WINDSOR – Several local high school basketball seniors laced them up one last time on the hardwood at Windsor High School over the weekend, where many underclassmen and coaches were honored for their outstanding seasons, at the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association (VBCA) All-Star Weekend.
Twinfield-Cabot’s Carley Mancini, Jorja Washburn and Kendall Fowler were selected to the Division III-IV North all-star roster after leading the Lady Trojan program to home playoff wins in consecutive seasons. The trio of seniors teamed up with the inside force of Alice McLane last winter under first year head coach Jack Whalen, to lead Twinfield-Cabot to their first winning season in over a decade. Fowler combined to score 33 points in the team’s two playoff games in early March and carried that momentum into All-Star Weekend, scoring eight points in their 56-47 win over the South on Saturday. BFA-Fairfax’s Anna Villeneuve led the North with 10 points and Windsor’s Sophia Rockwell led the South with nine. Peoples Academy’s Sadie Baranyay rounded out local all-star seniors that made the North roster.
Hazen Union’s Brendan Moodie and Danville’s Andrew Joncas were selected to the boys’ Division III-IV North roster after their outstanding seasons and careers for the Wildcats and Bears.
Moodie finished his high school career in style Saturday, pouring in a game-high 23 points in a thrilling one-point loss to the South All-Stars. Joncas added 11 as the North rallied back from a 14-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. Peoples Academy’s Hudson Mace rounded out local seniors selected to the North roster.
Moodie had a historic senior season for Hazen, leading them back to the Division III state title game in Barre for a fourth straight year, while averaging just under 19 points per game. His 431 points this season is twelfth best all-time in program history and in his three years in a Wildcat uniform. He finished second all-time in free throw percentage (.843) and threes made (180) to Wildcat great Isaiah Baker.
Joncas finished his legendary career earlier this month by leading the Bears to a Division IV state title. The sharpshooting guard set the all-time scoring record at Danville with 1,717 career points.
Hazen Union sophomores Kelsie Rivard and Mya Lumsden were recognized for their Vermont Outstanding Underclassmen selections over the weekend, along with Peoples Academy junior Sophie Beck and eighth grade teammate Daisy Berg. It was the second consecutive selection for Rivard. On the boy’s side, Hazen junior Sully Laflam and Twinfield-Cabot junior Eli Russell were selected after breakout seasons for their teams. Fellow Trojan teammate Tej Stewart also earned honors for a third straight season. Danville’s Sebastian Eldred and Peoples Academy’s Jack Lafayette rounded out local selections. Colchester sophomore Anya Davis, daughter of Craftsbury Academy legend Jeff Davis, was selected to the Division I roster.
Twinfield-Cabot second year head coach Kris Bador was selected as the VBCA Division IV Coach of the Year after guiding the 19-4 Trojans to the Barre Auditorium for the first time in eight seasons. Former Hazen Union Lady Cat head coach Tanya McAuley was recognized for her 100th career win this past season as the current head coach at Spaulding.
VBCA Player of the Year honors went to West Rutland’s Peyton Guay and Burlington’s Abdi Sharif. Guay was presented with the award by St. Johnsbury Academy head coach and VBCA Division I Coach of the Year Jade Huntington, who held the all-time Vermont scoring record for 37 years before Guay broke it in a game against Hazen Union back in February. The four-time state champion finished her amazing career with 2,279 points.
