By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
The Fort Fairfield Tigers won a pair of games played in the St. John Valley last week and Washburn also had a 2-0 week, which helped set up last night’s crucial Class D matchup between the No. 9 Tigers (8-5 overall) and No. 4 Beavers (10-0) in Fort Fairfield. Washburn has another huge game looming Saturday when they travel to Mars Hill to take on the 12-0 and first-place Central Aroostook Panthers.
Caribou was beaten by Hermon in overtime and fell to 9-3. The Vikes are in eighth place in EM Class B. The team’s scheduled game against Mattanawcook on Friday was postponed due to the snowstorm and will be made up on Monday, Jan. 31 at 6:30 p.m.
Limestone-MSSM played perhaps its best game of the season last Tuesday at home against Southern Aroostook, but fell by eight points and is still winless. The Eagles’ scheduled game against Ashland Friday was moved to last night.
Summaries of games played through Jan. 24 are as follows:
Hodgdon 67, Limestone-MSSM 59 – Four Hawks reached double figures, led by Jake Tidd’s 17 points, as they beat the Eagles in Hodgdon Monday.
Cody Bryant powered Limestone-MSSM with a career-high 20 points. Josh Forsman scored 10 for the 0-12 Eagles.
Washburn 72, Easton 57 – The Beavers finally shook off the Bears in the fourth quarter as the two teams played before a capacity crowd at Washburn District High School Saturday.
Jordan McLaughlin netted 27 points and also collected six steals as the Beavers remained undefeated at 10-0. Mitch Worcester totaled 22 points and Connor Fitzpatrick added 10 for the winners.
Cody Tompkins totalled 22 points and Reid Clark had 17 for the Bears.
Hermon 50, Caribou 44 (OT) – The Hawks gained some valuable tournament points at home Saturday by handing the Vikings only their third loss of the season.
It was Caribou’s second overtime loss of the season. The first was against Mount Desert Island Dec. 28.
“Winning on the road is hard, and when you are playing a desperate team needing a staple win, it’s really tough,” said Caribou coach Chris Casavant. “I thought we played OK, but we fell behind early and couldn’t climb all the way back.”
Caribou took a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter and had the ball with the score tied in the final minute of regulation, but couldn’t capitalize. The Vikes were outscored 8-2 in overtime.
Stephen St. Peter and Chad Caverhill led Caribou with 16 points each.
Fort Fairfield 68, Wisdom 52 – Thursday in St. Agatha, the Tigers used a 27-point third quarter to get past the Pioneers.
Travis Noyes led the charge with 19 points, while Dereck Dufour had 14 and Andrew Lewis and Brandon Clark 10 each for the Tigers, now 8-5 on the season.
Southern Aroostook 71, Limestone-MSSM 63 – The host Eagles gave the Warriors a battle last Wednesday, but their upset bid fell short.
Josh Forsman had 13 points and Brandon Thompson notched 12 for Limestone-MSSM.
Fort Fairfield 64, Van Buren 53 – The Tigers were too much for the Crusaders last Tuesday, as four Fort Fairfield players reached double figures in the road victory.
Noyes scored 17 points and Lewis 15 to lead the way, while Jahleel Williams and Dufour added 11 each.
Eric LaPlante scored 13 points to pace the Crusaders.
Washburn 72, Greater Houlton Christian Academy 48 – The Beavers defeated GHCA for the second time in eight days as Worcester fired in 25 points and McLaughlin 21.
McLaughlin also contributed eight steals on the evening as Washburn ran out to a 16-4 lead at the end of the first quarter and was never challenged.
Russell Socoby scored 16 and Micah Wiley 15 for the Eagles.
