Danville Hard Efforts Fall Short To 2 Seed West Rutland in a Thriller

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Created on Sunday, 08 March 2026 04:26
Written by Max Kocha

West Rutland - The Seven seed Danville Bears (15-6) travel down south to face off against the 2 seed, undefeated, West Rutland High School (21-0).  This game is the quarterfinals of the D-IV Vermont State basketball tournament. This game is highly anticipated, as these 2 teams faced off in the playoffs last year, when Danville got the last laugh and won the whole tournament. West Rutland is looking for revenge after last year, but Danville hears the noise about everyone picking West Rutland, and they're looking to make a statement.

 

West Rutland struck first as Peter Guay was the guy West Rutland was looking to play off. He ended with 19 points. As they strike blows back and forth to start the contest, West Rutland sparks a run and ends the first quarter up 8, 16-8. As this is nothing new for the Bears, they show some adversity, making a little run of their own. The bears fight all the way back behind Senior Forward Sebastian Eldred as he was getting to the rim at will. The Bears fight to make it dead even with 3 seconds left before halftime as Guay goes coast to coast and gets a layup to go up 26-24 at halftime for West Rutland. 

For the Bears, Sebastian Eldred and Senior Guard Landon Fournier were keeping the Bears in the game as Eldred was just hard to stop, and Fournier would get going a little as well. West Rutland got some good production at this point from both Brandon Hogan, who had himself a night finishing with 15 points. 

As the game started to separate because of back-to-back 3's from Guay, the Bears were in desperation mode. It got to 40-32 for West Rutland in the 4th quarter, but then the Bears started to fight back. Big plays from Eldred and Junior Forward Jackson Giroux got Danville tied at 43. As Guay puts West Rutland on his back and makes a big shot. The bears have to foul, and that gets us down 2 with 2 seconds left. Another dramatic ending to these 2 teams as Danville gets the perfect shot to their best shooter, Landon Fournier, but it just comes up short. The upset was close for the Bears, but West Rutland takes the game 48-46. Keeping coach Ali Mithchell and her squad alive, as they advance to the semi-finals.

Coach Jason Brigham said this about the last play, " Our shooter is getting a good look, can't ask for a better look or opportunity." As Coach Brigham talked more about how much he loves this group and the seniors. There were 5 seniors for the Bears, and Coach Brigham talked in depth about how long he knew these kids and a honor it was to coach them. West Rutland looks to complete a undeafted state championship run. A great run by the Bears, ending their season 15-7, and will be looked back at as a great run these last 2 years. A standard has been set in Danville hoops, and it's just the beginning of the off-season.