-It's not just the Little League tournaments that can be grinding and unpredictable. The Vermont American Legion Baseball state tournament is even tougher to get through. Just ask Brattleboro Post 5.
Facing three high stakes games over three days, Brattleboro, the Southern Division champs and last year's runner-up in the state tournament, came up short in its bid to again reach the finals.
Post 5 got knocked out of the winner's bracket with a 6-4 loss to Manchester Union Underground on July 28 at St. Peter's Field in Rutland. The game started with an RBI single in the first by John Satterfield that gave Post 5 a 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Jackson Emery kept Brattleboro in the game with nine strikeouts over five innings, but Manchester broke through in the third inning with an RBI single by Michael Dell'Aera and a two-run base hit by Seb Dostal for a 3-1 lead.
Brattleboro had their chances to rally, but could not get the timely hit. Manchester started to pull away with a three-run fifth inning on a Weston Nolan RBI single and a two-run single by Hudson Deck for a 6-1 lead. Manchester starting pitcher Max Brownlee wiggled out of some jams in the first four innings, but Post 5 got a pinch-hit RBI single by Karson Elliot in the bottom of the fifth to make a 6-2 game.
Evan Wright relieved Emery in the sixth inning and held Manchester scoreless to give Post 5 one last chance at a rally. Emery hit an RBI double and Sam Bogart drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth to cut the Manchester lead to 6-4. That would be all the scoring for Post 5 as Manchester reliever Dylan Poddick took over for Brownlee and earned the save.
Ryan Peloso led the Brattleboro hitters with a 2-for-4 day at the plate. Aidan Davis, Wright, and Alex McClelland all had base hits.
Brattleboro then kept their season alive with an 11-0 rout in five innings of White River Junction Post 84 on July 29 in an elimination game. Brattleboro scored six runs in the fourth inning to put the game away. Wright, McClelland, and Derek Sage shared the pitching duties in the win. Together, they held Post 84 to two hits.
Post 84's pitchers gave up nine walks, and Brattleboro took full advantage. Emery had a great day at the plate with an RBI single in the first inning and a home run. Peloso drove in a pair of runs as a pinch hitter, and Wright and Jolie Glidden also drove in runs with base hits.
Brattleboro then got knocked out of the tournament by the team that would ultimately win the state championship, the South Burlington Wildcats, in a 5-2 loss on July 30. Kaiden Quinn was the hero with a two-run double in the sixth inning that provided the winning margin.
Davis took the loss for Post 5. After giving up a two-run double to Adam Littlefield in the first inning, Davis shut down South Burlington as he allowed just one hit and kept Post 5 in it until the sixth inning.
As was the case in the loss to Manchester, Post 5 had their chance to get some runs in the fourth and sixth innings, but came away empty-handed.
Brattleboro ended its league season with a 20-5 record. It was a solid season for Post 5 and, with several young players making a big impact this year, they will be contenders once again in 2025.
South Burlington, which defeated Manchester Union Underground, 7-3, on Aug. 1 to win their first state Legion title in 17 years, now advances to the Northeast Regionals in Manchester, New Hampshire. They will play the New Hampshire state champion on Aug. 7.
Legion All-Star, All-Tourney teams named
• The 2024 All-League teams were announced during the tournament. The South Player of the Year was Lakes Region's Caleb Nelson. Named to the South All-League team were Bellows Falls Post 37 catcher Eli Allbee, and Brattleboro selections Jackson Emery at first base, Aidan Davis in the outfield, and pitchers Jayke Glidden and Evan Wright.
Emery was also named to the All-Tournament Team, which was announced after the championship game. Emery, at first base; Davis, in the outfield; and John Satterfield as a utility player were Brattleboro's representatives. South Burlington's Kaiden Quinn was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Vermont wins second straight Shine game
• Brattleboro defensive lineman Sam Madow had a key sack late in the third quarter that ended a New Hampshire scoring drive and helped set up a 26-21 comeback for the Green Mountain Boys in the 71st annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl on Aug. 3 at Vermont State University Castleton's Dave Wolk Stadium.
Madow was joined by Jesse Darrell and Walker James of Bellows Falls on the Vermont squad in the annual game that showcases the top graduated high school seniors from Vermont and New Hampshire. Brattleboro head coach Chad Pacheco was also part of this game as one of the assistant coaches for Vermont head coach Matt Trombly, who led Hartford to the Division I football championship in 2023.
Vermont was trailing at the start of the fourth quarter, but quarterback Jack McCoy of Burr & Burton engineered a pair of scoring drives in the final minutes. A 5-yard touchdown run by Mount Abraham's Jamison Couture and a touchdown pass to Mill River's Mason Boudreau put the Vermonters ahead and their defense held firm in the final three minutes to seal the victory.
McCoy finished with 191 yards of passing and two touchdowns. Boudreau caught both of McCoy's TD passes, while Mount Anthony's Carter Thompson had five catches for 51 yards.
Since the game's inception in 1954, the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl has raised more than $5 million for Shriners Children's New England which gives medical care to children at no cost in Shriners Hospitals.
Signups begin for Connecticut Valley Pee Wee Football League
• The Connecticut Valley Pee Wee Football League (CVPWFL), now in its 56th year, will have its yearly signups and tryouts on Thursday, Aug. 8, at 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Aug. 13, at 5:30 p.m. at Bellows Falls Union High School. Equipment issue will be on Thursday, Aug. 15, at 5:30 p.m.
Those planning to attend tryouts, which will take place after registration, are asked to wear shorts, T-shirts, and sneakers. The CVPWFL is open to Vermont and New Hampshire children entering grades 3-8 throughout the Connecticut Valley. There are no weight limits. Every kid is welcome.
The CVPWFL will be offering flag football for younger players, ages 4-7, this season. Signups will be at the same time as pee wee football dates. The cost for pee wee football third grade team and junior high football is $40 per child. The cost for cheerleading for age 8 to eighth-grade is $30 per child, and the cost for flag football is $15 per child.
New and returning players must attend one of the signup nights to register or make arrangements by calling Ed Vancor at 802-376-5902. Cheerleaders, ages 4-14, must also sign up on one of these dates or contact Ashley Buffum at 603-477-7439.
Senior bowling roundup
• Week 14 of the spring/summer season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl on Aug. 1 saw first place Misguided (48.5-21.5) have a 1-4 week but still keep its lead over second place Slo Movers (44.5-25.5), which also had a 1-4 week. Half Normal (41-29) is in third place, followed by Spare Change (37-33), Fab 4 (36-34), Three Musketeers and Stayin' Alive (both 32-38), Split Happens (31-39), High Rollers (22-48), and Incredibowls (22-23).
Shirley Aiken had the women's high handicap game (246) and series (667). Norm Corliss had the men's high handicap game (249), while Fred Ashworth had the high handicap series (701). Split Happens had the high team handicap game (908) and series (2,532).
John Walker had the men's high scratch series (571), with games of 212 and 209. Ashworth had a 563 series with games of 193, 189, and 181, while Wayne Randall had a 549 series with games of 191 and 189. Warren Corriveau Sr. had a 529 series with a 209 game, and Robert Rigby had a 528 series with a 201 game. Milt Sherman rolled a 203 game.
Carol Gloski had the women's high scratch series (476), while Aiken had the high scratch game (182). Diane Cooke had a 179 game, Nancy Dalzell rolled a 167, Aiken had a 161 game, and Gloski had a 160 game.
Randolph T. Holhut , deputy editor of this newspaper, has written this column since 2010 and has covered sports in Windham County since the 1980s. Readers can send him sports information at [email protected].
This Sports column by Randolph T. Holhut was written for The Commons.