MONTICELLO – An exhilarating evening inside a packed-to-the-walls Monticello High School Pit made senior night one to remember, as the Panthers fed off nonstop energy to close their season with a 61–50 victory over the Minisink Valley Warriors.

Before the opening tip, the night began with a moving tribute honoring six senior cheerleaders and six senior players — Kent Johnson (team manager), Javien Williams, Anthony Ortiz, Miguel Cruz, Juan Velez, Andre Hill, and Jayden Dempsey. Once the formalities were concluded, the Panthers wasted no time turning emotion into momentum.

Fueled by an exuberant student section and relentless cheerleader support, Monticello jumped out early. The moment that truly ignited the building came on a fast break steal by senior Javien Williams, leading to a vicious one-handed dunk that nearly tore the roof off the Pit and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Head coach Chris Russo fittingly started all six seniors, honoring their four years of dedication to the program. As the game unfolded, Russo seamlessly balanced sentiment with strategy — inserting his regular rotation whenever momentum began to swing, ensuring the Panthers stayed in control.

The atmosphere was nothing short of electric. The student section transformed into a mock ESPN broadcast, complete with headsets, printed rosters, live play-by-play commentary, and relentless heckling of the Warriors, adding another layer of entertainment to an already spirited night.

After the win, Russo reflected on the emotional and competitive nature of senior night.

“We had our ups and downs today, like we’ve had all season,” Russo said. “But our atmosphere here in the Pit — when it’s a good game — the team feeds off that energy. We had a really solid fourth quarter after a lull in the third where they took the lead for a bit, and I’m really proud of how our guys handled that.”

He also pointed to a pivotal moment that sealed the outcome.

“We want to honor the seniors and let them start, but once that’s over, we have to channel our emotions into what needs to get done,” Russo added. “Dan, number 21, had a follow-up and-one off a missed three in the fourth that pretty much sealed the game for us.”

Three Panthers finished in double figures. Javien Williams led the way with 13 points, Jayxander Vera Soto added 11, and usual starter sophomore Daniel Weyer — who came off the bench — chipped in 11 points, including the crucial and-one that helped push the lead late.

Though it didn’t show up in the stats, senior Jayden Dempsey played impressive defense with many crowd-pleasing blocked shots, leading to timely turnovers. 

Minisink Valley’s Nick Alvira led all scorers with 15 points, while Anthony Marasco contributed 11 in the loss.

Russo closed by reflecting on the season and the senior class.

“The group of seniors we have, along with our senior team manager, has been great for us all year,” he said. “It wasn’t the dream storybook season, but it was a dream ending for them. I’m proud of the improvements they made, our younger kids are coming along, and we have a lot to look forward to next year.”

Monticello finishes the season at 5–15, but on senior night, the record faded into the background — the energy, emotion, and memories inside the Pit told a far bigger story