Vermont Sports Special

Monday, June 30th, 2008

The Sanford Mainers pounded out eleven hits and took advantage of four Vermont Mountaineers errors on Monday night, whipping the Mountaineers 10-3 at Montpelier's Recreation Field. The Mainers blew open a close game with four runs in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh. Center fielder Kevin Nieto led the Mountaineers with three hits including his second homerun of the season, but Vermont saw their record slip to 9-8 on the season.

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

Massachusetts golfer Jim Renner is running away with the Vermont Open. Renner fired his second straight eight under par 62 on Tuesday and now has a twelve shot lead in the event at the Lake Morey Country Club in Fairlee.

Monday, June 9th, 2008

Massachusetts golfer Jim Renner has the lead after blasting the course with a eight under par 62 after the opening round of the Vermont Open Golf Championship in Fairlee. Nineteen players broke par on the redhot opening day at the Lake Morey Country Club. Among those was former multi-time state amateur champion Dustin Cone, who fired a 69. Defending champion Trevor Murphy is eight shots off the lead after opening with an even par 70.

Sunday, May 25th, 2008

The Top Finishers in the 2008 Vermont City Marathon

Men’s Open

1. Matt Pelletier, 28, Warwick, R.I., 2:20:43

2. Michael Wardian, 34, Arlington, Va., 2:23:20

3. Hilary Lelei, 29, Las Cruces, N.M., 2:24:27

4. Nathan Brigham, 25, Washington, D.C., 2:29:09

5. Jon French, 24, Gouverneur, N.Y., 2:30:53

6. Shaun Evans, 30, Middle Grove, N.Y., 2:31:42

7. Chuck Terry, 25, Albany, N.Y., 2:32:23

8. Drew Best, 26, Northampton, Mass., 2:34:03

9. Mark Stickley, 45, Winchester, Va., 2:34:17

10. Daniel Barkhuff, 29, Colchester, 2:35:30

Women’s Open 1. Caroline Chemwolo, 29, Las Cruces, N.M., 2:47:38 2. Atalelech Asfaw, 25, Bronx, N.Y., 2:47:46 3. Heidi Westerling, 27, Acworth, N.H., 2:51:04 4. Tracy Joslin, 34, Waitsfield, 2:51:42 5. Nathalie Goyer, 40, St. Bruno, Quebec, 2:52:05 6. Michaela Thompson, 28, East Greenwich, R.I., 2:56:39 7. Kristin White, 36, Manlius, N.Y., 2:58:14 8. Bridget McCarthy, 28, E. Elmhurst, N.Y., 2:59:32 9. Conni Grace, 45, Hopewell Junction, N.Y., 2:59:50 10. Sumner Fletcher, 22, Uxbridge, Mass., 3:00:39

Saturday, January 19th, 2008

After a three month layoff and without their number one quarterback, the Vermont Ice Storm saw their perfect season come up eight points short on Saturday, falling to the Detroit Black Ravens 22-14 in the USA Bowl in Hollywood, Florida. The Empire Eight regular season and playoff champions gave it a good effort. Down 16-0 at the half Vermont fought back on a pair of third quarter touchdown passes by backup quarterback Matt Paul, filling in for regular QB Brad Rudderman who stayed in Vermont to be with his wife for the birth of their baby. Paul hit former Essex Hornet Austin Partain for one TD and then hooked up with Zack Howe for another as Vermont cut the Detroit lead to 16-14. But the Black Ravens added a fourth quarter score to seal the win. Vermont ends their season at 15-1.

Sunday, December 30th, 2007

It turned out to be a painful frustrating false alarm for Vermont native David Ball.  The former Spaulding High star DID NOT dress for Sunday's NFL game between the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs. Ball signed a one year contract with the Jets on Saturday and was on the 53 man roster, but when game time arrived he was one of six players listed as "inactive" for the game. He does have a contract, but he'll have to wait for next year in hopes of making his NFL debut. 

Saturday, December 29th, 2007

Sunday may finally be the day for former Spaulding high and University of New Hampshire star David Ball. Ball has been activated by the New York Jets and hopes to play in their season finale against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The Jets also signed the Orange, Vermont resident to a one year contract.

 Thursday, November 29th, 2007

David Ball is back in the NFL ... well sort of anyway. The former Spaulding High and UNH star has been signed to the practice squad of the New York Jets. Ball spent training camp with the Chicago Bears and was on their practice squad for the first few weeks of the season but never got into a game before being cut a month and a half ago.

Sunday, October 14th, 2007

The Vermont Ice Storm are the Empire Football League's 2007 Champions. The Storm won a defensive struggle on Saturday night, topping the Watertown Red and Black 9-8 at Colchester High School. The Storm carried a 3-0 lead into the fourth quarter, only to see the Red and Black take advantage of a fumbled punt, scoring a late touchdown to grab a 6-3 lead. Facing their first loss of the season, the Storm responded with a final drive, and with four seconds remaining quarterback Brad Ruderman hit Rob Joy with a four yard touchdown pass to give them the win. Now 15-0 on the season, the Storm will await word on a possible national tournament bid.

Sunday, October 7th, 2007

The Vermont Ice Storm has advanced to the Empire Football League championship game. The Storm got three touchdown passes from Brad Ruderman on Saturday night, topping the Chateauguay Titans 31-19 at Colchester High School.  The 14-0 Storm, ranked in the top ten in the country among semi-pro football clubs, will host the Watertown Red and Black next weekend in the league title game.

Sunday, September 16th, 2007

The Vermont Ice Storm completed an undefeated regular season on Saturday night. Vermont rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Chateauguay Titans 10-3 at Colchester High School. Evan Hicks tied the game with a 37 yard field goal and Jason Young's 1 yard run late in the fourth quarter gave the Storm the win and with it home field throughout the Empire Football League playoffs.

Sunday, September 2nd, 2007

A set back but not a disaster on Saturday for Vermonter David Ball. The former Spaulding High and UNH wide receiver was cut in the final round of cuts by the Chicago Bears. But he still appears destined to be with an NFL team this season. Ball will find out this morning if he has been claimed by another NFL club, and if he is not he expects to be named to the Bears practice squad, meaning he'll stay with the club with the chance of being activated later in the season.

Saturday, August 25th, 2007

The Vermont Ice Storm remained unbeaten on Saturday night, rallying from an early two touchdown deficit to beat the Amsterdam Zephers 21-13.

 Saturday, August 18th, 2007

Vermont got to host, but they didn't get to stay around along. That was the story of the American Legion Northeast Regional baseball tournament at Centennial Field. Both Vermont representatives were eliminated on Friday. State Champion South Burlington was knocked out of the double elimination event by Brocton, Massachusetts 4-3 in ten innings, while the Green Mountain State's second place team, the OEC Kings, serving as the host team, were beaten twice, falling to Warwick, Rhode Island 9-7 and to Manchester, New Hampshire 7-4.

Friday, August 17th, 2007

Casey Harman tossed a four hitter striking out eleven, but it was not good enough, as the South Burlington Knights dropped a 4-0 decision to Branford, Connecticut on Thursday in their opening game in the Northeast Regional American Legion Baseball Tournament at Centennial Field. SB now must beat Brocton, Massachusetts on Friday in a losers bracket game to stay alive in the double elimination event. Vermont's other entry in the event, the OEC Kings saw their game suspended by rain the first inning on Thursday night. The game will continue later this morning.

(Sunday, August 12th, 2007)

The South Burlington Knights are the 2007 Vermont American Legion baseball champions. The Knights completed a two game series sweep on Saturday, beating the OEC Kings 7-4. Both clubs will represent Vermont at the Northeast Regional Legion Tournament which Vermont will host next weekend at Centennial Field.

Meanwhile the Vermont Ice Storm and the Vermont Voltage both picked up Saturday night wins.

The Ice Storm intercepted five passes and got a pair of TD tosses from quarterback Brad Ruderman in a 28-7 Empire Football League win over Ottawa at Colchester High School.

The Voltage got balanced scoring in a 4-0 win over FC Lake Shore of Quebec at the Perley Collins Complex in St. Albans.

(Saturday, August 11th, 2007)

Casey Harman struck out sixteen hitters Friday evening as The South Burlington American Legion baseball team took a one game to none lead in the Vermont State Championship series with a 2-0 win over the OEC Kings.

(Friday, August 10th, 2007)

Defending champion Molly Aronsson shot a final day 74 to take her second straight Vermont Women's Amateur Golf championship on Thursday at the Enosburg Falls Country Club. Veteran Reggie Parker ballooned to an 82 on the final day to finish six shots off the pace.

(Thursday, August 9th, 2007)

Veteran Reggie Parker has the lead heading into today's final day of Vermont Women's Amateur golf championships at the Enosburg Falls Country Club. Parker fired a 73 on Wednesday, giving here a two day total of 145 and a two shot lead over defending champion Molly Aronsson. Aronsson matched her 73 to take over possession of second place, ahead of Barre's Kim Wong who slipped to an 82 yesterday, and heads into the final day third, nine shots off the lead.

(Wednesday, August 8th, 2007

A youngster and a veteran share the lead after the opening round of the Vermont Amateur Golf Championship at the Enosburg Falls Country Club. U-32 grad Kim Wong, playing out of the Country Club of Barre, and 60 year old Reggie Parker of Ekwanok both fired even par 72's on the opening day of the 54 hole event. They lead defending champion Molly Aronsson of Burlington by two shots.

Monday, August 6th, 2007

South Burlington and the OEC Kings have advanced to the Vermont American Legion Baseball championship series. SB completed a three game sweep of their regional on Sunday, blasting Rutland 12-2. Casey Harman homered twice and Josh Danis added a grand slam for the winners. OEC jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead and went on to eliminate SD Ireland 6-2. The championship series comes up this weekend at Alumni field in South Royalton. Both teams are also guaranteed spots in the Northeast Regional Legion tournament which Vermont will host at Centennial Field later this month.

Sunday, August 5th, 2007

Every year it is a different path to the same result, only some years the path is more painful. That is the story for Vermont at the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl Football Game. Saturday in Hanover, New Hampshire the New Hampshire All Stars picked off a pass with 15 seconds remaining and turned it into the game winning field goal as time expired, beating the Vermont All Stars 23-20. The ending ruined a great comeback effort for Vermont, which rallied from a 20-6 halftime deficit and appeared in line for at worst a tie, but instead the game ended in the Granite State's seventh straight victory. Vermont scored on a 15 yard first half touchdown pass from Rutland's Sam Reynolds to U-32's Marcus Hass, a one yard run by Otter Valley quarterback Corey Robinson, and a 15 yard TD pass from Robinson to Burlington's Andrew Plumley.  But it was not enough.

Meanwhile the matchups are set in the Vermont American Legion baseball district finals later today. It will be top seeded South Burlington meeting Rutland in one matchup, while SD Ireland goes against the OEC Kings in the other. In both cases SB and the Kings need one win to advance to next weekend's championship series. Rutland and SD Ireland must win twice to move on. Saturday, South Burlington remained unbeaten with a 7-3 win over Rutland. OEC did the same with a 9-7 win over SD Ireland. Ireland then stayed alive by eliminating Brattleboro 4-3 while Rutland kept playing by beating Addison County  10-6.

Tuesday, July 31st

The Essex All Stars will represent Vermont at the 11-12 year old Little League District tournament this weekend in Connecticut. The Essex kids beat Shelburne 9-4 on Monday night in Barre to claim the Vermont state championship and right to play for a berth in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania later next month.

Friday, July 27th

Keep the name Evan Russell in the back of your mind ... the 14 year old who was a contender in the Vermont Amateur Golf Championship a few weeks ago rolled to the win in semi-finals and finals of the state under 14 junior match play championships yesterday on his home course at Lang Farm  in Essex. Waterbury's Paul Weston successfully defended his title in the 15-17 year old division.

Sunday, July 22nd

The Vermont Ice Storm improved to 5-0 on Saturday night, topping the Amsterdam Zephers in Empire Football league action in New York 26-14. Quarterback Brad Ruderman threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns, former Essex Hornet Austin Partain caught five passes for 73 yards and another former Hornet, Kevin Fournier, made seven tackles and recorded two sacks in the win.

Friday, July 13th

It was the kind of dominating performance that you would expect from the state's top player, and make no mistake about it, right now in amateur golf Trevor Murphy is Vermont's top player. The UNC-Charlotte senior to be blew away the field in the 36 hole final day of the Vermont Amateur in Brattleboro.  Murphy, who trailed by a stroke heading into the day, shot a six under par 65 in the morning round, then followed it up with a solid two under 69 in the afternoon to finish at 278 and win the event by a whoping 13 shots. It was the third straight title for Murphy who said afterward that this may have been his last Vt-Am ... he is thinking seriously of turning pro next summer.

The top high school basketball seniors from Vermont and New Hampshire will gather later today in Burlington, getting ready for the annual Merchants Bank Rotary Twin State Basketball Classic Saturday afternoon at the Patrick Gym. The girl's game goes first at 1 PM with the boy's game to follow at 3 pm. New Hampshire has dominated the series in recent years but this year, at least on paper, Vermont looks to be the favorite in the boy's game with the girl's matchup rated a toss up.

Also on Saturday World Class women's tennis comes to Stowe, with day one of the Federation Cup semi-finals between the United States and Russia ... some of the best players in the world, including Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, will be there, although sister Serena Williams and Russia's Maria Sharapova have been forced to drop out due to injury.

Thursday, July 12th

Barre's Eric Lajeunesse has a one shot lead heading into today's 36 hole finale of the Vermont Men's Amateur Golf Championship in Brattleboro. Lajeunesse shot a one under par 69 on Wednesday to claim a one shot lead over Burlington's Dave Goodrich and defending champion Trevor Murphy of St. johnsbury. And the kid is still hanging around. Fourteen year old Evan Russell of Essex fired a 74 to stay in the hunt just two shots off the lead.

Quite the scene on the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington on Wednesday, as Wimbledon champion Venus Williams and her U-S Federation Cup teammates put on a clinic for area youngsters. They'll meet the Russians in Cup action this weekend in Stowe.