High school basketball season underway in County
Tiger boys and Bear girls impressive in 2-0 starts,
Wildcats’ games postponed
Most of the Presque Isle winter sports teams were supposed to get their season underway over the weekend, but Saturday’s stormy weather in Penobscot County caused a delay.
The Wildcats’ girls and boys home basketball games against Hermon were scratched and moved to Dec. 23. As a result, the Presque Isle boys will now open at home tonight against defending Class C state champion Houlton Shiretowners.
The PI girls took on Houlton Tuesday afternoon.
Presque Isle’s swim team was set to compete in the Penobscot Valley Conference Relay Carnival at the University of Maine at Orono, but that meet was cancelled with no makeup planned.
The PI hockey team also had its match against Old Town-Orono postponed. The Wildcats will host Camden Hills Saturday afternoon at 1:15 p.m.
A handful of basketball games involving local teams did take place Friday and Monday to kick off the varsity season.
The four-time defending Class D state champion Washburn girls got their season going with a blowout victory over Hodgdon at home Friday.
Using a smothering defense, the Beavers did not allow a single point until the late stages of the second quarter and went on to a 98-12 triumph.
Mackenzie Worcester paced Washburn with 24 points and Grace Braley had 20.
The Easton girls played each night and were successful in both games.
In Friday’s 77-17 home win over Ashland, Kalie Ward led the charge with 21 points, while Kylee Carter tossed in 19.
Freshman Morgan Doughty had five for the Hornets.
On Monday, Easton eased past Wisdom in St. Agatha, 55-33, behind Ward and Carter, who posted 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The Central Aroostook girls won convincingly in their home opener Friday, downing Southern Aroostook, 63-43.
Molly Anthony scored 21 points and Karli Levesque had 18 to direct the Panther attack. Kassidy Levesque, a freshman, pitched in with 11 points.
The Fort Fairfield girls and boys also recorded lopsided wins in their home debuts Monday.
The Tiger girls held the Limestone-MSSM Eagles to single digits in points in picking up a 62-9 win.
Chelsey Pelkey, who transferred from Limestone to Fort Fairfield this summer, led the Tigers with 19 points. Teresa Maynard chipped in with 12 points.
The FF boys made it two wins in a row and both times have limited the opponent to less than 30 points.
On Monday, first-year coach Logan McLaughlin’s Tigers topped Limestone-MSSM, 72-22.
Robbie Watson led a group of four players in double figures with 15 points. Johnny Theriault, Vincent Campbell and Chris Giberson all netted 10 for the hosts.
Alex Sprague scored half of his Eagle team’s points, finishing with 11.
On Friday, the Tigers won at Ashland, 74-29. Hunter Beaulieu scored 18 points, Watson had 16 and Giberson 13 for the victors.
Cody Blair scored 13 points and Michael Cook added 12 for the Hornets.
“We have been able to contain our men on defense and make them force up some bad shots,” McLaughlin said. “There is a lot more work to be done as in making quicker rotations and more communication, but overall I have been very pleased with how we have been able to pressure the ball and keep guards out of the middle.” The Easton Bears received a career-high 30 points from sophomore forward Jake Flewelling in Monday’s 78-37 win over Wisdom in St. Agatha.
Three other players reached double figures as Drew Sotomayor had 17 points, Nick Clark 13 and Cody Halvorson 11.
Easton was without the services of starting guard Connor Burtt, who sat out with an injury.
On Friday, the Central Aroostook Panthers had a difficult opening game, losing at Southern Aroostook, 72-47.
The host Warriors, expected to be one of the top teams in Class D this season, broke out to a 42-16 lead en route to the win.
Nolan Altvater had 16 points and Jackson Maynard 15 to lead SA.
Cameron Todd scored 11 points and Riley McGrath followed with 10 for Central Aroostook, who was without injured senior guard Chandler Brewer due to injury.
