Winooski boys basketball dethrones Hazen to polish off perfect season
Perfection and redemption.
The Winooski High School boys basketball team accomplished both to cap a season-long mission on Saturday.
In a rematch of last year's final, top-seeded Winooski solved No. 2 Hazen for a 57-52 victory in the Division III championship at Barre Auditorium, seizing the program's first state crown in 12 years.
The Spartans (22-0), who won their 12th overall title and completed their first undefeated season, raced out to a 36-18 halftime lead. Hazen cut the deficit to 43-36 through three quarters, but Winooski held on down the stretch to secure the title in coach Sam Jackson's fifth season in charge.
Winooski's Hassan Hassan dropped 20 points to lead all scorers, while teammates Trevon Bradley (15 points), Daniel Surma (nine points) and Sam Parris (eight points) contributed to a balanced attack.
Surma scored half of Winooski's 14 points to clinch the title. Winooski used a 25-point outburst in the second period to mount its 36-18 halftime lead. During the eight-minute frame, Bradley collected 10 points, Parris sank a trio of baskets and Hassan buried a pair of 3s to highlight his nine-point quarter.
For the Wildcats (20-4), Xavier Hill had a team-high 19 points, Brendan Moodie tossed in 14 points and big man Tyler Rivard supplied 10 points.
Montpelier rolls to three-peat in Division II
Fourth-seeded Montpelier secured a championship three-peat behind strong defense on Saturday night.
The Solons led 33-17 at the break and then held No. 3 North Country to just two points in the third quarter, sealing its third straight crown with a 63-36 triumph at Barre Auditorium.
It's the ninth title in program history for the Capital city school.
Montpelier multi-sport standout Ronnie Riby-Williams poured in a game-high 22 points. Williams scored 15 first-half points, including eight in the opening frame as Montpelier staked to a 14-8 lead through eight minutes of play.
The lead grew to 43-19 after three quarters.
Carson Cody added nine points and Carter Bruzzese and Clayton each supplied seven for Montpelier, which knocked off previously unbeaten and No. 1 Spaulding in the semifinals.
Cooper Brueck led North Country with 12 points.
Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @aabrami5.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont H.S. boys basketball championships: Winooski dethrones Hazen
