Williston Observer

July 23, 2009

The Williston Armadillos squared off against the Colchester Lakers on Sunday in a game that saw the lead change hands four times, but ultimately end up in Colchester’s favor, 12-11, in 10 innings. Though the game lasted more than three hours, it was fast paced, as there were only two innings in which one of the teams did not push across a run.

“Both teams refused to quit, and kept coming back on the other. If it had gone another inning, we felt we would have taken the lead,” said Armadillo Pete Picard (3-5, 2B, 1 run, 1 RBI).

Besides Picard, other Dillo offensive stars were outfielder “Vegas” Daw (2-2, 2 BB, 1 run), pitcher Greg Bolger (2-4, 1 run, 2 RBI), infielder Brent Tremblay (2-4, 2B, BB, 2 runs), first baseman Jess Stein (2-5, 2 RBI) and pitcher Bill Supple (2-5, 2B, 1 RBI).

The parity of the game was demonstrated by the fact that the Dillos collected 17 hits to Colchester’s 18, and the Dillos left 14 men on base to Colchester’s 11.

“Both Bolger and Supple threw well. Colchester is a good hitting team,” said Dillos third baseman Pookie Martin (1-5, 2B, 1 RBI, 2 runs).

On the mound, Bolger started and went five innings, giving up seven runs, only three of which were earned, while walking three and striking out two. Supple threw the last five innings, taking the loss to lower his record to 7-1, giving up eight hits and five earned runs, walking three and striking out three.

While Colchester scored one in the first on two singles and a ground out, Williston answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame. Center fielder Ray Danis (1-4, BB, 3 runs) reached on a two-base throwing error and scored on Bolger’s single. After Martin singled, Picard plated both runners with a double, who in turn scored on Tremblay’s single.

The teams traded runs in the third, Colchester’s on a walk and two errors and the Armadillos’ on a single by Daw, Danis’ fielder’s choice and Supple’s double, which brought home Danis.

Colchester took a 7-5 lead in the fourth as they scored five runs, only two of which were earned as the Dillos committed two more errors and Colchester racked up another five hits.

Williston answered again in the bottom of the frame, tying the game with two runs as Picard singled, Tremblay walked, shortstop Reid Crosby (1-3, sac, BB) moved the runners forward with a bunt and Stein singled both home.

The Dillos built the lead to 7-5 in the fifth by scoring two more runs. Daw, Danis and Supple singled, the latter scoring Daw. Bolger’s fielder’s choice then brought home Danis.

Colchester scored three in the seventh on a bases loaded triple to take a one run lead, but the Dillos tied it in the eighth as Martin reached on a two base throwing error and scored on Picard’s single. The scored remained knotted until the 10th, when Colchester collected a single, a triple and another single to take a two run lead.

Still, the Dillos refused to fold. After the first two batters were out in the bottom of the frame, Tremblay doubled, went to third on a Crosby single and scored on Stein’s single. Though the tying run was on second, the Dillos were unable to bring him in, as Dann van Der Vliet (0-3, 2 BB) grounded to the pitcher for the third out.

Next week the Dillos are off, but will return to action on Aug. 2, at Williston Central School against the Jericho Indians.

League standings and individual and team statistics are online at www.scorebook.com. Enter “Vermont Senior Baseball League” under league name search.

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July 23, 2009

CVU softball player earns All-Metro honor

Junior Emily Himberg, catcher for the Champlain Valley Union High softball team, was accorded Metro Division All-League team honorable mention by the division’s coaches.

Two former CVU soccer stars in Twin State action

Vermont’s boys won and the girls bowed last Saturday in the Twin State Soccer Cup games between graduated seniors from the Green Mountain State and New Hampshire at Rindge, N.H.

The Vermont boys team, which included Champlain Valley Union High’s Matt Sulva, whipped New Hampshire’s stars 3-1 and cut the Granite State’s overall lead in the series to 15-8-4. Ethan Martin and Rob Cole, both from South Burlington High, had goals for Vermont.

Asia Sienko, captain of last fall’s CVU girls team, was a member of the Vermont squad. The Green Mountain State team lost to New Hampshire, 4-2, despite a pair of scores by Natalie LeClair of Essex High. New Hampshire hiked its series advantage to 16-7-4.

Four CVU baseball players draw league honors

A senior, two juniors and a freshman from the 2009 Champlain Valley Union High baseball team have gained all-league mention by the Metro Division coaches.

Infielder Drew Nick, the freshman, and junior outfielder Collin Teator were named to the All-Metro second team.

Honorable mentions went to senior catcher and co-captain Joe Myers, along with pitcher and infielder Andrew Leckerling, a junior.

Sean Rugg of Rice Memorial High and a member of the S.D. Ireland American Legion team, which features local players, was an infielder on the second All-Metro team.

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July 23, 2009

By Ben Portnoy

Observer correspondent

Williston skateboarder Connor Ose is headed to the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals for the second time in two years.

Ose won first place in the skate park competition on July 12 at the Free Flow Tour’s stop at Rye Airfield in Rye, N.H. According to a press release from the tour, 16-year-old Ose won during the final jam session after successfully executing a backside 360, or a 360 degree spin through the air, and a big spin frontboard, which is a kickflip into a rail grind.

The win earned Ose a trip to the tour finals, scheduled for Sept. 17-20 in Salt Lake City. Ose will join friend and fellow Williston skater Chris Colbourn, who qualified for the finals by winning the skate park competition at the tour’s first stop in Burlington in May.

“Salt Lake City is going to be fun,” Ose said in the press release. “I’m psyched I get to go with some of my best friends. I can’t wait.”

The Gatorade Free Flow Tour is the Official Amateur Series of the Dew Tour. Operated by Alli, the Alliance of Action Sports, the Dew Tour was established in 2005 as a season-long action sports tour. For the past five years, the Free Flow Tour has searched the country for the best young talent by giving amateur skaters and BMX riders under 18 a chance to compete in park and vertical ramp competitions across the United States.

Winners of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals advance to the Dew Tour Finals, where they compete against pros.

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July 23, 2009

Fourteen Williston baseball players are participating on three Babe Ruth All-Star teams this summer. The players are members of Suburban teams, made up of players from Charlotte, Shelburne, Williston and Winooski.

The 13-year-old Suburban team overcame a tough first game loss and rattled off five straight wins to win the District II Championship last week. The team will move on to the State Tournament, which starts July 24 in Montpelier.

Erik Bergkvist, Davis Mikell, Jamie Pierson, Ryan Schneiderman, Hayden Smith and Connor Stankevich represent Williston on the team, with Andy Dattilio serving as an assistant coach.

After losing the opener to Champlain Valley, 7-6 in nine innings, Suburban rebounded by beating Burlington 16-2, South Burlington 7-0 and Champlain Valley 16-5 in a rematch.

Those victories set up the championship match against Colchester. Since Colchester was undefeated, Suburban needed to win twice.

In a back and forth first game, Suburban was leading 4-3 in the seventh inning before pushing across four runs, led by RBI singles by Schneiderman and Smith, to secure a 8-4 win. Mikell and Pierce Farrington were excellent on the hill to keep Colchester in check.

In the second game, Colchester jumped out to leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before Suburban exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Singles by Farrington, Corey Hemingway, Bergkvist and Jacob Bray led to the first five runs before Mikell provided the big blow — a double to drive in two.

Bergkvist, Mikell and Farrington shut down Colchester with 6 1/3 innings of relief pitching, allowing only three hits and two unearned runs to wrap up a 10-5 victory and the District title. Stankevich finished the championship game with three RBIs, while Mikell went 2-2 with two doubles, two walks, and two RBIs.

Two and out for 14-year-old team


The 14-year-old Suburban team was bounced from the State Tournament last weekend, losing to Brattleboro and Franklin County.

Williston players on the team included Connor Brown, Joe Chevalier, Kirk Fontana, Alex Henning, Tucker Kohlasch, Dillon Ritchie and Cale Whitcomb. Eric Fontana served as a coach.

In the Sunday game, due to errors and Franklin County’s timely hitting, Suburban fell behind 7-2 after two innings. Suburban chipped away with scattered base hits and aggressive base running, closing the score to 7-4 going into the bottom of the seventh. Needing three runs to tie, Suburban scored two. The 7-6 loss eliminated Suburban from the tournament.

On the mound, Chevalier held Franklin County scoreless for the last three innings to give Suburban a chance to rally. Kohlasch went 4-for-4 at the plate and stole five bases.

As a testimony to the players, Tournament Director Sue Tesky complimented them on their spirit and sportsmanship on the field and their courtesy and helpfulness off of it. She singled them out as one of the top two or three teams she’s seen during her 15 years.

Benevento on mound for 13- to 15-year-old stars

Calvin Benevento was Williston’s lone player on the 13- to 15-year-old Suburban All-Star team. Mike Benevento was a coach.

Champlain Valley topped Suburban in the opener, 6-3. Facing elimination, Suburban beat Burlington 12-0 and crushed South Burlington 21-1. Champlain Valley won the District Tournament, however, beating Suburban 7-3 in the championship game.

Calvin Benevento was the tournament’s pitching star, allowing no earned runs in almost nine innings. Batters hit only .188 off him. He was particularly impressive against the Champlain Valley team; Champlain Valley scored 36 runs in 9 1/3 innings against other pitchers, but managed only two unearned runs in almost eight innings against Benevento.

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July 23, 2009

An undefeated senior season for the Champlain Valley Union High Division 1 girls tennis champions has led to a June Girls Athlete-of-the Month nomination for Cassie Smith.

One of 10 nominees for the Vermont Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association honor, Smith led the Redhawks to the Division 1 crown, their second in three years, after capturing the division’s individual title. The CVU star was undefeated in Vermont competition the last two seasons.

Other nominees include softball pitcher Stephanie Frank and track and field star Mary Krug of Essex High, along with Burlington High’s Maggie DeMasi of hockey’s Make-A-Wish contest.

Also nominated are Jasmin Braman and Morgan Tullar of Chelsea High lacrosse, Poultney High golfer Kristen Garabedian, Rutland High golfer Keeley Levins, South Royalton High track star Rosalie Phillip and Rutland High lacrosse player Hannah Wright.

The winner will be determined by a vote of VSSA members.

— Mal Boright, Observer correspondent

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