Montpelier Boys Basketball Advances to Semifinals, Defeats Springfield 75-50

MONTPELIER, Vermont – The Montpelier Solons advanced to the Division II semifinals of the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) State Playoffs on Saturday, defeating Springfield Cosmos 75-50 in a decisive quarterfinal matchup. The victory extends Montpelier’s winning streak to three games and solidifies their position as a strong contender for a sixth consecutive Division II championship.

The game, played in Montpelier, saw the Solons establish dominance early, building an 18-point lead in the first quarter and maintaining control throughout. Ten players contributed to the scoring, highlighting the team’s depth and balanced offensive capabilities. The performance marks a significant turnaround for Montpelier, following a challenging playdown win over Lake Region earlier in the week where they had to overcome a 14-point second-half deficit.

“We’ve been pretty good offensively early in games all year, so we thought we could get that turned around,” said Montpelier coach Nick Foster. “And we had two great days of practice and the attitude with the team is really good. So it was like a breath of fresh air still being alive after that game Tuesday night. And if anything, it gave us a sense of urgency. We certainly stroll into the game today expecting anything to be easy. The kids came out and played really hard early in the game and set the tone.”

Leading the Solons’ offensive charge was Stone Poor, who scored 25 points, continuing a strong run of form. Poor’s performance was complemented by a dominant showing from Alex Weinstein, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while also blocking four shots. Kaiden Anderson-Hall added eight points, six rebounds, and two steals, demonstrating the team’s versatility. Winter Holloway contributed seven points to the Solons’ total.

The Solons’ offensive execution in the first quarter proved particularly crucial, allowing them to establish a significant lead that Springfield struggled to overcome. Foster emphasized the team’s improved execution and defensive intensity. “We executed much better on offense, especially in the first quarter,” he said. “We were able to get Stone open looks. And we got stops too and played really good defense in the first quarter.”

Despite the loss, Springfield put up a fight, with Bradley Gallant leading the Cosmos in scoring with 15 points. John Paul Stagner followed with 14 points, 13 of which came in the second half. Nick Wiese added nine points and Ollie Kelley eight. The Cosmos finished the season with a record of 14-7.

Montpelier’s victory comes after a season where the team faced challenges in rebuilding after losing a significant portion of its previous roster. “This group of kids has really grown up this year,” Foster noted. “Early in the year we talked about how, as long as nothing breaks us, we’ll be fine and we’ll keep plugging away. And they’ve done. We didn’t even have 100 points returning to our varsity team, so it took some time to grow together as a group. And I’m really proud of the team.”

The Solons will now face a formidable opponent in the semifinals: the top-seeded Hartford Hurricanes, who boast an undefeated 21-0 record and are seeking their first state title since 1929. The semifinal game is scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. At the Barre Aud.

Montpelier has a history with Hartford, having earned a 59-33 victory over the Hurricanes in the 2023 quarterfinals and securing a 58-49 victory in the 2024 finals, handing Hartford one of their rare losses in recent years. However, Foster acknowledges the challenge ahead.

“Hartford has been the team to beat all year and you can see that they’re on a mission,” Foster said. “If someone is going to knock them off now, you’re going to have to play really, really well. So we’re going to give them our best and see what happens.”

In other Vermont high school basketball action on Saturday, the Hartford girls basketball team defeated Lamoille 37-20 to win the Division II state championship, securing their first title since 2012. Local wrestlers also competed at the New England Championships over the weekend, with athletes from Otter Valley, Fair Haven, and Mill River achieving notable results.