Twinfield-Cabot basketball senior boys included (from left) Meles Gouge, Cabot student Dominic Hale, Brayden Cushing, Sam Russell and Cayden Green.
NORTHEAST KINGDOM – Danville’s Andrew Joncas and Richford’s Jerrick Jacobs were named Mountain League Co-Player of the Year last week, as several local athletes earned honors for their stellar performances on the hardwood this past season.
Joncas led the Bears in scoring, joining the 1,000-point club as just a junior, and led Danville to the top seed in the Division IV state tournament. Danville fell to Grace Christian in the state title game but should be a force once again in Joncas’ senior campaign next winter. The high-flying Jacobs powered Richford’s offense all season, winning 17 games and into the second round of the Division III tournament. Joining Joncas and Jacobs as Mountain League First Team selections were Anthoni Guinard (Danville), Evan Bailey (Williamstown), and Winooski’s Sam Parris.
Craftsbury Academy’s Dylan Washer paced Mountain League Second Team selections after a stellar senior campaign. Washer scored the 1,000th point of his career with a 43-point performance against Sharon Academy in February, in what was the second 40-plus point performance of the season for the talented big man. Rounding out Second Team selections were Nick Mascitti (Williamstown), Will Steinhour (Richford), and Chris Buker and Omar Turnage of Winooski.
Senior Meles Gouge and sophomore Tej Stewart led Mountain League Honorable Mention selections after leading an injury-riddled Trojan squad to a 10-win season under first year coach Kris Bador. Gouge finished off his impressive career as primary ball handler and elite defender this past season, while Stewart’s season was cut short by a broken wrist late in the year. Gouge helped a shorthanded Trojan team win a first-round playoff game before falling in their quarterfinal match-up against top seeded Danville. Danville’s Cooper Calkins rounded out Honorable Mention selections along with Jamal Saibou and Kason Blood (Blue Mountain), Carter Blaney and Carson Steinhour (Richford), Sylas Meunier and Ryan Sheehan (BFA-Fairfax) and Oxbow’s Reece Ilsey.
Danville’s Jason Brigham led his program to a 19-5 season and was named Mountain League Coach of the Year. The top-seeded Bears brought an eight-game win streak into the title game against the Lions. Danville won the Division IV state championship in 2019 and has made it to the Barre Auditorium four of the last six years.
