-The Vermont Football Coaches Association recently announced its all-state football teams for the 2024 season.
In Division I, Brattleboro wide receiver Jack Cady and inside linebacker Colby Bristol were first team selections.
Brattleboro players named to the second team were wide receiver Alex Papadimitriou, defensive lineman Justin Packard, and outside linebacker Zach Corbeil. Cady and Logan Casey were both second team selections at defensive back.
Earning honorable mention for Brattleboro were quarterback Sean Cozza, Corbeil at running back, wide receiver Hudson Smith, and Packard and Lucas Speno at offensive lineman.
Bellows Falls filled up the Division II team with quarterback/defensive back Eli Allbee, running back Carson Clark, offensive lineman Rylan Ernst, defensive lineman Connor Perry, linebacker Patrick Connors, and defensive back Jaden Bazin all earning first team honors.
BF players named to the second team were offensive linemen Steven Joslyn and Brock Lovell, and linebacker Joshua Streeter. Earning honorable mention were Connors at running back and Will Hallock at linebacker.
South team falls short in All-Star Football Classic
• The 23rd annual North/South All-Star Football Classic was played Nov. 17 at Dave Wolk Stadium on the campus of Vermont State University Castleton.
The North team led from start to finish in a 33-14 victory. Nearly all of Vermont's high school football programs were represented at the game, which also serves as an unofficial audition for the seniors who might be selected to play in the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl in August.
Bellows Falls, who reached the semifinals of the Division II playoffs this season before being defeated by the eventual state champion Fair Haven Slaters, had four representatives on the South squad - quarterback Eli Albee, running backs Carson Clark and Josh Streeter, and tight end Will Hallock.
While Brattleboro did not win a game this season, their two top seniors - wide receiver/defensive back Jack Cady and running back/wide receiver/linebacker Zach Corbeil - also played for the South.
Due to an injury to Hartford quarterback Luke Nuceder, Allbee got the start for the South. With the South trailing 19-0 in the fourth quarter, Allbee threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Mount Anthony's Dreland Carey. That set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Middlebury's Avery Carl.
The South's other touchdown came on a 15-yard pass from Rutland's Noah Bruttomesso to Burr & Burton's Tommy Sheldon. Allbee finished with 62 passing yards. The victory was the second straight for North, which now holds a 13-10 lead in the series.
Bob Lockerby to coach Vermont Shrine team
• At halftime of the North-South game, it was announced that Bellows Falls head coach Bob Lockerby will lead the Vermont team against New Hampshire in the 2025 Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl, which will also played at Vermont State University Castleton's Dave Wolk Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 2.
It is the second time he has received this prestigious honor. Lockerby coached the Vermont squad in the 2017 game.
A 1976 graduate of BFUHS and a graduate of Elon College in North Carolina, Lockerby started his football coaching career with his alma mater in 1981 as an assistant to legendary Terriers coach Spaulding "Bis" Bisbee III, who won nine state championships during Bisbee's three decades at the helm.
Lockerby became head coach in 2006, and continued the Terriers' winning tradition as Division III semifinalists in 2009 and state champs in 2010. Bellows Falls then moved up to Division II and racked up three more state titles (2012, 2016, 2021). They were runners-up four times (2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022) and reached the semifinals five times (2013, 2014, 2018, 2023, and 2024).
As a varsity coach in both football and baseball at BFUHS, I've seen Lockerby consistently get the most out of his players and his teams always play hard, but fair. That also speaks to his many years as an educator at the school. Not many coaches get a second time to coach a Vermont Shrine team, but Lockerby has definitely earned it.
VSCA announces all-state teams
• The Vermont Soccer Coaches Association (VSCA) recently announced its all-state selections for the fall 2024 season, with several local players earning honors.
Junior forward Reese Croutworst of Brattleboro was named to the Division I girls' team, while Brattleboro's Charlie Kinnersley, a senior midfielder, and Jackson Pals, a senior forward, were named to the Division I boys' team.
In Division III, Green Mountain senior forward Linsey Miles was named to the girls' team. Green Mountain senior midfielders Tanner Swisher, Andrei Solzhenitsyn, and Evan Kirdzik, and senior goalkeeper Derek Hodgdon were selected to the boys' team along with senior midfielder Malik Gordon of Bellows Falls.
Senior forward Avery Hiner and senior midfielder Abigail Emerson of Leland & Gray; and senior midfielder Bianca Place and senior goalkeeper Alanna Bevilacqua of Twin Valley were selected to the Division IV girls' team. Selected to the Division IV boys' team were sophomore midfielder Spencer Clausen and senior defender Cody Hescock of Leland & Gray; and junior midfielder Steve Oyer, sophomore midfielder Brayden Brown and junior defender Chris Eckert of Twin Valley.
Green Mountain's Jake Walker was named Boys Small School Coach of the Year after leading his team to a Division III state championship. He was also named the overall Coach of the Year for boys' soccer.
Brattleboro Jingle Bell Jog is Dec. 7
• The Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce's presents its annual 5K Jingle Bell Jog on Saturday, Dec. 7. It is a fun family-oriented way to celebrate winter in Brattleboro. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Hot cocoa will be served.
This festive race, which begins at 9:30 a.m.,will raise money for the Chamber's "Skills for Success" scholarship fund which provides assistance to students who will be pursuing a technical, trade or other non-traditional post-secondary education.
The 5k loop course kicks off in downtown Brattleboro at the Brooks House Atrium, turns left at the Harmony Lot entrance, running east on Elliot Street to Main. It then heads north up Main Street where it merges with High Street. The route continues west up High to Western Avenue (route 9) to Williams Street (by Vermont Country Deli). Participants will continue east along the Whetstone Brook before merging back onto Elliot Street and heading east all the way - returning to the Harmony Lot in back of the Brooks House for the finish.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three men and women finishers, best costume and the individual or team that raises the most money. Come dressed as an elf, a grinch, Santa or any holiday inspired character - or just come as you are. Jingle bells will be provided.
Race day registration begins at 8:30 a.m, at the Brooks House Atrium, 132 Main St., and the race kicks off promptly at 9:30 a.m. Entry fees are $20 per single runner (18 years old and older), with a special rate of $50 for teams of four or more. There is no entry fee for students 17 and under. Advance registration is available at runreg.com/jingle-bell-jog-2024.
Senior bowling roundup
• Week 12 of the fall/winter season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl on Nov. 21 saw Number 3 (45-15) remain in first place with a 5-0 week, followed by Slo Movers (36-24), Spare Change (36-26), Lucky Strikes (34-26), Pin Heads (32-28), Candi Men (31-29), Wunderkind (25.5-23.5), Jerry's Team (24-36), Ricks Picks (21.5-38.5), and Aging Teens (17-43).
Pat Bentrup had the women's high handicap game (231) and series (666), while Kevin Napaver had the men's high handicap game (281) and series (740). Pin Heads had the high team handicap game (926) and series (2,644).
Napaver also had the men's high scratch series (740) with games of 279, 233, and 228. He was one of three bowlers with 600+ series as Peter Deyo had a 663 series with games of 235, 215, and 213, while Robert Rigby had a 660 series with games of 245, 227, and 188.
Wayne Randall had a 553 series with games of 191 and 186, Chuck Adams had a 536 series with games of 208 and 192, Gary Montgomery had a 504 series with a 193 game, Jerry Dunham had a 503 series with a 185 game, Fred Ashworth and Mike Pavlovich both had a 501 series with Pavlovich rolling a 203 game. Others with notable games included Warren Corriveau Sr. (181) and Charlie Marchant (180).
Carol Gloski once again had the women's high scratch series (465) and game (167). Those with notable games included Sandy Ladd (161), Diane Cooke (156), Bentrup (154), and Nancy Dalzell (151).
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.