BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Colonels football team opened the 2010 season with a 28-14 loss at Burlington on Friday night.
Brattleboro had no way to stop Burlington tailback Austin Dober, who had 30 carries for 210 yards and all four of the Seahorses' touchdowns.
It was 14-14 at the half, as Brattleboro got its touchdowns on a 20-yard run by Elliot Gragen and a seven-yard run by quarterback Nate Forrett.
Forrett led the Colonels' ground game with 138 yards on 17 carries and completed 5 of 10 passes for 81 yards. Ivan Jackson ran for 74 yards on 15 carries and Gragen had 68 yard on 10 carries.
The Colonels play their home opener on Sept. 10 under the lights at Natowich Field against BFA-St. Albans. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Vikings raid BF
The Bellows Falls Terriers opened the season at home with a 27-12 loss to the Moriah Central Vikings of Port Henry, N.Y., at Hadley Field on Saturday.
The Vikings were a tough opponent to open against. They've made to the championship game in their division in New York for three straight years. On the other hand, since this was a non-league game, it gave the Terriers a good measuring stick to see where they at.
Ryan Hayward ran for 78 yards in 10 carries to lead Bellows Falls, while Will Bourne had had four catches for 41 yards. Quarterback Jeremy Kilburn connected with tight end Brendan Hackett for BF's first touchdown, and later scored on a 3-yard run to give the Terriers a 12-7 lead at the half. After that, it was all Moriah.
BF travels to Rutland this Saturday to face Mount St. Joseph in their first league game of the season.
GMC plans 200-mile ride
The Brattleboro section of the Green Mountain Club will hold its annual 200-mile bike trip that will run nearly the entire length of Vermont on Sept. 11 and 12.
This trip is for experienced cyclists and starts near the Canadian border in North Strafford, N.H., and will cover both sides of the Connecticut River as riders make their way to Brattleboro.
Extreme outdoors enthusiast Joe Cook, who is also the president of the Putney Bicycle Club, will lead the trip. He currently is on a quest to bike over every paved road in Vermont and has biked the length of the state in one day.
Reservations are required for transportation in North Strafford on Sept. 10 and overnight accommodations in North Strafford and the Sept. 11 overnight stop in Orford, N.H. Contact Cook at 802-257-0609 or [email protected].
Tour de Grace benefits hospital
If you want a shorter, less extreme bike ride, Grace Cottage Hospital will present the sixth Annual Tour de Grace bicycle rally, which helps raise money for patient care at the hospital, on Saturday, Sept. 11.
The tour is on a 19-mile, mostly downhill course. Riders begin at the Stratton Resort Base Lodge parking lot anytime between 8 and 10:30 a.m. and finish at Grace Cottage on Route 35 in Townshend. The route is well marked, with maps available at the starting point. Buses will transport riders and bikes back to Stratton.
Volunteers will be stationed along the route to provide free beverages and snacks. Free T-shirts will be given to the first 100 riders who sign up at www.gracecottage.org or by phone (802-365-9109).
Riders under 12 years old must ride with an adult, and helmets are required for all riders. Dirt road tires are recommended. The entry fee is $25, and riders are also encouraged to obtain pledges to support the hospital.
Visit www.gracecottage.org/events/ for a route description and registration and pledge forms. These forms will also be available the morning of the race at the Stratton Base Lodge parking lot. For more information, call 802-365-9109.
Time for 'Walk, Run & Roll'
The 15th annual “Walk, Run & Roll” fundraiser to benefit the Brattleboro Walk-In Clinic will be held on Saturday, Sept. 18.
The event includes a 5K run, a 5K walk, a kid's fun run and 34-mile cycling event. This year, the event has a bit of a twist. The Walk-In Clinic is offering a $100 reward to any 5K runner that can beat the perennial race winner, Bob Parks. If more than one runner beats Bob, the individual with the best time will be given the prize.
The first 50 adult bikers and first 50 adult walkers/runners will receive a free race t-shirt. As in the past years, the t-shirt features all new colors and this year will feature their new race logo. Participants will be treated to a great variety of prizes from Brattleboro's best known restaurants, shops and retail outlets.
Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in several categories, as well as randomly raffled. All kids participating in the fun run will receive a medal. Refreshments will be provided.
Registration will begin this year behind the Dunham Building in the parking lot of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital. Bikers will register at 7 a.m., with a 7:30 a.m. start time.
Run, walk and fun run registration begins at 7:45 a.m.
The fun run event starts at 8:30 a.m., while the 5K walk starts at 8:45 a.m., and the 5K run begins at 9 a.m. The walk and run events will be professionally timed by 3C Race productions.
There is a non-refundable entry fee of $20 for adults (free for youths under 12.) Pre-register for this event at www.3craceproductions.com. More information and entry forms are available at www.BrattleboroWalkInClinic.com.
All proceeds go to support the Walk-In Clinic, a nonprofit organization providing free medical and dental care to those without health insurance.