-When the spring high school baseball season started in early April, Bellows Falls head baseball coach was unsure about his team’s chances. With only two seniors and lots of sophomores, he said his team “had a lot of learning to do.”
Ten weeks later, the Terriers showed they learned well, winning the Southern Vermont League B Division championship, earning the No. 2 seed in the Division III tournament and grinding their way through playoff wins against Fair Haven and Woodstock to get to the championship game.
It’s a great story, but unfortunately, there was no happy ending for BF in the final against the top-seeded and undefeated Thetford Academy Panthers on June 13 at UVM’s Centennial Field. The Terriers fell behind early and gave up four runs to Thetford in the third inning and three runs in the fifth inning on the way to an 8-0 loss. It was Thetford’s third state title in four years.
BF had more errors (four) than hits (three) in the loss. Steven Joslyn, Jacob Kissell, and Jackson Fletcher got the only hits of the game for the Terriers. Joslyn was the starting pitcher and took the loss, giving up four hits and five runs with four walks and three strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Jaden Bazin finished up the game, allowing three runs on two hits, with five walks and four strikeouts.
To get to the title game, the Terriers had to rally to beat the third-seeded Woodstock Wasps, 9-5, in a June 10 semifinal game at Hadley Field. Bazin was the hero of that game, with a go-ahead three run double in the sixth inning and a three-inning relief stint on the mound to get the win. Bazin also had a two-run triple in the third inning.
Joselyn was also the starting pitcher against the Wasps. While he didn’t get the decision, he had a good day at the plate as he drove in two runs and scored another in going 3-for-4. Brockton Lovell and Peyton Haskins each scored two runs. Kissell relieved Bazin with two outs in the seventh and got the final out to clinch the win.
The Terriers finished with a 13-4 record in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. With just two graduated seniors, Jakeb Tostrup and Declan Lisai, BF should have a strong core of returning players for the 2027 season.
Bears laxmen fall in semifinals
• The Brattleboro Bears boys’ lacrosse team had a story similar to BF baseball — lots of young players. First-year coach Romello Lindsey elected to have a single varsity roster where ninth- and 10th-graders had a chance to learn from the juniors and seniors. The result for the Bears was a strong regular season, the No. 5 seed in Division II, and playoff wins against Burlington and Montpelier to reach the semifinals.
And, like BF baseball, the Bears had to take on the top seed and defending champion in their division, the Harwood Highlanders. Harwood defeated Brattleboro, 14-2, in a semifinal on June 10 in Duxbury.
The outcome wasn’t a shock. Harwood had outscored its opponents by an average of 13-3 and no team had scored more than five goals against the Highlanders all season. They also had a balanced scoring attack, with 12 different players getting a goal or an assist against the Bears. Brattleboro got a goal from Gabe Alexander in the first half and from Jackson Patno later in the final quarter.
The Bears ended the season with an 11-6 record. Graduating are midfielders Alexander, Carter Mialowski, Gregory Patno, and John Harrison, attackers Axel Gelter and JT Easton, defender Lucas Speno, and long stick midfielder Jermall McCalla. Expected to return for next season is a seasoned corps of younger players who appear ready to step up and keep the program moving forward.
Terriers, Rebels fall in softball semis
• Second-seeded Bellows Falls struggled against the No. 3 Lake Region Rangers and lost 9-5 in a Division III softball semifinal in Westminster on June 9.
The Terriers had eight hits, but four of them came in the seventh inning when they scored three runs to make the final result more respectable. Delaney Stoodley and Grace Hayes each scored two runs. Jaelyn Fletcher drove in two runs and sophomore Brielle Mulverhill scored a run.
Mulverhill and Stoodley shared the pitching duties. Mulverhill started and gave up two hits and eight runs while walking five and striking out seven in five innings. Stoodley allowed one hit and gave up one run with two walks and four strikeouts in two innings of relief.
BF finished with an 11-5 record, and while the Terriers did not make it to the finals, Bellows Falls head coach Don Laurendeau said after the game that the team achieved both of its goals this season — to finish in the top half of the the Southern Vermont League and host a playoff game. The Terriers finished second in the SVL’s B division, and got the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
While the Terriers lose Fletcher, Aly Streeter, and Cadence James to graduation, they are expected to have most of this year’s team back in 2027 and keep building upon the recent success of the softball program. “We plan on just coming right back and doing the same thing next year, maybe getting over that hump and getting to Castleton [for the state title game],” Laurendeau said.
• The No. 3 Leland & Gray softball team lost to the No. 2 Blue Mountain Bucks, 9-0, in the Division IV semifinals in Newbury on June 9, ending the Rebels’ bid to make a trip to the state championship game for the second straight year.
There was no big inning that did in the Rebels, just a steady drip of runs. The Bucks scored two runs in the second, third, and fourth innings, and three runs in the fifth. Annabelle Brookes went 2 for 3 with a double, and McKinley Bertram had a base hit. That was it for the Rebels’ offense. The Bucks had nine hits. They were led by Ava Kingsbury, who went 3 for 4 with a double; Lily Roy and Kaylee Hamlett both went 2 for 4.
The Rebels finished with a 12-4 record and will lose Brookes, Kyleigh Corriveau, and Molly Bingham to graduation,. The rest of the roster should be back to try to make another run deep into the playoffs in 2027.
Local golfers lock up spots in Vermont Amateur
• The first of four men’s Vermont Amateur golf championship qualifiers took place June 8 at Brattleboro Country Club.
The qualifier medalist was Brattleboro CC’s Stephen Goodridge, shooting a 2-under par 69, with five birdies. Mount Snow’s Michael Kondracki, Brattleboro’s Jason Morrissey and Brattleboro’s Ryan Kohler all shot 2-over to advance to the tournament.
Four other Brattleboro CC golfers qualified as Aidan Davis and Benjamin Zaranek shot 4-over, John Peloso shot 5-over, and Andrew Loney shot 6-over. The Vermont Amateur is set for July 7 to 9 at Ekwanok Country Club in Manchester.
BUHS Boosters host golf tourney
• The Brattleboro Union High School Athletic Booster Club invites alumni, friends, and supporters to participate in the 23rd annual BUHS Alumni Golf Tournament Saturday, June 20, at Brattleboro Country Club.
The tournament will feature a 1 p.m. shotgun start at Brattleboro Country Club, followed by a buffet dinner. Participants will have the opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni, celebrate their shared BUHS experience, and support the next generation of athletes.
“Each year, this tournament serves as a wonderful reunion for BUHS alumni while helping provide valuable support for our athletic programs,” said Booster Club member Cory Frehsee in a news release. “We look forward to welcoming returning golfers and first-time participants alike for another memorable day on the course.”
There’s still time for golfers interested in participating to reserve their spot. Contact the Brattleboro Country Club Pro Shop at 802-257-7380 or email [email protected].
Living Memorial Park pool opens June 20
• The Living Memorial Park Pool and Rotary Water Playground opens for the season Saturday, June 20, at 1 p.m.
Daily usage fees for Brattleboro residents are $2 for students, $3 for adults, and $1 for children under 5. For non-residents, the fees are $3 for students, $4 for adults, and $1 for children under 5.
The Daily Pool and Rotary Water Playground Schedule is as follows:
• Swim Lessons will take place Monday–Friday, 9 to 11:15 a.m.
• General Swim will be Monday–Friday, 1 to 4 p.m., and Sunday–Saturday 1 to 6:30 p.m.
• Swim Team and Parent/Tot swim will be Monday–Friday, 4 to 6 p.m. Family Swim and Teens will be Monday–Friday, 6 to 8 p.m.
• The lap lane is open and available during general swim and family/teen swim hours. The pool also offers free lap lane swimming for senior citizens Monday—Friday, 11 to 11:30 a.m., beginning June 29.
The schedule is subject to change due to weather and Brattleboro Swim Team home meets. For information, call the Recreation & Parks Department office at 802-254-5808, and follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
Senior bowling roundup
• Week 6 of the spring/summer season of the Brattleboro Senior Bowling League at Brattleboro Bowl on June 1 saw Queen ’n’ Jokers (22-8) have a 5-0 week to take over first place. Skippers (20-10) moved into second place, followed by Slo Movers (19-11), Number 1, Pin Heads, and Strike Force (all 17-13), The House (15-15), Near Miss (14-16), Ducks (8-22), and Team Two (1-29).
Mary Piluski had the women’s high handicap game (244), while Nancy Dalzell had the high handicap series (451). Skip Shine had the men’s high handicap game (249) and series (675). Near Miss had the high team handicap game (865) and Pin Heads had the high handicap series (2,495).
Kevin Napaver had the men’s high scratch series (628) with games of 218, 217, and 193, while Robert Rigby had a 600 series with games of 235 and 194. Rich Pietro had a 559 series with a 210 game, John Walker had a 539 series with a 202 game, and Warren Corriveau Sr. had a 521 series with a 208 game. Stan Kolpa had a 514 series with a 205 game, Rick Westcott had a 505 series, Gary Montgomery had a 501 series with a 202 game, and Shine rolled a 205.
Dalzell had the women’s high scratch series (451) and game (166). Carol Gloski had a 156 game, Darlene Ladabouche had a 152 game, and Debbie Kolpa rolled a 150.
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.