FH update on the eve of the annual VT tryout

I got word today that there was a draft for the Premier Basketball League today, and that Vermont chose league veteran Al Stewart with its first choice. I admit I have not been able to confirm this, but I know Vermont was talking to Stewart about returning to Barre this season.

Stewart was once the enemy, playing for the Manchester Millrats, and came to Vermont last season and made an instant, positive impact. I remember talking with him at the team's send-off at the Aud after the Frost Heaves' playoff hopes were dashed, and I remember coming away impressed. If he is in fact back in blue and white come December, that's a great thing for Vermont.

Another former Frost Heave I've gotten a lot of questions about recently is Ross Demasi. He is another former Frost Heave who has been contacted by the team about returning this winter, but, the Swanton native has reportedly been offered a gig in Australia.

"Right now, we've been talking a lot with Ross," Vermont head coach Joe Salerno said by phone last week. "He has received an offer to play in Australia, we're in negotiations. I'm confident we'll see him back, but nothing is set in stone."

Interesting, I know.

The team has also been talking with Dwuan Rice, who I know loves his time here in Vermont. Salerno also told me a few others have gone on to other teams, mainly overseas. Jeral Davis is in Japan, Matt Hall is in Estonia, Benson Callier is in Sweden and Jared Carter will play in the NBA D-League this winter.

"A lot of our guys have gone on to other leagues," Salerno said. "I'm happy for them."

-Anna Grearson

Halifax forward John Strickland found dead

Shocking news out of Halifax today as forward John Strickland was reportedly found dead in his New York home this week. Here's the story in the Chronicle-Herald in Halifax.

I know Vermont fans remember John Strickland, and for some, the memories aren't fond. Regardless, he was a tough opponent and it's evident to me from the above story that he truly loved the game and made it his life. He was such a presence on the floor, on the bench, everywhere he was.

This is the second sudden death the Premier Basketball League has dealt with relatively recently - the Maryland Greenhawks head coach died suddenly the morning the Greenhawks were to host Vermont last season. The minor league basketball world is a small one, and these losses are great.

My condolences to John's friends, family and teammates.

-Anna Grearson

You win some, you lose some

Randy Moss is back in Minnesota and out of New England, just like he wanted. While I'm sorry to see him go, if that's what he wanted, then...peace. It's like Manny - do Patriots fans really want a star hanging around who doesn't want to be there? I'm also pretty sure I'd rather lose Randy Moss than Wes Welker. Call me nutty.

But as we lose Randy Moss, at the same time it appears we're gaining some familiar faces - Frost Heaves style.

I got word last night that former Heaves Markus Austin and B.J. Robertson will participate in Saturday's tryout camp in Essex. That's great news - if these guys, who have already proven themselves in prior seasons with Vermont, that means the other guys coach Salerno is bringing in can and will compete for spots with people who have previously earned them. I'm excited to see Markus, B.J., Bobby Shedd and whoever else returns for the tryout this weekend, but I'm also very, very interested in seeing what the new faces have to offer.

-Anna Grearson

Bad news for local football fans

I've had a fair amount of people ask about last Friday's high school football game between Division I Spaulding and D-II U-32 at U-32 that was cancelled because of the monsoon that swept through late last week.

The answer is: it says cancelled for a reason. It appears there will be no makeup date announced. I asked Spaulding athletic director Pat Merriam about it and he said it was "a non-league game with no place to put it."

I, for one, am sad this game won't be played this year, and I can imagine the players are, too. While a non-league game, it certainly has strong roots and is easily the best rivalry game we have football-wise in this area. Hopefully something will change, and if it does, we'll update everyone.

-Anna Grearson

A 56-8 high school football game that was hardly boring...

I made my first-ever trip to see Oxbow football play this weekend, and while the highly touted Olympians were trounced by D-II North Country 56-8 (it was 44-0 at halftime), it was still an excellent day for football.

The Olympians were without star transfer Kurtis Settergren, out for the week with an injury, but team leaders Barry Weigel, Byron Brocar and others put on quite a show. The score may not show it, but Oxbow football - which started the season 2-0 and unscored upon - is on the rise.

Driving along Route 302 and then 25, there were "Oxbow Football, 1 p.m. today" signs drawing fans in. You don't see that for Spaulding, Montpelier or U-32 football. Occasionally there was a sign in the park in downtown Barre, but I have yet to see anything this season for any of those other schools.

The field in Bradford may not have the bells and whistles the other area fields do - there are a few bleachers and a concession stand, but there's no announcer (Paul Plante's fiiiiiirst dooooooowwwn seemed a world away) and they don't keep track of the down and yardage on the scoreboard. But no matter. Fans know what's going on.

The best part of the day for me, aside from finally getting to meet head coach Mark Palmieri and his team, was the halftime mini-game between Bradford and Thetford. Did I mention these football players were in the kindergarten-third grade range? It was quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen. They even tackle! The kids were so small and with the helmets they resembled bobble heads, but they were having the time of their lives. They were introduced as the future of Oxbow football, which is of course very apt.

One Thetford little guy, No. 1, was so small, the 1 on his jersey spanned the entire thing, top-to-bottom. Thetford even brought its own mini cheerleaders, too.

I kept my roster, and if I'm still in the area when these kids are playing varsity-level football, it'll be interesting to look back on Saturday afternoon. Surely a good sign for the future of Oxbow football, which is already making huge strides in its fifth year of existence.

-Anna Grearson