-The Brattleboro Unified basketball team went into its home opener against the Twin Valley Wildcats on April 9 in a very unfamiliar position. For the first time in the history of the program, the Bears had lost their first two games.
After being narrowly defeated by Mount Anthony on April 1 and a 46-35 loss to Rutland on April 6, Bears coach Tyler Boone said the team needed a reset against Twin Valley.
Boone said that in the preparation for the Twin Valley game, the Bears spent more time talking than practicing, and singled out returning player Alexx Labounty with being “the voice of reason” in encouraging his teammates to work together and support each other at both ends of the floor.
The Bears took those words to heart and put together a strong effort from start to finish over Twin Valley in a 63-44 victory before a big crowd in the BUHS gym.
“To put up 63 points against any opponent is pretty impressive,” said Boone. “I’m pretty happy with how it went today.”
All but one Brattleboro player scored as Alexx Labounty and Alto Purdy each had a team-high 10 points. Tristen Leland added nine points, while Ashley Cleveland chipped in eight points.
Twin Valley entered their game with the Bears with a 1-1 record, with a 34-32 win over Otter Valley and a 47-28 loss to Burr & Burton. Like Brattleboro, the Wildcats also spread the scoring around as Mason Ranslow led all scorers with 12 points. Brogan Boyce and Chloe Lashway each scored 10 points, and Brady Lackey and Phoenix Simpson each scored six points.
The Bears started the game with a 10-2 run and led 18-10 at the start of the second quarter. Brattleboro had a 40-14 lead at the half and cruised from there. Twin Valley had their moments, but had no answers for Brattleboro’s transition offense.
Still, Wildcats coach Chris Brown saw some positives, particularly in the second half when the team put together a couple of strong stretches on offense to cut into the Bears’ lead.
“When the shots go in, it’s infectious, and I think it makes you want to try and hustle back and get more defensive effort going,” said Brown.
While Boone likes to win games, they know that the bigger goals of Unified basketball are sportsmanship, teamwork, and acceptance. That’s why after every game so far this season, Boone has treated the Bears and their opponents to postgame doughnuts and a chance to hang out with one another.
“We want to make friends with everyone,” said Boone.
Connors, Perry to represent BF football at Shrine Game
• Running back Pat Connors and lineman Cam Perry were key contributors during the Bellows Falls run toward its 13th state football championship last fall. Now, Connors and Perry will close out their high school careers by playing for Vermont in the 73rd annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl that is set to take place Aug. 1 at Vermont State University-Castleton’s Dave Wolk Stadium.
Both Connors and Perry played in the North-South All-Star game last November, a game that often serves as the final audition for seniors who hope to be selected for the Vermont Shrine team. Even without playing that game, both Connors and Perry were fairly safe bets to be playing against New Hampshire’s seniors in the Shrine game.
In 2025, Connors ran 131 times for 1,502 yards and 18 touchdowns to go with six receptions for 59 yards and another TD. Defensively, he made 38 tackles, with three interceptions, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one fumble return for a TD. Those numbers led to Connors being selected as the 2025 MaxPreps Vermont High School Football Player of the Year.
Perry was an important part of the offensive line that allowed Connors and the rest of the BF offense to score 369 points in 11 games, the highest scoring offense of any of Vermont’s 30 high school football teams.
Connors and Perry hope to help Vermont capture its fourth straight win in the Shrine Game. New Hampshire still leads in the all-time series, 50-19-2.
Vermont’s trout season now underway
• Vermont’s trout fishing season opened April 11, and the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says anglers can still have fun and be successful early in the season if they keep a few strategies in mind.
“Just like any other time of year, anglers fishing early in the spring should adjust their tactics based on conditions,” said State Fisheries Biologist Shawn Good in a news release. “Trout will become more active with warmer water temperatures. If you can find a good location and present your bait or lure without spooking the trout, you’ll have a good chance of catching a few fish, and enjoy a nice day outside.”
Good said that finding a small to medium low-elevation river or stream that is not too murky from spring runoff can be key. Trout are coldblooded and may be slow to bite especially with cold water temperatures, so it is important that they can also see your bait, lure or fly.
Trout will often hold close to the bottom in the deeper areas of streams during high flow conditions to conserve energy, Good said. Choose locations and tactics that allow you to fish using a slow retrieval right along the bottom. Focus on deep holes behind current breaks created by big boulders, downed trees or log-jams where trout may be resting. If possible, approach the hole from downstream as trout will often orient themselves facing the current.
While Vermont offers excellent and diverse fishing opportunities for wild trout, stocking also occurs in many lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers where wild trout populations are low or absent. This generally happens each year once the ice has melted and following spring runoff. Good said anglers should check vtfishandwildlife.com frequently for updates to the “Trout Stocking” page as the spring progresses.
Super Fun Bike Day is April 18
• The Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department will host its annual Super Fun Bike Day atLiving Memorial Park Saturday, April 18, in cooperation with Brattleboro Kiwanis Club,Brattleboro Fire & EMS, Brattleboro Police Department, Burrows Sports, and CasellaWaste Management. This program will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In the event of rain, this event will be moved into the Nelson Withington Skating Facility.
The Brattleboro Kiwanis Club will have free cycling helmets for those who need them, and there will be other free events, including bike raffles, a bike obstacle course, a tune-up station, bounce houses, popcorn, cotton candy, and hot dogs.
There will also be Touch-a-Truck with Brattleboro Fire & EMS, bike safety talks with Brattleboro Police, and lots of bike-themed swag. This year’s event will also feature a bike performance from Mannie Nogueira. Bring your bikes and enjoy the fun.
For more information, call the Rec. Dept. at 802-254-5808.
Green Street School hosts 14th annual Tulip Trot 5K
• Green Street School’s 14th annual Tulip Trot 5K Race will take place Saturday, May 2 at 10 a.m. This family-friendly event is the school’s most significant yearly fundraiser. The students, staff, and community members surrounding the school eagerly anticipate this event each year.
“The Tulip Trot is not just a race; it’s a celebration of the school community, local families, and healthy living,” organizers said in a news release.
Funds raised during this event are utilized for school-wide and grade-level enrichment programs, field trips, winter sports, and staff appreciation activities. Runners and walkers of all ages are encouraged to participate, with a special kids’ fun run, The Sprout Sprint, held before the main event.
Top finishers in various age categories will be awarded prizes.Participants can pre-register online, or sign up at the event starting at 8 a.m. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/GSSTulipTrot.
Senior bowling roundup
• Week 14 of the winter/spring season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl on April 9 saw Bad Boys (43-27) have a 5-0 week to again take over sole possession of first place. Wayne’s World and Lucky 7 (both 42-29) are now tied for second place, followed by Serious (34.5-35.5), Candy Men and Bowling Stones (both 33-37), Strikers (32-28), Three Strikes (31.5-38.5), Spare Time (31-39), and Slo Movers (30-40).
Debbie Kolpa had the women’s high handicap game (244) and Shirley Aiken had the high handicap series (637). Mike Pavlovich had the men’s high handicap game (253) and Larry McIntosh had the high handicap series (678). Strikers had the high team handicap game (873) and series (2,466).
Warren Corriveau Sr. had the men’s high scratch series (619) with games of 243 and 195, while Kevin Napaver had a 590 series with games of 210 and 194. Rick Westcott had a 537 series with a 210 game, John Walker had a 519 series with games of 193 and 190, Rich Pietro had a 507 series with a 195 game, and Milt Sherman had a 501 series.
Aiken had the women’s high scratch series (457) with a 176 game, and Kolpa had the high scratch game (189). Carol Gloski rolled a 185.
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 news@commonsnews.org.
This Sports column by Randolph T. Holhut was written for The Commons.