By DAN BARILE
Eagle Times Correspondent
As December comes to a close, there have already been several exciting high school basketball games. While Windsor appears to be the clear local front-runner on the girls side, an argument could be made for several teams on the boys side.
Stevens is looking like one of the top boys teams in the area after winning the Connecticut River Classic. The Cardinals defeated Rivendell (48-37) in the first round before beating Fall Mountain (47-40) for the second time this season in the championship. Stevens also has a victory over Newport (47-30), though they did suffer a setback during an overtime loss to Windsor (46-42) on Dec. 15.
On the other side of the river, Bellows Falls (3-2) is unblemished against local opponents, but they still have much to prove as their only local game so far is a 63-51 victory over Green Mountain. The Terriers have an upcoming matchup with Springfield before they face two big contests against Windsor.
Speaking of Windsor (3-3), the Yellow Jackets may have briefly been considered the top local team by some after their win against Stevens, but with back-to-back losses against Green Mountain (51-47) and Fall Mountain (44-43), Windsor is looking to get back on track. The Yellow Jackets next matchup against an area opponent takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 3, when they host Springfield.
While there have been several thrilling games this season, the best contest undoubtedly took place when Newport (2-2) traveled to Fall Mountain (1-3) on Dec. 21. Fall Mountain held a 20-point lead in the third quarter before Newport came storming back to force overtime. The Tigers and Wildcats went back-and-forth during the extra frame until Newport’s Aaron Fellows connected on a three at the buzzer to secure a 75-74 victory. The young squads from Newport and Fall Mountain appear to be on an upward trajectory as they have both shown an ability to compete with the better teams in the area.
Green Mountain (4-3) and Sunapee (4-2) have also experienced some success early in the season. Sunapee has already eclipsed last season’s win total and has a 44-36 win over local foe Mount Royal. Green Mountain’s victory over Windsor has them solidly in the mix as one of the better teams in the area.
Springfield (2-2) and Mount Royal (1-5) have yet to defeat any of their local foes, but they will both have opportunities in the coming weeks. The Cosmos have games scheduled against Windsor, Bellows Falls, and Green Mountain, and Mount Royal has a rematch with Sunapee on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
The next few weeks should continue to provide great games between several of the local teams. Only time will tell if any of the teams will be able to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.
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