By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
The Caribou Vikings are currently the No. 4 team in Eastern Maine Class B after splitting a pair of games last week. Caribou lost for the first time this season last Tuesday in overtime at Mount Desert Island, 58-52, before bouncing back two days later for a 53-41 triumph over John Bapst in Bangor.
The Vikes are 5-1 with a 11.2037 tournament index heading into tonight’s home game against Houlton. Ellsworth is currently in first place at 7-0 with a 16.6049 tourney index.
In Class D, Washburn is still unbeaten after sneaking out a one-point victory over Southern Aroostook last Tuesday in Dyer Brook. The 4-0 Beavers (fifth place, 4.7658) are at winless Limestone tonight and then play Greater Houlton Christian Academy Monday at 7 p.m. at UM-Presque Isle.
The Fort Fairfield Tigers had a 2-0 week and are up to sixth in the rankings with a 4.6133 tourney index after recent victories over Katahdin and Van Buren. Coach Todd Alley’s defending EM Class D runners-up, 4-2 overall, have an important game Thursday at Class C Madawaska prior to their home game against Easton.
Limestone-MSSM is still searching for its first victory of the season. The 0-7 Eagles lost to Madawaska and Fort Kent this past week. After playing Washburn tonight, the team hosts Van Buren Friday.
Summaries of games played through Monday, Jan. 3 are as follows:
Fort Kent 62, Limestone-MSSM 33 – The Eagles’ Josh Forsman scored 10 points and Cody Bryant had nine, but it was not enough as the host Warriors kept Limestone-MSSM winless Monday.
Thomas Enerva scored 12 to lead Fort Kent.
Fort Fairfield 57, Van Buren 33 – Travis Noyes and Dereck Dufour combined for 29 points Thursday at the Tigers bested the Crusaders in Fort Fairfield. Noyes scored 15 and Dufour 14 for the winners, while Andrew Lewis tallied 10.
Caribou 55, John Bapst 43 – Matt Till scored a season-high 22 points Thursday as the visiting Vikes defeated Bapst.
Stephen St. Peter also established a season-high with 17 points, while Chad Caverhill tossed in 10 for Caribou, which used a 14-4 spurt in the second quarter to grab a 27-15 halftime advantage.
Washburn 69, Southern Aroostook 68 – The Beavers kept their undefeated record intact thanks to a three-pointer by junior Mason Turner with 10 seconds remaining.
Connor Fitzpatrick netted a season-high 20 points for Washburn, while Turner and Mitch Worcester scored 12 points each and Jordan McLaughlin added 10.
Pat Goodall scored 30 for the Warriors.
MDI 58, Caribou 52 (OT) – The Trojans outscored the Vikes 10-4 in overtime last Tuesday to survive a scare at home.
Jayson Burke forced overtime with a bucket with 4.3 seconds left in regulation.
Till netted 16 points, while Caverhill and Thibodeau had 12 and 10, respectively, for Caribou.
Fort Fairfield 63, Katahdin 41 – Noyes exploded for 25 points and also handed out seven assists as the Tigers won at home over the Cougars last Tuesday. Brandon Clark had 13 points and eight rebounds and Dylan Caldwell 10 points and 11 rebounds for Fort Fairfield.
Colton Bivinghouse notched 18 points and nine boards for Katahdin.
Madawaska 79, Limestone-MSSM 45 – The visiting Owls used a 27-point second quarter to rout the Eagles last Tuesday in Limestone.
Madawaska’s DeeJay Gendreau scored 27 points to lead all scorers.
Bryant tossed in 11 points and Nick Whitehead had eight for Limestone-MSSM.
