OTTERS WIN!

Otter Valley secures its first 
state baseball title since '76

Otter pitcher Patterson retires 17 in a row

The Otter Valley Union High School baseball team has defeated top-ranked Burr & Burton Academy to take the 2013 Division 2 state title. It is Otter Valley's first baseball championship since 1976.

The Otters celebrate with the state championship plaque.

Otter starting pitcher Brett Patterson was dominant, tossing a one-hit complete game shutout. The Burr & Burton Bulldogs, who have appeared in three of the last four state championship games without winning a title, managed just two baserunners against Otter Valley.

The Otters erupted for six runs in the third inning, which proved to be more than sufficient. They added a single run in the fifth inning, as Jim Winslow, who doubled to lead off and was sacrificed to third, scored on a Bulldog wild pitch. Two more runs were added in the sixth. John Winslow led off with a walk, stole second and scored on a Lonergan triple. Lonergan then scored on another Bulldog wild pitch.

Patterson shut the door on the Bulldogs early and retired the last 17 Burr & Burton batters he faced. The game's last batter went to a full count and then took a called strike on the outside corner.

After the game, the Otters receive individual medals.

Burr & Burton was top seeded in the Division 2 postseason. However, Otter Valley, which was ranked second, had a better overall record and had beaten Burr & Burton, 8-1, during the regular season. Heading into the championship game, no Burr & Burton postseason opponent had scored a run.

A large crowd of Otter supporters attended the championship game, played at Burlington's Centennial Field.


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Photos are screen captures from live game coverage provided by NSNsports.net

Otters are one win from baseball title

The Otter Valley Union High School baseball team will face top-ranked Burr & Burton Academy tomorrow night in the Division 2 state championship game. The game begins at 7 p.m. at Burlington's Centennial Field.

The Otters, seeded second in the Division 2 postseason, defeated the Lamoille Lancers, 8-1, in Wednesday's semi-final game. Starting pitcher Justin Owen fanned ten lancers in the victory. At 18-1 for the year, OVUHS is poised to take the division title. The Otters were victorious against the Burr & Burton Bulldogs when the teams squared off in the regular season.

GO OTTERS!

BULLDOGS 60, Otters 25

The Burr and Burton Academy offense proved too strong for the Otter Valley Union High School varsity football team yesterday afternoon. The Burr and Burton Bulldogs left Brandon with a 60-25 victory over a stunned Otters team. It was the most lopsided game Otter Valley's gridders have played this year and their most points allowed on the season.

Burr and Burton improved to 4-3 overall with the win, while the Otters fell to 2-5. After strong showings in losses against highly regarded teams the previous two weeks, the Otters had been expected to take advantage of the defensively challenged Bulldogs.

The Otters close their home season next Saturday, battling the 6-1 Bellows Falls Union High School Terriers. The final game of the Otters season will be on the road, Oct. 26, against the Fair Haven Union Slaters.

Otters host Bulldogs this afternoon

The 2-4 Otter Valley Union High School varsity football team plays host to the 3-3 Bulldogs of Burr and Burton Academy one o'clock this afternoon at Markowski Field in Brandon.

While Burr and Burton sits a notch above the Otters in the standings, the Bulldogs are not quite the caliber of team the Otters have been playing lately. Two weeks ago, Otter Valley hosted Division I powerhouse Middlebury, and last week the Otter gridders traveled to Division II leader Rice Memorial. The Otters proved a tough opponent for even the highly regarded Rice but slipped to 2-4 on the season with the 14-6 defeat.

That the Otters found ways to score against the stingy defenses of Middlebury and Rice makes them the favorite to defeat the defensively challenged Bulldogs today. In Vermont's Division II, only one team has allowed more points (through six games) this season than the 190 permitted by Burr and Burton's defense. The North Country Union Falcons gave up 263 points while going 0-6. (The Falcons dismal season continued in their seventh game last night with a 53-0 loss against Woodstock.)

Yet the Bulldog offense remains a concern. Burr and Burton has been generating a lot of points, 201 so far this year, and managed to edge a strong Lyndon Institute team, 32-38, last week. The Bulldogs other wins this season have come against the winless Springfield Cosmos and the Division I cellar-dwelling Mount Anthony Patriots.

Otters JV defeats B&B Academy

The Otter Valley Union High School junior varsity football team bounced back from last week's disappointing home loss to Mount Abraham to notch a big win at Burr & Burton Academy yesterday afternoon. The JV Otters turned in a season-best 32 points, while holding the Bulldogs to 14. The JV squad next plays Oct. 8, when it hosts the Mill River Union Minutemen.

Varsity notes
The varsity Otters host the Division I powerhouse Middlebury Tigers at one o'clock this Saturday afternoon at Markowski Field in Brandon. They then head out on the road to face the Division II-leading Green Knights of Rice Memorial High School on Oct. 6.

YELLOWJACKETS 38, Otters 20

The Otter Valley Union High School varsity football team surrendered a season-high 38 points in a 38-20 loss to the hosting Milton High School Yellowjackets last night. Both teams are now 2-2 on the Division II season.

Milton had not been expected to put on an offensive show against the stingy Otters defense. The Yellowjackets had scored an average of just 16 points through their first three games. But those three included contests against league-leaders Rice Memorial and Lyndon Institute.(The Otters were shut out by Lyndon two weeks ago and haven't yet played Rice Memorial.) Rice Memorial has allowed only six points this season - those were all scored by Milton. Lyndon Institute has allowed just 16 on the season - those were all scored by Union-32 while Lyndon strolled to a 53-16 win last night.

Next Saturday, the Otter Valley varsity plays host to Division I powerhouse Middlebury. The black and orange Tigers of Middlebury are coming off a disappointing loss to Rutland and are just 2-2 this season. The Tigers have not had more than three losses in a season since 2008.

On Monday afternoon, the Otters junior varsity visits Manchester for a game against the Burr & Burton Academy Bulldogs.