30, Brattleboro lost to Hamilton-Wenham, Mass., 5-1. Brattleboro also lost Game 2 on Aug. 1 to Fairfield National (Conn.), 10-0. In game 3, Montgomery County (Md.) squeaked by Brattleboro, 6-5, and in the final game for Brattleboro on Aug. 3, they lost to Madison, N.J., 16-0.
Fairfield National won the tournament, defeating Keystone (Pa.), 7-3, on Aug. 4.
Soccer officials sought
• Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Vermont Soccer Officials Association (VSOA) and gaining eligibility to officiate varsity soccer games is encouraged to attend one of two upcoming training sessions.
The first training session will be held at the Maxfield Sports Complex on Wednesday, Aug. 14, at 4 p.m. in White River Junction.
Another training session is being held at White River Unified High School in South Royalton on Saturday, Aug. 24, at 8:30 a.m.
The training includes learning the rules of the game, a test and a field practice. They will also receive follow-up support and a mentor. The cost of the program is $75, which includes the cost of the membership in the VSOA for this year, the training and insurance.
Interested men and women should contact Gary Blodgett at [email protected] or 802-558-3147.
Red Sox present scholarships to local grads
• Four local members of the Class of 2019 - Tyler Allembert (Brattleboro Union High School), Alexis Johnson (Hinsdale High School), Joshua Rumrill (Fall Mountain Union High School), and Emily Wunderle (Bellows Falls Union High School) - were among 210 graduates from around New England who each received a $1,000 college scholarship from the Boston Red Sox Foundation.
According to a news release, the recipients were selected on the basis of community service, academic performance, and financial aid eligibility. They were honored by the Red Sox at Fenway Park before the July 30 game against Tampa Bay.
Allembert is headed to the University of Vermont this fall, while Rumrill is going to the University of New Hampshire. Wunderle will be attending Rider University, and Johnson has not yet decided her college destination.
Youth Services golf tourney raises $15,000
• Youth Services' 34th annual Golf Tournament was a rousing success, as 78 local golfers helped to generate nearly $15,000 to help underwrite the agency's programs.
The tournament was held at the Brattleboro Country Club on July 24 on a breezy 80-degree day with sunny skies. The Elizabeth Walker team of Andrea Nelson, Eileen Ranslow, Terry Boyce, and Elizabeth Walker won First Gross, with the Brattleboro Food Co-op team of Bob Lyons, Sabine Rhyne, Jeff Houle, and Tracy Sloan finishing First Net.
The Springfield Housing Authority team of Bill Morlock, Mike Augustauskas, David Nichols and Tracy Johnson took Second Gross with the Cersosimo Industries team of Michael Cersosimo, Brian Knowles, Bruce Davis, and Wayne Wright taking Second Net.
Walker won the prize for the Women's Longest Drive. Rhyne took Women's Closest to the Line, with Maggie Aldrich winning the prize for Women's Closest to the Pin.
In the Men's Division, Knowles took the prize for Men's Longest Drive. Dave Anderson took Men's Closest to the Line with Paul Saccoccio winning Men's Closest to Pin.
Melanie Boese of Brattleboro was with the winner of the $3,000 cash prize in the Helicopter Golf Ball Drop, and will donate her winnings to Youth Services's new Substance Abuse treatment program. Jeff Morse and Gene Wrinn had the next closest balls. Boese was also top bidder on the helicopter ride that evening.
For the sixth year in a row, there was a silent auction and over 50 items and services were raffled thanks to the generosity of local businesses who supported the fundraiser. All tournament proceeds will help support Youth Services's programs, which serve nearly 1,500 local youth, adults and families each year. For more information, call 802-257-0361 or visit www.youthservicesinc.org.
Senior bowling roundup
• There's a new leader after Week 14 of the spring/summer season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl.
DDL (45-25) went 4-1 to move into first place. BDL (44-26) went 5-0 to move up to second place, while The Great Lakes (42-28) had a 1-4 week and dropped to third place.
Team 5 and 3 Stooges (both 39-31) are tied for fourth, followed by JKL (38-22), MNR (36-34), The Dentists (29-41), Tres Amigos (32-38), Stayin' Alive (27-43), Tornadoes (26-44), and Stars & Strikes (24-46).
Nancy Dalzell had the women's high handicap game (256), while Shirley Aiken had the high handicap series (676). Howard Manley had the men's high handicap series (695), while 3 Stooges had the high team handicap game (666) and Tornadoes the high handicap series (1,901).
In scratch scoring, Warren Corriveau Sr. had games of 200 and 193 as part of his 562 series. Gary Montgomery rolled a 213 as part of his 550 series, while Fred Ashworth had games of 204 and 196 in his 552 series. Jerry Dunham did not have a 200-plus game, but still rolled a 521 series. Wayne Randall has a 194 game in his 511 series.
Aiken's 502 series led the women; she had games of 187 and 179. Dalzell rolled a 200 game and Sonya Shippee had a 155 game.