Montpelier's Jonah Cattaneo lifts the state Division II boys basketball trophy.
Montpelier High School senior Jonah Cattaneo lifts the state Division II championship trophy after the Solons defeated Mount St. Joseph Academy of Rutland, 66–39, on March 13.
Montpelier coach Nick Foster cuts down the net at Barre Auditorium.
It was the second straight boys basketball title for Montpelier and it was the third consecutive year that the Solons reached the championship game at Barre Auditorium. Cattaneo scored 15 points against MSJ and teammate Rashid Nikiema (left of Cattaneo in photo) scored 26 points. The Solons, who finished the season 22–1, defeated Twin City rival Spaulding, 66–43, in the semifinal game. Cattaneo scored 26 points in that game to lead all scorers.
Coach Nick Foster said the key to the Solons’ consistency is unselfishness. “The strength of our program is that the older kids are so welcoming to the younger group and that helps sustain our success,” he said.
The games at the packed Aud might have come at a cost, as reports of COVID-19 cases at Montpelier High jumped after the final two games.
