Williston Observer

Aug. 21, 2008

The following bus routes have changed. Changes are in bold. Classes start on Wednesday, Aug. 27 for students in kindergarten through grade nine.

Buses stop at both Allen Brook School (by 7:55 a.m.) and Williston Central School (by 8:10 a.m.). They will begin their afternoon routes about 3 p.m.

* Indicates the driver reverses or alters the route at the end of the day (last road listed may be the first drop off). For bussing questions, e-mail [email protected] Include your child's name and grade.

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Field hockey

Thursday, Aug. 28: Mount Abraham, 4 p.m.

Football

Saturday, Aug. 23: Rice Memorial High (scrimmage), 10 a.m.

Boys soccer

Thursday, Aug. 28: at Burlington High School, 4:30 p.m.

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Aug. 21, 2008

Armadillo ace Bill Supple pitched seven shutout innings and left the game after eight innings with a 9-1 lead as the 10-3 Armadillos bettered the 9-5 Killington Saints by the score of 9-4 in Sunday’s Vermont Senior Baseball League game.

“Supple threw as well today as he has all year,” said Billy “Vegas” Daw. “The last batter he faced in the bottom of the eighth struck out on a ball in the dirt. That tells you how well his breaking ball was working.”

Reliever Greg Bolger pitched the ninth inning, giving up three unearned runs on two hits and one walk.

The Armadillos collected 14 hits and were led by catcher Bambino Fitzgerald (3-4, 2B 2 runs, RBI), outfielder Daw (2-4, 2 runs 2 RBIs), second baseman Darby Crum (2-4, 2B, run, RBI) and third baseman Pookie Martin (2-4, run).

Killington was limited to seven hits and one earned run.

The game was a scoreless pitchers’ duel through the first four innings, with just two Armadillos and three Saints reaching base. In the bottom of the fifth, Crum and the Bambino both singled to put men at first and second with one out. When left fielder Dan Van Der Vliett singled, Crum tried to score but was thrown out at home on a perfect throw from the Saints’ left fielder. Undaunted, first baseman Dennis Johnson (1-4, 2B, 1 run, 3 RBIs) followed with a line drive to the gap in right center, scoring both runners to break the scoring logjam. Daw followed with a single to score Johnson and Danis tripled to bring in Daw, giving the Dillos a 4-0 lead.

The Dillos scored five more runs in the sixth as they sent 11 men to the plate. After shortstop Greg Bolger (1-3, 2B, BB, run) walked and Martin singled, Crum doubled off the fence in left center, scoring Bolger. The Bambino and right fielder Roberto Seals (1-4, run, RBI) both singled, bringing home Martin and Crum. Johnson’s grounder to second brought in the Bambino and Daw singled in Seals, as he collected his second single and second RBI in as many innings.

The Saints got on the board in the bottom of the eighth on a walk and two singles. In the ninth, Bolger relieved Supple, but it quickly became evident that he had hurt his arm on a relay throw in the prior inning. After the leadoff hitter reached on Crum’s error at shortstop, the following two batters singled and walked, respectively, to load the bases. Manager Johnson tried to bring Supple back in, but Killington argued that the league rules required Supple to sit out one inning before he could return to the mound. Rather than risk an appeal, Bolger stayed in, and after a sacrifice fly and a single scored the three runners, Daw, who was then playing second, tracked down a grounder in the hole between second and first and dove to grab a hard grounder up the middle for the last two outs.

On Sunday, Aug. 24, the Dillos are at home against 4-8 Mad River Valley, the team which gave the Dillos their only loss last year. Game time is noon.

League standings and individual team statistics are online at www.scorebook.com (click “Search,” then “Vermont,” then “Vermont Senior Baseball League”).

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Aug. 21, 2008
By Mal Boright
Observer correspondent

“We have been emphasizing cardiovascular (conditioning), so some of the kids are a bit sore,” said Champlain Valley Union High girls soccer coach Brad Parker during a Monday night telephone call.

Parker has been working with 43 candidates at the varsity level. There are another 40 freshman and junior varsity aspirants.

“We have big numbers this year and that includes a lot of freshmen,” said the veteran coach.

The schedule opens Tuesday, Sept. 2 at Rice Memorial High. The first home game is scheduled for Sept. 4, when South Burlington blows into the Redhawks’ nest.

Parker has to replace 13 players, 12 of those lost by graduation.

Thus far, Parker has reason for optimism.

The coach got his first look at his 2008 edition under game conditions last weekend in a four-way scrimmage at Essex against the Essex High Hornets, Hartford High and Rutland High.

“We did pretty well,” said Parker.

CVU won one and tied two in the shortened scrimmage games.

“It was also nice to get on a dry field,” he added.

The rain and thunderstorms of the past week and a half have made “squish” a common noise on the soaked practice fields.

“Last week we had one session in the gym,” Parker said.

Impending thunderstorms forced all practice teams indoors.

The coach is hoping to line up another scrimmage before the season opener, which follows Labor Day weekend. The Redhawks in recent years have participated in a pre-season jamboree in New Hampshire, but it has been cancelled.

Parker was hoping to have his final varsity roster set by the end of this week, adding that he wanted to give the kids plenty of time to try out.

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Aug. 21, 2008

Back to school

Get ready, kids, because the carefree days of summer are nearly finished.
School starts next week. Kindergarten through eighth grade students in the Williston School District, as well as freshmen at Champlain Valley Union High School, return to class on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Students in grades 10 through 12 at CVU start on Thursday, Aug. 28.

Changes of note

As the 2008-2009 school year begins next week, both upper and lower houses within the Williston School District are experiencing changes due to the new classroom configurations.
As reported earlier by the Observer, Verve and Phoenix upper houses have been disbanded and the new Harbor House has been created. Journey House  at Williston Central School has changed its name to Pinnacle House and has added two teachers and expanded to six classes.
Also, the Williston School District is instituting full-day kindergarten this school year for the first time.
The school day has been extended as well, after the district split from the Champlain Valley Union High School bus system. Allen Brook School will start at 7:55 a.m. and end at 2:35 a.m. Williston Central will start at 8:10 a.m. and end at 2:55 a.m.

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