Slaters Bowling repeat in thrilling comeback

    On Sunday, Fair Haven teammates Aiden Goyette and George Stamp capped off the individual tournament at Rutland going head-to-head.  In the end, it was Goyette who took home the title with Stamp finishing runner-up.

    In Barre on Saturday, when they were needed most, coach Joe Donaldson knew who to call upon with the final tied up at 2 games apiece versus #1 seed Randolph and game 5 ending tied at 204-204.

    At the end, they delivered, striking out in the roll-off and capping off a decisive game 6 as the Slaters become the first bowling team since 2019 to go back-to-back as state champions.

    Here's a look at the remainder of the tournament from round 1 at 9AM to the final match.

Round 1

    In the first round, Craftsbury Academy faced off with White River Valley while Burlington and Brattleboro met in the other match.  WRV swept CA but only won by 1-pin in game 4.   BHS had to go an extra game against the Bears, but they were able to advance to the Quarterfinals.

Quarterfinals

    Randolph, Essex and Fair Haven swept their matches in the QF round against BHS, South Burlington/Colchester and WRV respectively.  Meanwhile, Windsor and St. Johnsbury split the first four games of their match before the Hilltoppers took the last 2 games to advance to the semifinals.

Semifinals

    All 4 teams split the first two games in their respective SF matchups (RUHS vs. EHS; SJA vs. FH).  In game 3, the Hilltoppers knocked off the Slaters by 1 pin only for Fair Haven to take the next 3 (going over 200 in each match) to advance.  Essex tried to keep things close and won game 5 in their match, but the Ghosts were just too much for the Hornets as they were knocked out in the semifinal round for the second time in three years.

Championship Match

    In the final match, Randolph got out to an early advantage while Fair Haven looked like it was starting to come undone, wondering if they were going to fall short in their repeat bid.

    Down 0-2, Coach Donaldson had a lengthy chat with his team, motivating them and the Slater crowd at Twin City Lanes to bring the energy for the rest of the match.  In addition, FH made a change to their lineup, adding Reagan Stamp (sister of George and Maddie) and JW Adams-Sliva to bowl the first and sixth frame.

    The move worked out as they would take the next 2 games prior to the 204 tie and the dramatic strike out from George and Aiden in game 5.  The Slaters would clinch the title 237-189 in the sixth game, becoming the first team since 2016 to sweep the state and individual title in the same season (Windsor).

    The Slaters one-upped their title run in 2024-25 with a perfect 300 and individual champion from the same bowler (Goyette) along with a 2nd straight championship.  With most of their entire crew returning next season, Coach Donaldson is definitely looking for a 3-peat in 2027 and, by all means, should be favored.

6 Things to know before the Vermont High School Bowling championships

     After 10 weeks of thrilling action, tournament time has arrived in Vermont high school bowling.  Before this Saturday's individual tournament at Rutland and the state tournament in Barre on February 28, here are 5 things you should know about the teams involved.

1---Stamps on Fair Haven repeat?

    In 2025, George and Madison Stamp led the Fair Haven bowling team to their first state title since 2022, knocking off 2024 champs Randolph in the finals.  George has continued success in 2026, taking the top spot in the individual standings heading into Saturday's tournament.  Meanwhile, the Slaters' Aiden Goyette made history during the campaign, becoming the second bowler in VT bowling history to get a perfect game (300) in week 3 of the season.  It's been nearly a decade since a school has had an individual champion while also winning the state title, but FH has a great chance to do it in 2026.

2---Randolph revenge incoming?

    The Ghosts are the #1 seed in the state tournament on February 28 and had 4 bowlers finish in the individual top 15.  Sophomore Nathan Luciano tops the group as the #2 bowler during the regular season while helping the squad rack up 30 wins in Baker (team) matches.  Can Randolph make it back-to-back individual winners on Saturday and return to the top on the 28th?

3---St. Johnsbury climbing up.

    The Hilltoppers have been a top 5 team throughout their 3 seasons since returning to the VT bowling scene.  In 2026, St. J finished in the #3 spot as a team and could be on a collision course with Fair Haven in the state tournament.  On January 31, the Slaters swept SJA in the first-place match at SpareTime, but the Hilltoppers were perhaps one pin away from taking one of those games from FH.  What could happen in a best-of-7 series between the two teams in Barre?

4---Essex, SBC battle once more

    For the second time in 3 years, Essex and South Burlington/Colchester will battle it out in the state tournament.  In 2024, the Strikers knocked off the Hornets in 7 games.  Last week, Essex got the best of SBC in their best-of-3 final to clinch the #4 seed in the state tournament, but how will the 2 teams fare in Barre?

5---Dark Horse Jackets?

    Windsor will head into the state tournament as the #6 seed but riding some momentum knowing they can hang with the best.  The Yellowjackets have bowled .500 or better the last 6 weeks of the regular season, including first place finishes in weeks 6 and 7.  Will that be enough to get by St. Johnsbury and make a deep run in the state tournament?

6---A first round surprise?

    In the first round of the state tournament on February 28th, Craftsbury will face White River Valley while Burlington takes on Brattleboro.  While history may not favor the teams playing early (9AM start), we've seen schools in the past go from round 1 to the finals (most notably South Burlington in 2024 when there were 11 teams).  Could history repeat itself in 2026?

    Notes:  2026 will mark the first time since 2022 that the state tournament is being held at Twin City Lanes in Barre (last 3 were at SpareTime)...Top 32 bowlers will make up the individual tournament at Rutland Bowlerama on Saturday...10 VT seniors will face the best bowlers from New Hampshire on March 7 at Maple Lanes in Claremont, NH.