Some consider Leland & Gray versus Twin Valley as one of the best boys soccer rivalries in Vermont, and it is hard to argue with that statement. These two teams play tense and hard-fought games every time they face each other.
It was no exception last Friday in Townshend, as Twin Valley's Ian Murdock scored in the 78th minute off a deflection of a corner kick to give the Wildcats a 1-0 victory and hand the Rebels their first loss of the season.
Leland & Gray blitzed Twin Valley, 5-0, in the Wildcats' home opener on Sept. 14 and ended Twin Valley's three-year winning streak against the Rebels at Baker Field. Afterward, Twin Valley coach Buddy Hayford proclaimed the Rebels as the team to beat in Division III.
In last Friday's game, the Wildcats avenged that loss with improved defense and control of the midfield. Goalkeeper Tony Bernard had 11 saves.
Leland & Gray is now 5-1, while Twin Valley evened its record to 3-3.
In action earlier in the week, Twin Valley shut out Windsor, 5-0, at Baker Field last Tuesday. Kody Crosier scored in the final minute of the first half, then Dylan Spiegel, Eli Park, Colin Lozito exploded for three goals in six minutes midway through the second half. Spiegel added one more goal in the 75th minute. Bernard had five saves for his first shutout win.
Leland & Gray defeated Black River, 4-1, last Wednesday in Townshend. The Rebels got all their goals in the first half as Matt Bizon, Hunter Buffum, Noah Chapin and Tyler Miller all scored.
Girls soccer
• Springfield's Sarah Locke scored a pair of goals as the Cosmos upset Brattleboro, 2-0, at Tenney Field last Thursday. Brattleboro played Taconic of Pittsfield, Mass., to a 1-1 tie last Monday night at Tenney Field. Taylor Kerylow scored the Colonels' only goal in the second half. The Colonels are now 4-2-1.
• Leland & Gray and Twin Valley struggled to a scoreless tie last Monday night at Baker Field in Wilmington. The Rebels then fell to Arlington, 4-3 last Thursday, and were shutout by Mount Anthony, 5-0, on Saturday. The Rebels' record is now 2-2-2.
• Savannah Nesbitt got the game winner in the 34th minute, as Twin Valley beat Windsor 1-0 and improved to 2-2-1 overall.
• Bellows Falls had a pair of 1-0 losses last week. They were beaten by Windsor, 1-0, in a road loss last Monday. Goalkeeper Enny Mustapha made seven saves. Playing at home last Thursday, BF was beaten 1-0 by Green Mountain. The Terriers are now 0-6.
Football
• The Brattleboro Colonels are still looking for their first win after they got hammered by the Middlebury Tigers, 55-14, last Friday night. How bad was it? Three of Middlebury's first four plays from scrimmage went for touchdowns as Brendan Burrell scored on a 38-yard run, Marshall Hastings ran for a 54-yard touchdown and Steel White scored on a 47-yard run.
Brattleboro running back Ivan Jackson had 21 carries for 105 yards, while quarterback Nate Forrett went 10-for-21 for 136 yards. Now 0-4, the Colonels will host Essex on Oct. 2.
• The Bellows Falls Terriers didn't fare any better last Friday, as the Burr & Burton Bulldogs rolled to a 35-6 victory in Manchester. Burr & Burton quarterback Jake Stalcup threw for four touchdowns. Ryan Hayward scored BF's only touchdown. Now 2-2, the Terriers host Montpelier on Oct. 2.
Field hockey
• Shelby Yee scored three goals as the undefeated Hartford Hurricanes blanked the Brattleboro Colonels, 5-0, at Tenney Field last Wednesday.
Brattleboro played Burr & Burton to a 1-1 tie in Manchester last Monday. Tatiana Frizzell scored what proved to be the tying goal for the Colonels at the 15 minute mark in the first half, and good defense by the Colonels kept the Bulldogs scoreless through the rest of regulation and overtime.
Now 1-3-1, the Colonels travel to Rutland on Sept. 29.
• Otter Valley shut out Bellows Falls, 2-0, last Wednesday in Brandon. Shea Wilkinson had five saves as the Terriers fell to 0-3-1.
Cross country
• Brattleboro's Jacob Ellis was the top male runner at a six-team Marble Valley League meet in Brattleboro last Tuesday. Ellis covered the 5 kilometer course in 17 minutes, 58 seconds - a course record. Rutland's Mary Kate Cirelli was the top female runner, also setting a course record in 20:20. Mount Anthony won the boys team event, while Stratton Mountain School was the top girls team.
Leland & Gray's Lauren Scott (34th in 27:10) and Trystian Carbanero (64th in 33:31) were the Rebels' top finishers. The Rebels will play host to an MVL meet on Oct. 5 in Grafton.
• The Colonels also went to Manchester, N.H., to run in the 35th Annual Manchester Invitational Classic in Derryfield Park on Saturday. It is the one of the biggest cross country meets in New England, with more than 1,800 runners participating.
Ellis lead the way for the Brattleboro boys, placing sixth in the Large School Division and 25th overall with a time of 17:04 for the 3.1-mile course. It was the fourth-best time for a Vermont runner in the meet.
The team of Ellis, Zeke Fitzgerald (19:13), Spencer Olsen (19:24), Allen Unaitis (19:58), Austin Lester (20:37), Sam Colleran (21:01) and Ben Fontaine (23:59) placed 21st in the Large School Division. All but Olson ran personal best times.
All the Colonel girls in the meet ran personal bests. Hannah Reichel improved on her time by more than a minute and finished 71st in the large school race with a time of 23:06. She was followed by Leah Silverman (26:05), Helen Manning (26:43) and Kayla Bailey (30:13).
Bruins come to Brattleboro
The Boston Bruins decided to spend a couple of days in Brattleboro, but not to check out the galleries or go pick apples. According to NESN.com, the NHL team decided to spend Sunday and Monday in Brattleboro for two days of team-building exercises.
The team spent those two days at the High 5 Adventure Learning Center, which is located on the Austine School campus. I attempted to visit there on Monday morning, and was stopped at the gate by a security guard. Apparently, the campus was sealed off to allow the Bruins some privacy. The guard said that quite a few people were also attempting to visit the school that morning, looking for autographs.
According to the High 5 website, high5adventure.org, the center bills itself as “an industry leader in designing dynamic, professionally-proven team building experiences for sports teams, corporate groups and small businesses. We focus on increasing team communication and performance, developing creative problem-solving skills, and improving conflict resolution.”
Considering how badly the 2009-10 season ended, with the Bruins blowing a 3-0 series lead to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, a little team building couldn't hurt.
Men's basketball league plans for 2010-11 season
There will be a men's basketball league organizational meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m., at the Gibson-AIken Center in Brattleboro. A representative from each team must attend the meeting.
The league is still looking for new board members. call the Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department office at 802-254-5808 for more information.
Youth bowling league forms in Brattleboro
Brattleboro Bowl on Putney Road is accepting registrations for a United States Bowling Congress-sanctioned bowling league for youths ages 5-19.
There are two leagues to choose from: Saturdays beginning Oct. 2 at 9:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 6 p.m. beginning on Oct. 5. Teams are formed based on age and ability and are divided into four divisions.
The cost is $8 per week or $6 (2-game bumper division). Shoe rentals for youth league bowlers are free and free bowling clinics are available. Late enrollment is accepted until Dec. 1 for those completing fall sports. For more information, call Brattleboro Bowl at 802-257-1177.