The Vermont Basketball Coaches' Association (VBCA) held their annual Senior All Star Basketball Games last Saturday at Windsor High School, and Twin Valley's Justin Hicks and Brattleboro's Dylan DeJordy made quite a splash.
Hicks scored 17 points to lead the South squad to a 86-75 win in the Division III-IV boys' game over the North All-Stars. The South made 11 three-pointers in the winning effort. Twin Valley's DJ Lazelle was also on the South team.
Twin Valley's Kirra Courchesne played on the South team in the girls' Division III-IV game, and the South won that contest too, 61-54.
The northern girls' basketball teams are the strongest in the upper divisions, and their All-Stars had no problems with their southern counterparts as the North took the Division I-II game, 63-46.
In the boys' Division I-II game, the South squad made 15 three-pointers in pulling out a 96-91 win. DeJordy and Josh Hanson represented Brattleboro in that game, and DeJordy would capture the three-point shooting contest by making 20 shots.
For most of these players, this was the final game before college. Some may play one more game, as tryouts are coming up for the Vermont squad that will play the New Hampshire All-Stars in the Twin State Classic on June 25.
The VBCA also introduced its Dream Dozen teams - 48 of the top non-senior boys and girls players in Vermont. Twin Valley's Skyler Boyd was the lone local selection. He made the Division III-IV boys' team. Twin Valley girls' coach Buddy Hayford was also honored for winning his 400th game this season.
Castleton honors Pelz-Walsh, Higley
• Castleton University held their annual football banquet last month in Glenbrook Gymnasium, and Brattleboro Union High School was well-represented among the award winners.
Soren Pelz-Walsh of Dummerston received the Scholar Athlete Award and Offensive Player of the Year, while the Defensive Player of the Year award went to Tyler Higley of Vernon.
The two BUHS alums were named captains, along with Darren Callan of St. Albans, of the 2016 Castleton Spartans.
Higley made the conversion from quarterback to defensive back in 2014 and, in 2015, was one of the top defensive players for the 7-3 Spartans as he led the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference with seven interceptions.
Pelz-Walsh, a wide receiver, caught 60 passes for 968 yards and seven touchdowns in 2015. Both he and Higley were selected to the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference's All-Conference Team.
The Spartans will open the 2016 season on Sept. 3 at home against Plymouth State.
Extended open gym hours
• The Brattleboro Recreation & Parks Department is offering additional open gym and game room hours at the Gibson-Aiken Center for all school ages on March 25 and 28, from 1:30 to 5 p.m.
Open Gym & Game Room is a free program for any child. It is a fully supervised program with a variety of activities to choose from. Along with basketball, there is foosball, air hockey, bumper pool, and arts and crafts. It is a great safe place for children; feel free to check them in with the Rec & Parks Staff or stay and play with them.
For more information on this, and other programs at the Gibson-Aiken Center, call the Rec Office at 802-254-5808.