FROM THE FACT TV VAULT: 1998 — A RIVALRY, A REMATCH, AND A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!

TWO RIVALS. TWO UNFORGETTABLE GAMES. ONE INCREDIBLE SEASON.

Some football games are remembered for a season. Others become part of a community’s history.

For generations, the rivalry between the Bellows Falls Terriers and the Springfield Cosmos has been about more than football. It’s about hometown pride, bragging rights, tradition, and the memories that stay with players and fans long after the final whistle.

And in 1998, that rivalry helped write one of the most memorable chapters in Bellows Falls football history.

With the Terriers preparing to face Springfield once again this Saturday, October 24, at 7 PM, FACT TV is opening its archives and bringing you two historic games that tell the remarkable story of the Terriers’ road to the 1998 state championship.

GAME ONE — OCTOBER 31, 1998
BELLOWS FALLS vs. SPRINGFIELD
Final Score: Springfield 20, Bellows Falls 16

Halloween 1998. Two longtime rivals. One game with major playoff implications.

The Springfield Cosmos came away with a hard-fought 20–16 victory over the Terriers, securing the No. 2 seed in the Division II playoffs and leaving Bellows Falls with the No. 3 seed.

Springfield had won the battle and taken home the rivalry trophy.

But the story was far from over.

FACT TV Sports from the Vault: 1998 – BF Terriers Varsity Football Vs. Springfield 10/31/98

GAME TWO — NOVEMBER 7, 1998
THE PLAYOFF REMATCH
Final Score: Bellows Falls 22, Springfield 14

Just seven days later, the Terriers got something every football team dreams of — a second chance.

This time, the stakes were even higher. The winner would advance to the Division II State Championship.

Bellows Falls traveled to Springfield determined to rewrite the ending.

And that’s exactly what happened.

The Terriers turned the tables on their longtime rivals, defeating the Cosmos 22–14 in a thrilling semifinal showdown.

Springfield had won the regular-season meeting, but Bellows Falls had won when it mattered most.

The Terriers were heading to the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!

FACT TV Sports from the Vault: 1998 BF Terriers Varsity Fooball Vs. Springfield – 11/7/98

AND THE STORY DOESN’T END THERE…

Following their dramatic playoff victory over Springfield, the Terriers went on to face Lyndon Institute in the 1998 Vermont Division II State Championship.

Bellows Falls completed its remarkable championship run with a 38–26 victory, bringing home the state title!

COMING NEXT WEEK FROM THE FACT TV VAULT:

We’ll be releasing the 1998 Division II State Championship game between Bellows Falls and Lyndon Institute!

For now, enjoy these two classic rivalry matchups against Springfield, and stay tuned next week to watch how the Terriers finished their unforgettable championship season.

28 YEARS LATER, FACT TV IS BRINGING THAT HISTORY BACK!

As we prepare to cover this Saturday’s Bellows Falls vs. Springfield matchup at 7 PM, we’re reaching into the FACT TV vault to share these two historic games with the community.

For those who were there, it’s a chance to relive the excitement.

For former players and coaches, it’s an opportunity to revisit an incredible season.

And for today’s Terriers and younger fans, it’s a chance to see the history and tradition behind one of Vermont’s great high school football rivalries.

HELP US PRESERVE OUR COMMUNITY’S SPORTS HISTORY!

This is just the beginning of something we hope to do regularly at FACT TV.

We’re planning to bring more classic sporting events out of our archives and make them available for the community to enjoy.

But we need your help!

Our sports archives date back to approximately 1998, and unfortunately, our collection is incomplete. There are missing seasons, missing games, and countless moments in local sports history that may exist only on someone’s old VHS tape or DVD.

DO YOU HAVE OLD RECORDINGS OF LOCAL SPORTING EVENTS?

Maybe you recorded your son or daughter’s championship game.

Maybe you have a box of VHS tapes sitting in the attic.

Maybe you filmed a game years ago that hasn’t been seen since.

Those recordings could contain an important piece of our community’s history.

FACT TV would love to hear from you!

If you have recordings of past sporting events on VHS, DVD, or other formats, please consider sharing them with us so we can help preserve these memories and make them available for future generations.

AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Is there a particular Bellows Falls football game you remember?

A championship matchup? An incredible comeback? A memorable rivalry game?

Or perhaps a basketball, field hockey, soccer, baseball, or other local sporting event you’d love to see again?

Tell us in the comments!

If the game took place in 1998 or later, we’ll check our archives to see if we have it. If we do, we’ll work on getting it out of the vault and back in front of the community.

HISTORY IS WORTH PRESERVING. MEMORIES ARE WORTH SHARING.

At FACT TV, we believe these recordings are more than just old games. They’re part of our community’s story — the players, the coaches, the families, and the moments that brought us together.

Help us keep that history alive.

THIS SATURDAY — OCTOBER 24, 2026 — 7 PM
BELLOWS FALLS TERRIERS vs. SPRINGFIELD COSMOS

FACT TV will be there to cover the latest chapter in this historic rivalry!

AVAILABLE NOW FROM THE FACT TV VAULT:
1998 Bellows Falls vs. Springfield — Regular Season
1998 Bellows Falls vs. Springfield — State Semifinal

COMING NEXT WEEK:
1998 Bellows Falls vs. Lyndon Institute — Division II State Championship

FROM THE FACT TV VAULT — PRESERVING OUR PAST, SHARING OUR HISTORY, AND CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY.

Falls Area Community Television — FACT TV

www.fact8.com

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