Williston Observer

When the Friday night lights go on in St. Albans this week, it will be 3-1 Champlain Valley Union High against the 3-1 Bobwhites of Bellows Free Academy in a football contest with serious playoff ramifications.

Coach Jim Provost’s Redhawks are coming off a 22-7 win last Saturday at St. Johnsbury Academy, which put some spring back in their steps. CVU had lost an emotional Spirit Day contest to undefeated Essex High the previous Saturday, 33-26.

While Essex went aerial on the Redhawks, BFA has a strong running game complemented by the occasional pass.

Last week, the Bobwhites got clicking in the second half to roll past Colchester High, 41-21. This was after they shellacked South Burlington High the previous week.

BFA’s lone loss was on the road to defending Division 1 champion Hartford High, 33-7.

In leading the Redhawks past St. Johnsbury, junior quarterback Steele DuBrul had another solid offensive afternoon, pounding the ground for 158 yards and two touchdowns. He also passed for another 82 yards.

Halfway through the regular season, DuBrul has racked up 1,181 yards in total offense, with 794 in rushes.

Halfback Patrick Shea made his presence felt by scoring a touchdown.

CVU had the Hilltoppers blanked until the fourth quarter, when St. J scored on an 80-yard kickoff return.

— Mal Boright,
Observer correspondent

CVU girls soccer team back on a winning roll 

With crucial games against talented foes on the immediate horizon, the Champlain Valley Union High girls soccer team has responded to last Wednesday’s first loss of the season with two solid performances.

After being nipped 3-2 in overtime at home by Essex High, the Redhawks scored a 5-0 win at Mount Mansfield Union last Saturday and then bopped Colchester at home Tuesday to hike the season record to 6-1.

Haliana Burhans, Kate Razska. Megan Gannon and Emily Kinneston scored the goals in the Colchester contest as the Redhawks unleashed 19 shots on the Lakers’ cage.

In Saturday’s victory over the Cougars, Burhans tallied twice, while Audrey Morehouse, Bronwen Hopwood and Taylor Goldsborough added singletons.

On Friday, the Redhawks will play host to 5-1-1 South Burlington. CVU travels to 5-1-1 Burlington on Wednesday to meet the Seahorses under the lights at 7 p.m.

Home game Thursday for CVU boys soccer 

The Champlain Valley Union High boys soccer team will perform in the friendly confines of its home field for only the second time this season on Thursday (4:30 p.m.), when Rutland High motors to Hinesburg to make up an Essex Tournament fixture that was postponed by weather.

The homefolks will get to see how well the Redhawks recover from a severe shock, Monday’s 1-0 defeat by Harwood Union in Duxbury, a team CVU zonked 8-1 at home on Sept. 12.

Coach T. J. Mead’s kicksters are 4-1-1 for the campaign, with some recent impressive victories. Last Wednesday, in a game moved to Essex High due to rain Tuesday, the Redhawks unloaded a 2-0 decision on the always-challenging Hornets.

Noah Lieberman and Max Brown found the scoring range in the second half, with assists going to Tucker Shelley and Joe Castano.

The Redhawks visited Mount Mansfield Union (5-1) Friday and handed the Cougars their first loss on a Shelley goal off a direct kick rebound in the second half. Goalie Brandon O’Connell made eight stops in administering the goose egg.

The goal-making machine misfired at Harwood, as the Highlanders registered their third win over CVU since 2010. O’Connell had seven saves, while CVU had eight shots at Harwood netminder Matt Fischer.

Scores tough to find for CVU field hockey team 

“We are having trouble scoring,” said Champlain Valley Union High Field Hockey Coach Kate McDonald Tuesday, after the Redhawks dropped a 1-0 overtime decision to Burlington High on the CVU grass.

The defeat dropped the Redhawks to 3-3-1, with Colchester High coming to the Hawks’ nest on Friday at 4 p.m.

It was a befuddling loss as CVU generally outplayed the visiting Seahorses.

“We dominated,” said McDonald, pointing to a 10-2 advantage in penalty corners and a solid 7-2 edge in shots on goal.

The lone tally came on Burlington’s second shot on goal in the contest just 90 seconds into the overtime period.

It was the fourth blanking for CVU, which still hangs on to a 5-4 advantage over the combined opposition in scoring.

Last Wednesday, the Redhawks dropped a 1-0 decision at Mount Abraham Union, They went to Middlebury Union High on Saturday and came home with a 1-0 triumph, Molly Dunphy scoring the goal with an assist from Emily O’Brien.

— Mal Boright,
Observer correspondent

Movement Center students collected new and used dancewear for Aimee’s Dance Academy in LaPlace, La. The Southern studio and its dancers lost nearly everything in Hurricane Isaac flooding. Students collected 22 pairs of dance shoes, 18 leotards and six pairs of tights.  (Courtesy photos)

“What would Jesus do?” This question flashes on my mental radar screen each time I witness people who call themselves Christians act in a manner I consider inconsistent with the life and teaching of Jesus. Whether spewing words of hate towards gays, forcing the issue of prayer in publicly-funded schools or challenging the science of evolution, I think to myself, “That’s not the Jesus I know.”

I am not a biblical scholar. Raised Roman Catholic, I learned a thing or two about the historical Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. From catechism classes to lecturing in church to teaching Sunday School, stories of Jesus’ life were standard fare in my life. I loved hearing Jesus’ parables about Lazarus, the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. As a child, I strove to emulate the well-behaved, yet underappreciated, son in the latter story. Jesus possessed a wonderful gift for metaphor in his teaching.

Recent outbreaks of violence accompanying the Innocence of Muslims controversy has left me wondering: “What might Muhammad do?” The video, appearing on YouTube, claims to be a trailer for a full-length film. Catching a clip, I noted weak scripting, poor acting and comic-strip quality cinematography in what (I think) is meant to be a satire of the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

What’s the big deal? The big deal is that incensed Muslims consider the clip blasphemous, a piercing attack on their faith. The low-budget trailer depicts the Prophet of Islam as a womanizer and child molester. At last count, this piece of cinematic trash ignited rioting in Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, Yemen, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sudan, Australia and Tunisia.

J. Christopher Stevens, United States Ambassador to Libya, was killed during a Sept. 11 protest at the United States Consulate in Benghazi. As I write this, protests continue. Arrests, injuries and deaths mount. Witnessing events unfold — or rather, unravel — I wonder, who was this person Muhammad?

Muhammad (c. 570 – June 8, 632) was born in Mecca on the Arab Peninsula. Orphaned as a child, he was raised by an uncle who taught him the merchant’s trade. He married and, as was the culture, had multiple wives. Deeply spiritual, Muhammad was known to retreat to caves in the mountains for weeks at a time for prayer and meditation.

It was on one of these retreats, at age 40, that Muhammad received his first revelation. He emerged from the meditative exercise proclaiming that “God is one” and that faithful peoples must defer to the will of God. His message proved controversial—he lived among polytheistic pagans.

Muhammad abandoned his work, setting out on a life of preaching the faith that became Islam. He migrated to Medina in 622. He encountered harsh skepticism and endured persecution for his teachings. His followers grew in number, precipitating tensions with long-established pagan tribes.

Muhammad remained steadfast in proclaiming the faith conveyed to him by presumed Divine intervention. Soldiers of Islam destroyed pagan idols and sought to convert—or vanquish—those they considered infidels.

Does anyone hear echoes of the Christian Crusades? Sadly, more than one act of violence has been committed in the name of religion.

In my view, Jesus and Muhammad were teachers, messengers of new ways of thinking. Some may elevate them to a deity or near-deity. Others believe they were men whose lives on Earth serve as demonstrations of their humanity.

I would hope that if Muhammad were here today, he’d see the film for what it was: a low-rate, low-budget bit of mudslinging. Maybe he’d even find humor in it. Cheap attempts at character assassination are sometimes weakened when ignored.

In some ways, it’s not that different from the inaccurate political ads we are subjected to during election season. Lies and exaggerations are spewed forth like so much black, murky smoke—across parties. Political handlers hope viewers will react without stopping to consider the merits—or lack thereof—of the messages.

Neither Christianity nor Islam possesses pure, lily-white pasts. History characterizes both as victims and aggressors. I hope the current violence is an expression of extremists, loose-cannon fringes of a religion and culture that is more peace-loving than it is hateful.

Muhammad one said, “Conduct yourself in this world as if you are here to stay forever, and yet prepare for eternity as if you are to die tomorrow.”

I bet if Muhammad and Jesus were to meet for coffee in the desert, they would find much more to agree about than to disagree. Why can’t we?

Sources:  www.Theweek.com, www.notablebiographies.com, www.islamicrenaissance.com

This Month’s Featured Database

The Consumer Reports Online database publishes test results and recommendations on appliances, automobiles, electronics, foods, health, home, personal, travel and more. The most current information is available only from the library computers. You can access information more than two months old through the Vermont Online Library from home. You will need to enter your library barcode number and type “Consumer Reports” in search bar.

Youth News

Spanish Stories & Music

Friday, Sept. 28, 10:30 a.m. Spanish rhymes, books, and songs for children (infant to age 6) and parents. Presented by Constancia Gomez. No pre-registration.

Film Screening: “Mother Nature’s Child: Growing Outdoors in the Media Age”

Monday, Oct. 1, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Film followed by Q & A session with Liz Thompson, featured in the film. Refreshments and childcare provided. Pre-register at 878-4918. Sponsored by Williston Green Initiatives and the library.

Food For Thought Library Volunteers

Thursday, Oct. 4, 4 -5 p.m. Grades 7-12 Teen Advisory Group. Community service opportunity. Teens meet for pizza, discussion, book/DVD selection and planning special events for the library. New members welcome!

Story Hour

Tuesdays, 11 a.m. Stories and a craft for children ages 3-5. No pre-registration.

Toddler Yoga & Stories

Fridays, 10:15 a.m. Four-week series, Oct. 5-26. Simple yoga and books for children ages 1-5. Presented by Karen Allen. Pre-register at 878-4918.

Russian Story Time

Saturday, Oct. 6, 10:30 a.m. Stories, songs and crafts for children up to age 5. This program is presented in Russian. English speakers are welcome. Includes puppet show “Kolobok.”  No pre-registration.

Board Games!

Thursday, Oct. 11, 3-3:45 p.m. Ages 9 and up. Snacks included. Pre-register at 878-4918.

Free Early Literacy Workshop

Monday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. Parents of preschoolers learn ways to encourage children to become readers. Refreshments, childcare and a free book. Pre-register at 878-4918. Sponsored by Williston/Richmond Rotary Club and Dorothy Alling Memorial Library.

After School Reading Buddy Program

In this one-on-one reading program, Big Buddies (grades 4-8) read to Little Buddies for 20-30 minutes one day a week. Schedules are arranged on an individual basis. The parent/caregiver can take this time to browse for reading materials and have some quiet time. If you are interested in Big Buddies or Little Buddies, please call Susan Blair at 878-4918.

Adult Programs 

Williston Civil War Cemetery Walking Tour

Saturday, Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. Presented by Williston Historical Society members Ginger Isham and Terry Macaig. Please gather at the East Cemetery located on Route 2. Call the library at 878-4918 to register. Free and open to all ages.

Shape and Share Life Stories

Monday, Oct. 15 and 29 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Prompts trigger real-life experience stories, which are crafted into engaging narratives and shared with the group. Led by Recille Hamrell.

Alfred Hitchcock and the Art of Suspense

Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Film expert Rick Winston will discuss the evolution of Hitchcock’s craft, exploring his favorite themes, relationship with collaborators, and wry sense of humor, no matter how grisly the subject. Free and open to all.

Brown Bag Book Club 

Friday, Oct. 19 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Looking to meet others who love to discuss books? This month we will discuss “The Red Badge of Courage,” by Stephen Crane. Coffee, tea, juice and dessert provided.

The Dorothy Alling Memorial Library is located at 21 Library Lane in Williston, and can be reached at 878-4918. www.williston.lib.vt.us