Montpelier Locos Advance to Regional Semifinal, Continuing Historic Basketball Season

Montpelier’s boys basketball team is experiencing a historic season, reaching the Division VII regional semifinal after securing their first district title since 1978. The Locos defeated Miller City 71-56 in the district final on Saturday at Bryan High School, following a 60-40 win over Stryker on March 5th.

A Season of Firsts for Montpelier

Montpelier will face Arlington (22-3) in the regional semifinal at 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 10th, at Bowling Green State University. A win would propel them to the Division VII regional final at 12 p.m. Saturday at Bowling Green State University, against either Pettisville or Kalida.

This season marks the program’s first outright Buckeye Border Conference title since 1956, when the Locos were in the Northwest Ohio Athletic League. They finished the regular season with a 23-2 overall record, breaking the program’s single-season wins record.

Coach Ramos Credits Team Chemistry and Growth

“This season started with the upperclassmen believing in what they were doing last year and then having the young kids come in like CJ Fidler and getting some minutes from the other guys,” said Montpelier coach Nick Ramos. He also noted a pivotal summer camp at Findlay helped him realize the team’s potential.

Ramos emphasized the team’s defensive strength and fast-paced offensive strategy. “Defensively, we can stop about anybody and offensively we’re hard to stop if we get out and run the ball…the faster we go, the more tired other teams get.”

The coach also highlighted the team’s depth and ability for multiple players to contribute offensively. “We are a very deep team. We benefit from having players that can score from multiple positions on the floor and if you take one guy away, we’re going to step up and probably observe somebody else produce an adjustment and step up themselves.”

Key Players Drive Locos’ Success

Montpelier’s offense is led by sophomore CJ Fidler (22.9 ppg), senior Hayden Sharps (11.8 ppg), junior Wesley Hartsock (11 ppg), and senior Kenneth Smeltzer (9.6 ppg). Gavyn Bass (5.9 ppg), Malachi Smeltzer (3.9 ppg), and Kade Stewart (1.3 ppg) also contribute.

The Locos boast a 55 percent shooting percentage within the arc, 36 percent from beyond the arc, and an overall 48 percent shooting percentage from the floor. They average 64.2 points per game and 26.7 rebounds per game, whereas committing only 9.6 turnovers per game.

Overcoming Past Disappointments

The team’s motivation stems from a loss to Edgerton in the 2025 district semifinals. “It just makes us seek it even more,” said Fidler. “And when we all want it, we all are willing to do things that most other teams aren’t willing to do.”

Sharps echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the strong team bond. “I reckon it helps us know where each other is at on the court…us having that bond together and being so close helps us know where each other’s at on the court and communicate better.”

Arlington Presents a New Challenge

Arlington comes off a commanding 73-36 district final win over South Central. The Red Devils feature 6-foot-10 senior Calvin Willow, along with Lukas McIlroy (6-3), Jackson Wenner (6-1), Logan Fenstermaker (5-8), and Dane South (6-0).

Montpelier assistant coach Chris Fidler acknowledged Willow’s height as a challenge but outlined a strategy to attack through the high post and utilize their own offensive strengths. “He’s a very nice ball player…But what we’re going to try to do is attack things through the high post.”