When they were installed and switched on last August, the lights at the Hadley Field athletic complex at Bellows Falls Union High School in Westminster were something to celebrate.
Unfortunately, those lights have turned out to be one big headache for the BFUHS administration.
Last week, school officials closed sections of the field temporarily over safety concerns about the stability of the light stanchions.
Windham Northeast Superintendent Christopher Kibbe told the Rutland Herald last week that the poles' installer, Techline, Inc. of Austin, Texas, had not tested the suitability of the soil before installing the poles in 2012, and could not guarantee public safety in the area of the lights.
As a result, Kibbe said, Hadley Field will remain closed to public use until tests reveal that no additional work is needed to make the poles safe.
School officials have begun making alternate arrangements for upcoming sporting events:
The BF varsity football team will move its home opener against Milton, scheduled for Sept. 7, to Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, should Hadley Field remain closed by then.
The middle school teams that regularly use Hadley Field for games are still looking for a temporary home.
Varsity and JV soccer and field hockey teams play their home games on the athletic fields behind the high school, and are unaffected.
This isn't the first time that the lights, which were donated to the school through the estate of the late Al Southwick, a longtime resident and sports enthusiast, have earned unwanted attention.
The lights on the baseball field were turned off after their initial use over a permit appeal lodged by a neighbor who complained they shined into her house.
An investigation found that the lights installed were not the ones outlined in the original permit filed with the Westminster Development Review Board.
Fall sports season begins Friday
• Scrimmages and practices are finished, and everything is set for the start of the fall varsity high school sports season, Friday, Aug. 30. Bellows Falls takes on Brattleboro in a football game at Natowich Field on Friday night at 7.
In field hockey, the Colonel girls also open this Friday with a 4 p.m. game at Fair Haven.
On Aug. 31, Leland & Gray gets into action with a soccer doubleheader at BFA-Fairfax. The Rebel girls will play at 11 a.m.; the boys kick off at 1:30 p.m.
The Brattleboro girls' soccer team will square off against the Cosmos that night with a 7 p.m. game at Brown Field in Springfield. The Colonel boys' soccer team also opens at Springfield, but it will be an afternoon game on Sept. 5.
Twin Valley's soccer teams will get going later. The Wildcat girls open under the lights at Baker Field on Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. against Arlington; the boys host Green Mountain under the lights on Sept. 6 at 6 p.m.
Bellows Falls girls' soccer opens at home on Sept. 3 against Long Trail School at 4:30 p.m. The BF boys open at home the next day with a 4:30 p.m. game against Arlington; the field hockey team starts its season on Sept. 5 at Fair Haven.
Both the Brattleboro and Bellows Falls cross country teams kick their season off Sept. 10. The Terrier Harriers host their first meet against Springfield; the Colonels will be in Bennington for the Mount Anthony Invitational.
Triumph, tragedy for CRVBL champs
The Claremont Cardinals were joyous at winning the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League championship for the second straight year on Aug. 18, but they knew sorrow a few hours later on learning Cardinal catcher Jonathan Ferrero, 22, was killed, and outfielder Justin Pierce, 21, was seriously injured, in a pickup truck crash in the players' hometown of Woodstock.
The accident occurred just hours after the Cardinals defeated the Walpole Wild Blue to win the CRVBL Cup, where Ferrero was named the tournament's most valuable player after he'd rapped in the winning run for a 6-5 victory.
“The Connecticut River Valley Baseball League is so saddened by this accident up in Woodstock,” said Gary Dennis, league coordinator for the CRVBL, and manager of the Walpole Wild Blue in a statement on the league's website.
“The Cardinals are a bunch of great guys and good ball players. It was our honor to play against them on Sunday Our hearts go out to Jon and Justin's friends and families and the rest of the Claremont ball club.”
Cardinals manager Gerry Thompson said in a prepared statement, “The Claremont Cardinals family suffered a terrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Jon and Justin. Those two men were inseparable as brothers off the field and indispensable to the success of our team. We are going to miss Jon's grit, smile, and fierce spirit, but we are ready to support Justin in his recovery.”
According to Woodstock police, Ferrero was a passenger in a grey Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Pierce that struck a guardrail near the intersection of Fletcher Hill and Peterkin Hill roads, flipped over, and struck a tree.
Ferrero was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Pierce, Ferrero's best friend, was taken to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., with serious injuries.
The Eagle Times of Claremont, N.H. reported that police said alcohol containers were recovered from the accident scene, but the Vermont State Police Crash Reconstruction Team had yet to determine if alcohol was a factor in the crash.
A memorial service for Ferrero was held at the Woodstock Union High School's baseball field last Friday. The 2010 graduate played varsity baseball for Woodstock and dreamed of playing baseball on a major league team. Memorial contributions may be made to the Woodstock High School Baseball Booster Club in care of the school.
Free Labor Day mixer at BOC
• On Sept. 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the tennis program at the Brattleboro Outing Club is offering a free Labor Day mixer and barbecue that will be fun for the whole family.
Instructors will arrange doubles matches at the Cedar Street courts for anyone - of any age and skill level - who wants to play. This event is for anyone with an interest in tennis, including parents looking for fun and healthful activities for their children. The grill will be offering free hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, and soft drinks.
BOC Tennis is a volunteer-run community whose purpose is to provide a resource to the Brattleboro-area community in the form of tennis, recreation, and fun. There is no waiting list. The club boasts of having six of the nicest red clay courts in New England, an extensive complement of summer camps, and plenty of opportunities for both competitive and casual play.
To learn more, contact Julia Chase (brattleborotennis@gmail.com or 802-380-1964) or committee chair Hyam Siegel (hbs1001@gmail.com or 802-257-0691), or visit www.brattleborooutingclub.org.
Softball roundup
• The Brattleboro Area Men's Softball League has crowned its champions. The Brattleboro Elks won Division 1, while Zooters/Whetstone Station/Green Mountain Creamery were the Division 2 champs. VFW took the Division 3 title; G.S. Precision were Division 4 champs.
There's a bit more softball to be played. The Brattleboro Area Women's Softball League will host a co-ed tournament on Sunday, Sept. 15, at Living Memorial Park.
To sign up, or to help run the tournament, write Susan Caffery at scaffery@marlboro.edu.