The 2025 Vermont high school bowling state championship is heading back to Rutland County, but it didn't come without a fight.
Fair Haven needed to come back from 3-1 down in the semifinals against Essex, then was even against top seed Randolph in the championship match before destroying the pins and knocking off the defending champions to win their second state title in four years and 4th overall (a state record in the sport).
After the Slaters dominated South Burlington/Colchester in the quarterfinals, they met a Hornets team that came back from 0-3 down against Burlington to make the semis. Essex took game 1 by a single pin, then won games 2 and 4 comfortably. But Fair Haven put together Baker scores of 208, 211 and 208 and the Hornets started getting tired, leading to the Slaters comeback and advancing to the finals.
Randolph, the top team in Vermont high school bowling in 2025 after winning the championship in 2024, also swept their QF match against White River Valley. Then, after losing the first two games against #4 St. Johnsbury (who defeated Windsor in 5), controlled the pace and advanced to the finals. In Game 4, the Ghosts tied the state record for a Baker game when they shot a 279.
In the Final, Randolph took game 1 172-150; Fair Haven took the next two before the Ghosts responded in Game 4. Then the Slaters got scores of 217 and 233 in games 5 and 6, respectively, to take down #1 and win the title.
Notes: South Burlington/Colchester and White River Valley made the quarterfinals after defeating Craftsbury and Brattleboro, respectively, in the first round this AM...2025 marked the third straight year that SpareTime hosted the event...The 2025 bowling season concludes on March 8 with the twin state classic at Maple Lanes in Claremont, NH.
