WINDSOR — For Windsor High seniors Brooke McKeen and Robert Slocum, it was a day of emotion and new friendships.
Both Yellowjackets were selected to play on their home court on Saturday in the Vermont Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Games. While there were four games played over a span of several hours, the idea of the day between the top seniors in the North and South was more of long bombs and relaxed defense. While the South won the Division III-IV girls game, 53-50, the North boys rolled, 94-76.
For McKeen, it was a chance to play with her cousin, Green Mountain’s Paige Karl, and meet some new people.
“It was awesome and quite an experience,” said McKeen, who had six points in the game. “It was so much fun.”
It was an extra-special day for Slocum, but not so much for the 15 points he scored. He was also chosen to receive the Robert “Stretch” Gillam Memorial Award, which included a $750 scholarship. Gillam coached basketball for almost 60 years, and the award goes to a player who has a passion for defense, loves the game and is a good team player.
“Wow, what an honor,” said Slocum. “I didn’t expect this.”
While Slocum was thrilled to get the award, he also knew that this was the end of his high school basketball career.
“Oh, well, it’s on to baseball,” he said.
There were numerous awards handed out, and Windsor’s Olivia Rockwood received a couple of them. She was selected to the Dream Dozen for outstanding underclassmen and was also cited for surpassing 1,000 career points. Rockwood has a chance at 2,000 points, as she will enter her senior year with 1,404.
Other 1,000-point scorers recognized included Thetford’s Kiana Johnson, (1,149) and White River Valley’s Troy Walker (1,871). Both players began their careers elsewhere before reaching their final destinations, Johnson at Chelsea and Walker at Rochester and South Royalton.
Joining Rockwood on the Dream Dozen for Divisions III and IV were Thetford’s Emi Vaughan and Grace Davis, Oxbow’s Bruce Ilsley and Rivendell’s Zach Gould. Also selected was an eighth- grader, Twinfield’s Olivia Hogan.
Several coaches were honored for wins, but perhaps no one was more impressive than Williamstown’s Jack Carrier, who passed the 200-win mark in just 10 years.
Others who played in the games on Saturday were Thetford’s Lily Brown in the Division III-IV girls game and White River Valley’s Eddie Bray, Windsor’s Hunter Grela, Sharon’s Fisher Kelly, Thetford’s Jake Colby of Thetford and Rivendell’s Isaac Martel in the Division III-IV boys showdown.
Bob Hingston, of the Vermont Principals Association, also announced some division moves as the Rivendell and White River Valley girls will drop to Division IV and join the Marble Valley League. For the boys, Woodstock will drop to Division III while Rivendell ascends to the same division.
The 3-point contests were won by Mount St. Joseph’s Sophie Markowski and Arlington’s Jack Lane.
Selected as VBCA coaches of the year were Hazen’s Tanya McAuley (D-III girls) and Aaron Hill (D-III boys) and Danville’s Jason Brigham (D-IV boys).
West Rutland girls hoop coach Carl Serrani was also cited for passing the 300-victory plateau.