The fall sports season begins this week with Brattleboro's first game as a Division II football program.
The Colonels will be at Hadley Field to face the Bellows Falls Terriers on Friday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m.
Brattleboro dropped down to Division II this season, but the teams they face are no pushovers, starting with the Terriers, who were Division II semifinalists in the 2018 season, finalists in 2017, and state champs in 2016.
The Colonels haven't been in the playoffs since 2015 and haven't won a state title since 1973.
• Field hockey starts on Aug. 30, when the defending Division I champs, Bellows Falls, goes for its 58th straight victory in a 4:30 p.m. road game against Woodstock.
Brattleboro travels to Otter Valley for an 11 a.m. game on Aug. 31. Their home opener was to be against Mount Anthony at Tenney Field on Sept. 4, but the Bennington school had to disband their program for the season due to a lack of players. Instead, the Colonels will host Burr & Burton that day at 6:30 p.m.
• Girls' soccer begins on Aug. 30 when Bellows Falls hosts Windsor at 4:30. Brattleboro hosts Fair Haven on Sept. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Tenney Field.
Leland & Gray hosts Twin Valley in the season opener for both teams on Sept. 3, at 4:30 p.m.. in Townshend.
• Boys' soccer gets going on Sept. 4, when Bellows Falls opens on the road at Long Trail at 4:30 p.m. Leland & Gray is also on the road on that afternoon; the Rebels will be at Rivendell for a 4:30 game.
Brattleboro opens at home against Woodstock at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 5 at Tenney Field.
Twin Valley has its opener on Sept. 10, when it hosts White River Valley for a 6 p.m. game at Hayford Field.
• Cross country starts on Sept. 3, as Bellows Falls hosts Brattleboro and other neighboring schools for the first meet of the season on the BFUHS trails in Westminster.
Post 5 celebrates a championship season
• American Legion Post 5 honored the state American Legion Baseball champions at an awards banquet on Aug. 19 at the Legion home.
Post 5 Commander Tom Costello and longtime BUHS social studies teacher Bill Holiday, the second baseman on the first Post 5 team that won a state title in 1965, were the hosts for the event.
Manager Eric Libardoni - who was also celebrating with his wife, Stephanie, the birth of their third child, Colby - was lauded for winning his second state title as Post 5's skipper. Brattleboro has won seven state Legion championships over the past 54 years.
The only other manager to win two titles was the late Gene Capen, who did the trick with the famed “Brattleboro Lumber Company” squads in 1983 and 1986.
Post 5 catcher Dan Petrie was named this season's Most Valuable Player. The Cy Young Award for best pitcher went to Adam Newton, while the Coaches Award was presented to Alex Kendall and the Most Improved Player Award was given to Jack Pattison.
I wasn't able to attend the banquet, but Christian Avard, whose son Forrester was on the team and helped us with the postseason coverage, passed on word to me that The Commons was praised for our coverage of Legion baseball.
The credit should go to the Post 5 coaches and the parents of the players who used Facebook to spread the word about Post 5's exploits. Coach Greg Short did a great job providing the summaries of games throughout the season, and Regina Pattison, Jack's mom, was a crackerjack providing inning-by-inning updates during the postseason.
Brattleboro is still a baseball town, and the support and enthusiasm I saw for Post 5 this year, as well as for the Little Leaguers, is proof of that. It's what makes the summer fun, win or lose.
• Speaking of enthusiasm and support, you can help raise some money to keep Legion baseball alive in Brattleboro going by coming out to the Brattleboro Country Club on Saturday, Sept. 7 for the third annual Post 5 American Legion Baseball Golf Tournament.
The tournament will use a scramble format, with four players per team. Registration is at 11:15 a.m., with a shotgun start at noon. An awards dinner with prizes begins at 4:30 p.m.
The entry fee is $100 per player, which includes 18 holes of golf, cart, a post-tournament dinner, a tee gift, raffle tickets for door prizes, and opportunities to win other great prizes. Proceeds will benefit the Post 5 baseball program.
For more information, contact Eric Libardoni at 802-380-1990 or elibardoni@wsesu.org, or Kyle Henry at 860-227-5726.
Run For Recovery benefits Turning Point
• The second annual Run for Recovery to benefit Turning Point of Brattleboro will be held on Sunday, Sept. 8.
Last year's event included 85 participants and raised about $1,400 for Turning Point, a supportive gathering place for individuals looking to begin or strengthen their recovery after struggles with alcohol or drugs. Organizers hope this year's event will be even bigger.
Check-in for the 5-kilometer walk and run starts at Turning Point at 39 Elm St. in Brattleboro at 9 a.m. The race begins at 10 a.m. on Flat Street. The course goes up Williams Street and returns to Turning Point via Western Avenue and Main Street. Prizes go to the top three male and female finishers. A raffle will follow the race.
The registration fee is $20. Register online at runsignup.com/tpwcrunforrecovery2019. For more information about Turning Point and the Run For Recovery, contact Jedediah Popp at jedediahpopp@gmail.com or call Turning Point Executive Director Suzie Walker at 802-257-5600.
Bruins 'Learn to Play Hockey' program returns to Brattleboro
• The Boston Bruins are bring their “Learn to Play Hockey” program back to the Nelson Withington Rink for 2019. The program is designed for players born between Jan. 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2014 who have never played organized hockey at the mite level or higher.
For $140, players will get a full, professionally-fitted set of gear - including skates, a helmet with a protective cage, a stick, gloves, a jersey, pants, and socks, shin guards, elbow and shoulder pads, and an equipment bag - plus four lessons to be held in Brattleboro on Oct. 27, and Nov. 3, 10, and 17.
If the player continues in a Brattleboro Hockey Association program, such as the Novice, Mite, or House League teams, the BHA will deduct $140 from the program cost.
Deadline for signing up is Sept. 10. Register at nhl.com/bruins/learntoplay, or visit the BHA's website at brattleborohockey.org.
BOC fall paddling schedule announced
• The Brattleboro Outing Club (BOC) announces its fall paddle schedule for canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards. All outings are free and open to the public, although paddlers need to bring their own craft, or borrow/rent.
Each of the remaining four trips is suitable for family canoeing, kayak touring and stand-up paddleboarding. Life jackets (PFDs) are mandatory on all BOC paddle trips. No advance reservations are required; just show up with your own craft, snacks, lunch, water and related gear.
All trips are day-long outings. A suggested “bring” list can be found at BrattleboroOutingClub.org, and local rentals are available at Vermont Canoe Touring Center on Putney Road.
• Sept 18, Connecticut River, Herricks Cove in Rockingham. The cove offers a pleasant day of paddling through extraordinary marshes and coves, favorite areas for bird watchers, as the fall migration is in full swing.
Meet at 9 a.m., in the Hannaford parking lot, on Putney Road. Paddlers coming from the north are welcome to join the paddle at the Herricks Cove ramp/picnic area (off Route 5, near Exit 6, Interstate 91) at 10 a.m.
• Sept 25, Leader's Choice; wherever the colors are peak. Meet in front of the closed Home Depot, next to Hannaford's, on Putney Road, at 9:30 a.m., for an all-day outing to view fall foliage from the water level, somewhere in the tri-state area.
• Sept 28, Somerset Reservoir. Come for an all-day fall foliage paddle trip on an out-of-the-way, protected reservoir, at a very special time of the year. Paddlers almost always see loons, bald eagles, and migrating waterfowl; and feel crisp late-season air. This could be the last swim of the season.
Bring snacks, lunch and something warm to drink; it'll be a beach picnic. Meet at 9 a.m., at the Coffee House in Wilmington (junction of Routes 9 and 100), or the “Car-Top'”launch site at Somerset (very end of the road), around 9:30 a.m. Don't block the trailer ramp with car-top boats or boards.
• Oct. 2, Another Leader's Choice trip; wherever the colors are peak. Meet in front of the closed Home Depot, next to Hannaford's, on Putney Road, at 9:30 a.m., for an all-day outing to view fall foliage from the water level, somewhere in the tri-state area.
For more information call 802-254-3666, or email Lmacyak@gmail.com.
Senior bowling roundup
• With one week to go in the spring/summer season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl, DDL (55-30) has assured itself of finishing no worse than a tie for the championship. Despite a 1-4 week, DDL still has a five-game lead over MNR (50-35), which had a 5-0 week to take over second place.
There's a three-way tie for third between BDR, The Great Lakes, and 3 Stooges (all 49-36), followed by Team 5 (47-38), Tres Amigos (41-44), JKL and The Dentists (both 39-46), Stayin' Alive (33-53), Tornadoes (32-53), and Stars & Strikes (29-56).
Rosealie Howe had the women's high handicap game (263) and series (665). Duane Schillemat had the men's high handicap game (260) and Peter Gilbert had the high handicap series (653). The Dentists had the high team handicap game (637) and MNR had the high handicap series (1,913).
In scratch scoring, Warren Corriveau Sr. rolled a 214 and a 199 to lead the men for a third straight week with a 552 series. Schillemat rolled a 221 as part of his 511 series, while Les Wigdor had a 199 game as part of his 507 series. Gary Montgomery had a 500 series.
Howe had the women's top scratch game score of 186. Debbie Kolpa had a 176 game.