Leland and Gray Wins Bellows Falls Holiday Tournament (girls) 12/28/12 and 12/29/12

Rebels Win Bellows Falls Holiday Tournament

BELLOWS FALLS - What a wonderful holiday it's been for the Leland and Gray Rebels.  After winning against the Sharon Tigers on Friday, the girls beat the Bellows Falls Terriers 31-24 to win the annual Bellows Falls Holiday Tournament Saturday, December 29.  Although they were caught in a midst of rough play, the Rebels managed to find the light that led them to victory.

Elderd on defense

Friday night was an easy win for the Rebels who beat the Tigers 57-31.  Things certainly looked that way in the beginning; the Tigers didn't make it past the half court line until just three minutes in.  Their first shot, a three, was made halfway through the first quarter by senior Samantha Abrams.  After Abrams' shot, the rest of the Tigers rallied to come back.

With just a minute to go, Rebel freshman Jordan Gouger fouled Tiger freshman Katherine Elderd while shooting a three.  Elderd's shot went in and she made the corresponding foul shot for a total four points.  By the end of the first quarter, the Tigers trailed just 14-12.

Buffum hitting a jumper

After the embarrassing start, the Rebels bounced back to dominate the rest of the game both offensively and defensively.  Senior captain Ashley Goddard had a pair of steals, a nice block, and led the Rebels in scoring with twenty points.  Sophomore Haley Buffum led the team in assists with eight, steals with four and defensive rebounds with seven.

As for the Tigers, their most notable player was Elderd who led her team in scoring with fifteen - almost half of the team's total points.  Her reputable efforts were unanswered as the Rebels defeated the Tigers in a final 57-31. 

Next up was Bellows Falls, a team which the Rebels set a rivalry with back in soccer season.  Also the hosts of the tournament, the Terriers defeated the Stevens Cardinals 42-17 in the first round of the tournament for their first win of the season.

Right from the beginning, there was a sense of tension emanating through the gym.  The Terriers defense, led by senior captain Enny Mustapha, was too much for the Rebels to handle, holding them to just seven points in the first quarter.  However, the Terriers could not make their shots and settled for a mere five.

Nystrom (left) and Wilder (right)

The physicality of the game heated up in the second as both teams fought hard for the ball.  The intensive strategy worked more so in favor of the Terriers who were led by sophomore Chelsea Wilder and junior Emily Dufault to explode on offense.  By the end of the first half, the Terriers had the lead, 16-13. 

Morrow (right) and Dufault (left) scramble for ball

But the Rebels were not done yet.  They came back the second half revitalized and, fighting through the physical tenacity of the Terriers defense, the Rebels regained the lead by the fourth quarter, 24-20.  The last quarter was played in the same vein when the Rebels took hold of the game.  The Terriers last breath of life came when sophomore Stephanie Parsons hit a jumper to cut the deficit to 27-24 with less than two minutes to go. 

Mustapha (right) guarding Goddard (left)

Parsons' shot was left unanswered as Goddard finished the game with a pair of shots that gave the Rebels a final 31-24 win.  The most valuable players of the game were Goddard and senior captain Alex Morrow.  Morrow had nine points on the night with five assists and an impressive charge.  Goddard led the team in scoring with sixteen and went 5-7 at the free throw line.  Together, Morrow and Goddard accumulated about 81% of the team's total points.  For the Terriers, the most valuable player was Dufualt who led her team in scoring with ten.

Goddard revealed that the two main keys in the Rebels recent success has been, "determination and believing in ourselves."  What needs to change in order to keep up with the success according to Goddard is, "layups and more layups. That's what killed us the most.  We could also probably pick up our defense. Even though we had better defense the last few games, we came out really slow in this one."

Coach Morrow added, "We need to pick up the intensity.  The intensity [my team] played with the last five minutes of the game is the intensity they need to play with the entire game.  We need to stop making the second-half comebacks and just play hard the whole way through."

The Rebels are currently in second place for Division III girls basketball, behind Richford who has only submitted one entry to the VPA (a win).



 

Leland and Gray Rebels v. Springield Cosmos (Boys) 12/28/12

Devin with a jumper

CHESTER - The Leland and Gray Rebels beat the Springfield Cosmos in the first round of the annual Green Mountain Tournament Friday, December 28.  Through sloppy play, the Rebels allowed the Cosmos to catch up and even take the lead at one point. But despite their poor performance, the Rebels overcame their slump in the second half to win the game 44-31.

Bergeron (left) and senior Kirby Goodrich (right)

Immediately into the game, the Rebels looked to be in trouble.  After a nice put back by senior captain Michael Bergeron, junior Brady Devin countered with a three to put the Cosmos in the lead.  Devin hit another three and then a jumper to give the Cosmos the 8-6 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Aberie (left) avoids block by Bergeron (right)

Although the Rebels dominated under the hoop, the Cosmos were scrappy and energetic to make up for their height disadvantage.  Their defense was impressive throughout the game, especially by junior Tanner Aberie.  Just over a minute into the second quarter, the Rebels found themselves taking bonus shots.  Despite good performances by Bergeron and senior captain Drew Barnum, the Cosmos kept making their outside jumpers to maintain their lead at 22-19 by half.

Things were looking awful for the Rebels -  they were missing their shots, they turned the ball over thirty times, and they set a season record low forty-four total points.  Although the offensive momentum hardly changed the second half (where Barnum and Bergeron continued to score the majority of the points), the defense stepped up dramatically.

Coach Nystrom gives pep talk

In the third quarter, the Rebels held the Cosmos at just three points to give themselves a ten-point lead heading into the fourth quarter where the fortified defense held itself in the same vein to keep the Cosmos at bay.  The Cosmos scored a mere nine points in the second half.  Overall, the Rebels had twelve steals, three blocks and a remarkable twenty-four defensive rebounds.

Barnum (left) guarding senior Jordan Crowley (right)

The most valuable players of the game were Bergeron and Barnum who had a combined thirty-six points (about 82% of the team total).  Bergeron led the team with twenty points, seven defensive rebounds and four offensive rebounds.  Barnum had a total sixteen points on the night, went three-for-three with his three-pointers and led the team with three steals and four offensive rebounds. 

The Rebels fought through the hellish game to compete in the next round where they will face the Twin Valley Wildcats.  The Wildcats beat the Green Mountain Chiefs 52-51 in the first round.

Black River Presidents v. Leland and Gray Rebels (Boys) 12/21/12

TOWSHEND - The Leland and Gray Rebels now have a three-game winning streak  thanks to their colossal win over the Black River Presidents Friday, December 21.  Although the 0-4 Presidents desperately sought for their first win of the season, their efforts came up short as the Rebels won 78-12. 

Rebels getting pumped before game commences

The Rebels started to dominate the game right off the bat when senior captain Drew Barnum laid in the first basket of the game in the first ten seconds.  The Presidents could not penetrate the Rebels defense, putting up no points until freshman Earle Brown hit a nice three halfway through the first quarter. 

Nupp (right) and Barnum (left)

The Rebels played consistently throughout the whole game, making the majority of their shots and rebounds.  Much of the credit goes to senior captain Billy Nupp and Barnum.  Nupp led the team with three blocks and had a total of nine points.  Barnum led the team in scoring with an impressive seventeen points along with a pair of nice blocks.

Nystrom (left) and Veysey (right)

Despite the leadership of Barnum and Nupp, other players had an exceptional game as well.  Senior captain Michael Bergeron led the team in defensive rebounds with seven, senior Zach Wilkins led the team in steals with five, and sophomore Corey Nystrom had the second-most amount of points with eleven.  Every Rebel player that went into game scored at least once.

The Rebels peak performance of the game was in the third quarter when they scored a total twenty-nine points opposed to the Presidents' zero points.  Their phenomenal defense kept the Presidents at bay throughout the remainder of the game.  Junior Ben Veysey led the Presidents in scoring with just six points.

The 3-1 Rebels will continue playing ball on Thursday, December 27 when they participate in the Green Mountain Basketball Tournament.

Poultney Blue Devils v. Leland and Gray Rebels (Boys) 12/14/12

TOWNSHEND - After a bittersweet loss to Burr and Burton just two days before, the 0-1 Leland and Gray Rebels came out Wednesday, December 14 ready to get their first win of the season.  They were set to play the Poultney Blue Devils who had just beaten the Division II Bellows Falls Terriers 74-71.  Despite the Blue Devils intimidating score and the absence of Rebels head coach Andy Nystrom, assistant coach Peter Boyle and the Rebels fought through the whole game to come out with their first win of the season.  

 Kenney going for his first three

Even though they lost the jump ball, the Rebels drew first blood by forcing a turnover to come back with a three by senior Riley Kenney.  The Blue Devils could not put the ball in the basket.  After half a quarter of turning the ball over, the Blue Devils finally got their first set of points when senior Kevin Lilly made a two-point jump shot. Lilly's shot was followed up by senior Sean Shepardson who put up a few more jumpers.  However, the Blue Devils slow start was costly as they trailed 14-6 by the end of the first.

Shepardson (left) and Nystrom (right)

Barnum grabbing the rebound

The second quarter started where it had left off.  The Blue Devils could neither control the ball nor make their shots.  It certainly didn't help them that the Rebels had dominated both the inside and outside game.  Both forwards senior captains Michael Bergeron and Drew Barnum played excellent through the first half, executing their put backs and grabbing the majority of rebounds on defense. Senior Zach Wilkins hit his first three of the season and senior captain Billy Nupp had a pair of jumpers to bring the Rebels score up even more.  By the end of the second, the Rebels were leading 32-19.

Ke's first varsity point (foul shot)

It was deja vu at the start of the second half when Kenney put up another three followed by more aggressive play on the Rebels offense.  The lead became so distant by the end of the game that coach Boyle gave other players the opportunity to get in the game.  Senior Kevin Ke, junior Taylor Parker-Jennings, junior Nick Bills and sophomore Ryan Borgesen all scored their first varsity points.

Final Score

The Rebels dominated the entire game to win 76-50.  They had ten jump balls on the night with fourteen steals, nine blocks and an astonishing twenty-five defensive rebounds.  Because the entire team played so well altogether, one individual player cannot be singled out for exceptional performance; it was a generally fantastic performance.  As for the Blue Devils, their player of game was much more prominent.  It was Shepardson, who led his team in scoring with twenty-two points (44% of team total).


The 1-1 Rebels' next game is against the Blue Devils (again) on Wednesday, December 19. 

Burr and Burton v. Leland and Gray (Boys) 12/12/12

TOWNSHEND - It was nail-biter in Townshend Wednesday, December 12 where the Leland and Gray Rebels hosted the Burr and Burton Bulldogs.  After a long game of back and forth play, the two teams  entered overtime tied at 44. In spite of the incessant screaming and cheering of Rebels fans, it was the Bulldogs who emerged the victors to win 47-46.

Entire Rebels team for first national anthem

It looked to be a challenging first game of the season for the Rebels.  After getting beaten by the Brattleboro Colonels in a preseason scrimmage, they faced the Bulldogs who had crushed the Colonels 64-43 just two days previously.

Senior captain Michael Bergeron explained, "Brattleboro beat us up pretty badly a few weeks ago when we played them.  And to hear that [the Bulldogs] beat them up pretty badly, we were just thinking that they would beat us up even worse.  Even our coach was blunt about it, saying, 'you guys are going to need to play a really good game if you want to even compete.'"

However, the Rebels played excellent defense right off the bat to keep the Bulldogs at bay.  It wasn't until three minutes into the game when Bulldog Jake Stalcup scored off a rebound for the first basket of the game.  By the end of the first quarter, the Rebels were trailing just 10-11.

Browntown (left) and Stalcup (right)

By the second quarter, things were starting to shift the way everyone had anticipated they would.  Despite some great offense by seniors Andy Brown and Drew Barnum, the Bulldogs were draining threes with seniors Tanner Carleton, David Shehadi and Weston Muench. The Rebels defense slipped momentarily and the results were costly as the Bulldogs finished the first half leading 27-22.

Bergeron (14) with put-back

The Rebels emerged from the locker room to start the third quarter with authority.  The Rebels took advantage of the Bulldogs' missed shots by executing their own plays to the rim.  Bergeron led the rally by acquiring six straight points in that quarter alone.  The Rebels finished the third leading 36-32.

Muench with a three

The final quarter started where it had left off.  Bergeron put back another rebound to start things off followed by a fast break layup by junior Jake Sherman.  However, the Bulldogs countered when Muench hit his second three of the game to cut their deficit to 40-39.  As the clock dwindled down to the final minutes of the game, the Bulldogs were desperate to come back.  They fouled away to get a chance for the ball back.  Their investment certainly paid off as the Rebels missed their foul shots.  The Bulldogs rallied, led by Shehadi and Stalcup, to tie the game 42-42 with exactly one minute to go.

The game looked to be locked when senior captain Billy Nupp made a nice jump shot to bring the Rebels up 44-42 with just ten seconds left to go.  But the Bulldogs had one last chance to make a play.  The hero was Stalcup, who put back a rebound in dramatic fashion just beating the screeching buzzer.  The game was heading into overtime.

Tied

Although there was four minutes designated to overtime, neither team could get the ball in the hoop.  With just a minute left, Shehadi was fouled on his way to the rim to get the and-one foul shot that brought the Bulldogs up 47-44.  The Rebels, struggling to get back into the groove, had under twenty seconds on the clock to make one last shot.

Senior Zach Wilkins dribbled the ball up and passed the ball quickly to a startled Barnum who somehow managed to put up a shot with a man in his face.  The ball was short of the basket, but sophomore Corey Nystrom got the rebound. The uncontested Nystrom turned and put the ball back in within the last three seconds.  However, the two-point jumper was not enough and the Rebels lost in a final 46-47.

Final Score

The MVP of the game goes to Muench, who had a total eleven points with a significant three to put the Bulldogs back in contention.  For the Rebels, the MVP goes to Bergeron who had sixteen points on the night and led a crucial rally in the third quarter to give the Rebels the lead. 

Bergeron spoke on the competitiveness, "We've played Burr and Burton for the past two years in scrimmages so it's not like these were people we didn't know.  After the first ten points we scored, we realized that we can play with them and that they weren't anything we couldn't handle."  On the loss, Bergeron explained, "It's kind of bittersweet because coming into the game we all expected to get savaged, which didn't happen at all.  But to realize that we could've actually won, that we had the lead with only a few seconds left, is a little disappointing."

Rebels coach Andy Nystrom spoke on the game, "[The Bulldogs are] a good division two team . . . I'm really proud of our effort.  The first half we turned the ball over more than I would've liked, but I thought we defended really well the second half, especially during that final three-point shot.  They were down by two in the final seconds of the game and they go for the three.  We anticipated that because we know that's their style.  Unfortunately we just didn't get the rebound and they tied the game up . . . I can't really take anything negative away from it.  If anything, it would be our last two minutes of regular time.  We really need to work on closing things out."

The Rebels now look to face the Poultney Blue Devils who beat the Bellows Falls Terriers 74-71 in their last contest.  The game is home on Friday, December 14.

West Rutland v. Leland and Gray (Girls) 12/10/12

JV Rebel girls beat West Rutland 18-17

 Giannina Beckstrom's game-winning foul shot

Varsity Girls Overview:

TOWNSHEND - The Leland and Gray Rebels varsity girls lost their first game of the season to the West Rutland Golden Horde Monday, December 10.  After a competitive start for both teams, the equilibrium soon faded away as the Golden Horde seized complete control of the game by half time.

Right off the bat, the game showed signs of aggression.  Within three minutes of play, there had already been six fouls called between the two teams.  The Rebels aggression and helpful three-pointers by senior captain Ashley Goddard put them head to head with the Golden Horde, trailing by just six points at the end of the first quarter.

However, the Golden Horde stepped up their game to a level the Rebels just simply could not catch up to, draining threes and executing flawless plays to the rim.  In the second quarter, the Golden Horde acquired fourteen more points versus the Rebels three, bringing them up 31-17.

The second half of the game was played in the same vein.  The Golden Horde kept draining shot after shot, stacking up their points to an unreachable height.  Much of the credit goes to (number 5) Dambrackas, who was clearly the MVP of the game.  Dambrackas accumulated a total of 25 points, or roughly 43% of her team's total points.

 Dambrackas (left) and Goddard (right)

A small rally ignited in the fourth quarter after a beautiful three-pointer was drained by senior captain Chelby Nystrom.  Unfortunately, the rally was not enough to come back and, forcing the Rebels to swallow the 33-58 loss. 

Nystrom (right) guarding Sumner (left)

However, an exceptional performance on the green and white side came from Goddard, who had a 17-point game and a few excellent blocks.  Goddard's seventeen points were approximately 51% of the team's total points, showing her serious significance on offense.   

The girls next game is next Thursday, home, against Mill River at 7:30. 

Season Preview

Now that we have the the teams laid out, what can we expect for the season?  Let's start with the boys.  The boys finished last season 15-5 upon entering playoffs as the third seed.  In the first round, they beat fourteenth seed Oxbow 50-37 and then lost to eleventh seed Windsor in the quarterfinals 65-60.  After the loss of many key players, where does the team stand now?

Although there were many crucial leaders on the team who have departed, including Brandon Reilly, Bobby Culver, Caleb Bristol and Chris Lasch who all brought much talent and leadership to the table, it is now up to the new generation of players to step up.

There are two players in particular that I have in mind - Michael Bergeron and Billy Nupp.  Both veterans have been on the team for two years now and I think they have the potential to lead this team.  Both are dependable, reputable people who have the ability to direct the flow of play; Nupp on offense and Bergeron on defense. 

The team also has a few prospects I think we'll hear more of as well.  One is Drew Barnum, who spent most of the previous season sidelined due to injury.  When he could play, Barnum was no less than a magician.  He could drive his way through a group of three or four defenders and still manage to find his way to the rim.  His immense height and aggression will surely benefit down low on both offense and defense. 

Another is Riley Kenney.   Kenney is the epitome of  "the little engine that could."  After getting cut his freshman year and being told he wasn't good enough to play, Kenney bounced back his sophomore year to start on JV.  Although he did not start on varsity the following year, he was one of former coach Davis' first picks off  the pine.  According to his exponential improvement, I think we're going to see some special things from Kenney this season.  He has the drive and intellectual qualities that will make him a great leader for the team.  I would not be surprised to see him start as point guard or even inherit captaincy along the road.

Andy Brown is another guy to be looking out for the season.  Almost identical to Kenney, Brown was cut his freshman year yet bounced back his sophomore year to dominate on JV.  Midway through his junior year he was pulled up to fill a void on the varsity roster and ended up getting some decent playing time.  Brown is a serious prospect on this year's team and, like Kenney, is a guy we will be seeing great things from.  His powerful build and humble personality will certainly be a key advantage to the Rebels offense. 

Kevin Ke, from Shanghai, is also impressive from what I've heard.  Although his last name is just two letters, it'll be one remembered for a long time.  Ke has the natural skill of athleticism the team needs to succeed this year and may very well be the starting point guard.

Lastly we have Jake Sherman who left the team last year to focus on his grades.  Sherman, with the right mind set, can do anything.  This kid is probably one of the most naturally athletic people at Leland and Gray and has the potential to do great things this season.  Mark my words, this will be the first Rebel we see dunk.

Moreover, the boys indeed have a chance to have another great season.  Although the competition up north will continue to be as strong as its ever been, I think the Rebels will be able to compete with the group they've got right here.  Their first scrimmage is this Saturday, December 1 away against Brattleboro High School at 1:00.

As for the girls, their season seems a little more ambiguous.  Based on the fact that last year marked the departure of only three players, it's hard to predict any sort of notable change in the momentum of the team.  Last year, the girls finished the season with a 9-10 record to become the eleventh seed.  They lost during the first round to sixth seed Rivendell 61-33.

To further analyze on the departing players, we have three girls that were big attributes to the team in different ways.  First he have Maike Kollner who was an excellent, aggressive defender. She was so good at stealing that even Bonnie and Clyde would've been impressed by her talent.  Then we have Sam Russ who was probably the fastest girl I've ever seen in my life.  She seemed to always be sprinting as fast as she could no matter the situation.  And last but certainly not least we have Callie Ginter, point guard and captain of the team.  Ginter  demonstrated phenomenal leadership respected by all of her teammates and was known for her killer three-point shot.

Although three great players have left the team, three new ones join in Jordan Gouger, Natalia Coelho and Abby Winrich.  But the real story is not about the new players so much as it is the old ones.  No, the future of this season lies in the hands of captains Ashley Goddard, Alex Morrow and Chelby Nystrom.  These girls were chosen to be captains for a reason - not only because of their talent, but because of their leadership.

Goddard is possibly on track to being the first ever girl to reach 1000 points in Leland and Gray history, the most prestigious achievement in high school basketball.  She has been one of the most dominant players on the team ever since she joined in 2009-2010 and plays the game the right way.  She is a great model for the younger players to look up to; modest, selfless, sportsmanlike, and dedicated.

Nystrom also possesses qualities that express her leadership.  She is an authoritative figure who dictates the court with her loud voice.  Nystrom is also a great ball handler and speedster which makes me inclined to predict that she will be the team's new starting point guard.

Two big prospects in the girls organization include Haley Buffum and Natalia Coelho.  Buffum has proved herself to be the next big star from playing on varsity the previous year.  Learning to play forward under the wing of Goddard can be intimidating for anyone but Buffum has proved that she can handle the heat.  That being said, Buffum will go on to shine over the rest of her remaining years, possibly en route for the 1000-point banner as well.

Coelho on the other hand is less predictable than Buffum based on her two-year absence from basketball.  But Coelho is a natural athlete who would not have made the team if she was anything short of good.  I expect to see her grow and develop over the year and evolve into an excellent ball player.   

To tie back into my prediction, I think that based on the talent coming up this year the girls have no reason to finish anything below .500.  Their defense from what I've seen has been good in recent years.  Whatever Coach Morrow's doing in regards to that is working well.  But in my opinion, the real focus for this year needs to be on offense.  Last season, the girls averaged 41 points per game over a span of twenty-one games.  To become the elite team that we all know is very much possible, their offense needs to come together and find a groove that they can maintain the rest of the season.

Their first game of the season is home against West Rutland on December 10.    

Varsity Rosters

Varsity Boys 2012-2013 Roster

12 - (C) Michael Bergeron
12 - (C) Billy Nupp
12 - (C) Drew Barnum
12 - Riley Kenney
12 - Andy Brown
12 - Zach Wilkins
12 - Kevin Ke
11 - Jake Sherman
11 - Nick Bills (out for season due to ankle sprain)
11 - Taylor Parker-Jennings
10 - Ryan Borgesen
10 - Corey Nystrom
Head Coach - Andy Nystrom
Assistant Coach - Peter Boyle

Varsity Girls 2012-2013 Roster

12 - (C) Ashley Goddard
12 - (C) Alex Morrow
12 - (C) Chelby Nystrom (Possibly out for season due to fractured foot)
12 - Natalia Coelho
11 - Elizabeth Gallup
11 - Adrienne Derry
10 - Haley Buffum
10 - Casey Williams (Possibly out due to foot injury)
10 - Abby Winrich
  9 - Jordan Gouger
Head Coach - Gregg Morrow
Assistant Coaches - Joe Winrich, Greg Marcucci, Jeff Buffum and Richard Gallup