FAST BREAK … Evergreen’s Will Ruetz glides to the hoop on a fast break.
PHOTOS BY REBEKAH DELL / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
CAREER GAME … Hayden Sharps (above) dropped a career-high 28 points for the Locos in a home loss to Evergreen.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
MONTPELIER (December 13, 2025) – It was a matchup between a pair of high scoring boys’ basketball heavyweights who have already burned a few light bulbs out on the scoreboard in the early part of the season.
Evergreen and Montpelier would put together quite an offensive scoring display of high school basketball before the crowd in “The Railyard” with the Vikings holding off the Locos, 84-75, in a battle of two conference title contenders.
The Vikings (3-1) who had entered the matchup averaging 79 points per game is expected to contend for the Northwest Ohio Athletic League title this season along with defending league champion Patrick Henry and Liberty Center.
“I told our guys that we had to be mentally and physically prepared for a battle and maybe even a track meet tonight,” said Evergreen head coach Kyle Bostater.
“Montpelier is a very quality team, and I have them marked down probably to win about 19 games this year.
“This was a big one for us in the early season and a nice early test for us. They responded and played very well where we made some plays down the stretch.”
The Locos (4-1), who dropped their first game of the season and are expected to defend their Buckeye Border Conference title, had known they were going to be in a run-and-gun affair with a lot of moving parts in the game.
“I thought our boys played hard, but we just didn’t get the shots to fall when we needed to,” said Montpelier head coach Nick Ramos.
“I wasn’t upset about our effort, but we still put up 75 points on a great team. I think Evergreen is going to be a contender in the NWOAL, because they’re fast and they can shoot. “
Neither team shot very well from the floor in the first half. Evergreen was 12 of 38 for 31% compared to Montpelier’s 11 of 27 for 40%.
Evergreen led 19-18 after the first eight minutes, but in the second quarter, the Vikings broke a 24-24 deadlock on a layup by Quinten Eisel before the Locos got one of two free throws from C.J. Fidler.
The Locos were then held scoreless for nearly two minutes in the quarter as the Vikings went on a 7-0 run with Bryce Bolger sinking two free throws followed by a rebound bucket and a three-pointer by Troy Manz as Evergreen went up by eight points, 33-25.
Kade Stewart would hit one of two free throws for Montpelier, followed by a three-pointer by Hayden Sharps would close out the first half with Evergreen leading, 33-29.
However, the second half was a whole different story as the two teams combined for 99 points, 37 of 67 field goal attempts and 13 of 17 free throw attempts over the final 16 minutes.
Evergreen led by as many as seven points, 48-41, on a steal and basket by George Allendorf with four minutes left in the third quarter.
Montpelier answered with Kenneth Smeltzer scoring five unanswered points including a three-point play to close the gap to 48-46.
With the Vikings holding onto a 55-52 lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Locos got within four points, 64-60 on a turnaround jumper by Wesley Hartsock.
It was the closest the Locos would get from there as Allendorf, who was held to just five points two nights earlier against Ottawa Hills, hit back-to-back jumpers for a 68-60 lead.
Allendorf, who had only eight points in the first half, ended up with a season high of 28 points leading all scorers. Nineteen of those points came in the second half, including 14 in the final quarter.
“Last year he (Allendorf) had 41 points against Fostoria,” noted the Evergreen coach. “He is a guy that could put points on the board for us.
“He’s been in a little bit of a rut lately, but for him it’s all the confidence thing. We trust him and we just needed him to step up like that and he did.”
The 5-10 senior gave Evergreen its biggest lead of the night, 80-68, with an off-glass jumper with less than two minutes remaining.
“We had watched a couple of their games, including the Otsego game in which they had lost 97-90 in overtime,” said the Locos coach.
“We knew we had to run and gun with them. I think we really lost this game on the offensive boards. We just couldn’t get it, and they could and we allowed 20 points from their offensive boards.”
Manz, who had been averaging 25 points per game for the Vikings, finished with 26 points, 13 of those coming in the second half.
Eisel and Chris Shrader both contributed 11 points apiece. The Vikings were 33 of 73 for 45% from the floor and 7 of 10 from the stripe along with 33 rebounds and 11 turnovers.
“This is our third out of four games we had four players in double figures,” pointed out Bostater. “Our role players are stepping up, and everybody is fulfilling their roles.”
Sharps turned in a spectacular performance for Montpelier with a career-best 28 points including a perfect 6 of 6 from the charity stripe. Kenneth Smeltzer contributed 21 points and Fidler added 14 points.
The Locos were 27 of 59 for 45% from the floor and 15 of 18 from the stripe along with 20 turnovers. “Hayden (Sharps) had a great night on the scoring column for us, and he was on fire,” said Ramos.
“I talked to coach Bostater after the game, and he said they didn’t expect that from Hayden, but we’ll take it.”
EVERGREEN (84) – Manz 26; Ruetz 6; Q. Eisel 11; Allendorf 28; Bolger 2; Mossing 0; Shrader 11; Totals 22-11-7 – 84
MONTPELIER (75) – Stahler 0; Stewart 1; Sharps 28; Fidler 14; M. Smeltzer 0; Hartsock 4; K. Smeltzer 21, Bass 7; Totals 21-6-15 – 75
EHS 19 14 22 29 – 84
MHS 18 11 23 25 – 75