By Stephen Looke and James Biggam Staff Writers
Jameson Solomon started his high school hockey career by fighting just to get a few minutes here and there as a freshman at the BOR.
The Spaulding forward took the lack of playing time in stride, channeling any irritation into motivation.
Three years later, Solomon showed everyone in the Granite City that mental tenacity combined with a strong physical work ethic pays off in spades.
The four-year varsity player possessed the flashy stick-handling skills that wowed the crowd but was also willing to do the grunt work for the Crimson Tide. After sticking to a dedicated strength-training routine for the past three years, Solomon emerged as a force to be reckoned with against the best Division I teams in Vermont.
Naming Solomon the Times Argus Hockey Player of the Year is only fitting after the senior led the Tide to blowout victories over local rivals U-32 and Harwood. It’s been a long journey for the multi-sport standout, and there’s no doubt that he’s played a vital role in preserving Spaulding’s reputation as one of the most consistent programs in Division I.
“What I’ll probably remember the most is how our team kept working at eventually competing with the top teams in the state,” Solomon said.
The Crimson Tide battled through a rebuilding season in 2018-19 after making back-to-back championship appearances the previous two years. There were clearly high standards for a team that boasted six titles in school history and had advanced to the finals 16 times. Spaulding went 6-13-2 that year, skating to a 4-2 playdown victory at Rutland before being eliminated by Essex in the quarterfinals.
“My freshman year I came in and I was really small — I hadn’t really grown much,” Solomon said. “Our team had kind of a tough year that year. We just lost a lot of one-goal games and I didn’t really see the ice a lot because I was so small. The coach thought I’d get hurt. I kept asking him, ‘What can I do to get ice time?’ And he said, ‘Get stronger, harder passes, work on your shot and your game.’ So that off-season I went to the gym a lot with my dad. I gotta give it to him: He took me pretty much every day.”
The Crimson Tide bounced back in 2019-20 while proving they could keep pace with the elite D-I powerhouses. Solomon’s goal eight seconds into the first period set the tone for a 5-2 victory over South Burlington. He tallied a crucial assist in a 6-5 victory at Rutland and buried a timely insurance goal to help seal a 4-1 victory over CVU. The Tide wound up with a 10-9-1 record that winter.
“I was way better,” Solomon said. “I was on the second line that year. Going from almost no playing time freshman year to second line — going out every other shift or every two shifts — that was huge for me. I remember that year was a great year. We had a lot of good senior leadership.”
A Covid-shortened schedule during Solomon’s junior year resulted in a seven-game season. Spaulding finished at 2-5, with Solomon recording four goals and six assists. Despite the disappointing team record, Solomon rose to the occasion during some of the biggest games. He scored to keep things close in a loss to eventual champ BFA-St. Albans before tallying one goal and one assist in a 5-2 victory over U-32.
According to Solomon, working with Vermont Flames coach Dave Pavlik in the off-season was a big factor is his development.
“I did summer skills training with him twice a week and that helped me a ton,” Solomon said. “If you want to be a really good player, you’ve gotta put in the time.”
The Crimson Tide made the most of their full schedule this past winter, going 8-13 while facing off against the best teams in Vermont. Solomon was a marked man every time he stepped out on the ice but still led the Tide to a season sweep against South Burlington (8-11-2) and lopsided victories over Harwood (10-10-1) and U-32 (13-6).
While every matchup was different, some pre-game habits always remained the same for Solomon.
“I try to do the same thing (every time),” he said. “We’ll go for a team run, then I’ll roll out, stretch out a little bit, tape my stick a certain way. Then, while we’re getting ready, I’ll throw in some earbuds, listen to some hype music and get going and get ready to play.”
Solomon scored during an early-season loss to BFA-St. Albans and then found the back of the net twice in a 6-1 victory over U-32. He helped the Tide rebound from a four-game losing skid by leading his team to a 5-4 victory over South Burlington and a 6-2 victory over CVU. Solomon scored two goals in a 7-3 victory over Rutland before breaking free for two goals and one assist during an 8-1 victory over Harwood. He tucked away two more goals in a 4-1 victory over South Burlington and assisted linemate Jamison Mast in the third period to spark a 1-0 victory over CVU.
“We’ve been really good friends since kindergarten,” Solomon said of Mast.
Solomon closed out the regular season by tallying one goal in a a 7-2 victory over Rutland. He scored again in the quarterfinals as the Tide gave eventual champ Essex one of its toughest tests of the season during a 3-2 loss.
The Tide seniors will now pass the torch to a talented crew of underclassmen, and players like Solomon offer a reminder to the freshmen that it’s never productive to get easily discouraged. His ability to steadily rise up the ranks provides an important lesson for his younger teammates as they attempt to follow in his footsteps. After four up-and-down years playing for coaches Chad Burke, Jason LaCroix and Andy Grandbois, Solomon expresses nothing but gratitude.
“They all did a great job of teaching us how to play the right way and really molded us into good young men,” he said.
Original story can be found at the Times Argus.
