Life and Work

Shrine game returns to Dartmouth’s Alumni Field

By Randolph T. Holhut/The Commons

This Saturday is the 59th Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl and, for the first time since 2008, the game is back at Dartmouth College’s Alumni Field.

The annual match-up between the top high school graduates of Vermont and New Hampshire starts at 2:30 p.m. in Hanover, N.H., site of 48 previous Shrine games. Renovations to Alumni Field forced the game to McLeay-Royce Field in Windsor for the past three years.

There’s only one local representative on the Vermont squad this year, Brattleboro wide receiver and kick returner Soren Pelz-Walsh.

Pelz-Walsh, who lives in Dummerston, was a standout wide receiver and team captain for the Colonels in 2011. He was a first-team selection on the Vermont Division I All-Star team as he helped lead the Colonels to a 5-4 record.

A three-sport star, he was also captain of the basketball and baseball teams in the 2011-12 school year. He’ll be going to the University of Vermont this fall.

The Vermont squad is coached by Rutland’s Mike Norman. Mike Beliveau of Souhegan High School leads the New Hampshire team.

New Hampshire leads the all-time series, 43-13-2, and has won the last 11 Shrine games.

Quick exit for Post 5 in Legion tourney

• Brattleboro Post 5 didn’t stay long in the Vermont American Legion Baseball Tournament in Rutland and Castleton.

In the opening game last Thursday, Post 5 lost to Addison County, 8-2. Charlie Stapleford threw a complete-game one-hitter with 11 strikeouts to get the win. Addison County pounded Brattleboro’s pitchers for 16 hits.

The next day, Brattleboro was knocked out of the double-elimination tournament with a 7-5 loss to Lakes Region.

The two best baseball teams in the state, Bennington and Essex, reached the state finals, and it was Essex that prevailed with a 11-10 win on Monday. Essex now advances to the regional tournament at Old Orchard Beach, Maine next weekend.

Softball roundup

As the regular season of the Brattleboro Area Men’s Softball League nears its conclusion, the races for the top spots in the four divisions are getting close at the end of last week’s games.

The Brattleboro Elks (12-4) remain in first place in Division 1, but the Moose (11-5) are only one game back and Fletcher’s Auto (10-5) are not far behind. Sportsmen’s Lounge/Hotel Pharmacy (2-12) trails the field.

Roadhouse Bar & Billiards and In Pursuit 365 are tied atop Division 2 at 10-7, with Zooters/Green Mountain Creamery in third place at 8-8. Westmoreland Auto remains in the basement at 2-15.

In Division 3, Hescock Lawn Care (12-5) remains in first, but three teams — Newton Business, Aerodyne, and GSP Coatings — are all tied for second at 11-6. Marina/DMI (10-7) is two games back in fifth, followed by VFW (9-7) MT3/DJ’s/Goodenough (6-9), W & B Maintenance (5-10) , GS Precision (5-12) and Stark Outdoors (2-14).

Falvey Pools is cruising atop Division 4 with a 16-1 record, while Mocha Joe’s (11-5) is in second. Twin State Auto (10-6) is third, followed by Frankie’s Pizza/McNeill’s Brewery (9-6), Chelsea Royal (7-8), the Firefighters (7-9), Tony Farnum Construction (5-10), UNFI (5-12), and Brattleboro Family Health Care (2-15).

CRVBL roundup

• With two weeks left in the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League’s regular season, the Chester Crush is still in first place with an 11-3 record, but the Claremont Cardinals are just a game back at 10-4.

Claremont kept pace with a 13-4 win over the Saxtons River Pirates on Sunday, while Chester split a doubleheader with the Ludlow Athletics, winning the first game, 8-5, and losing the second game, 3-2.

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