BANGOR, Maine — The No. 2 Shead girls put on a shooting clinic Monday morning as the Tigers scored early and often en route to a 73-33 victory over seventh-ranked Ashland.
Shead, last year’s D North champion, is looking to get back to the regional title game, but will first have to get past No. 6 Washburn (11-8) Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7:05 p.m. in the semifinals. Washburn upset No. 3 Central Aroostook 54-47 in the first game of the morning.
Ashland’s Olivia Tardie, left, tries to rip the ball away from Shead’s Madison Greenlaw during Monday’s Class D North quarterfinal. Ashland fell 73-33.
(Joseph Cyr)
Ashland ends its season with a 9-11 record.
“We tried to not watch the scoreboard and just play our game,” Shead coach Dean Preston said. “We tried to play with intensity throughout because you are always playing for that next game … if you are lucky enough to make it to that next game.”
Four players scored in double figures for coach Dean Preston’s team as Holly Preston poured in 19 points, Cassidy Wilder added 18, and Madison Greenlaw and Katelyn Mitchell each had 11.
The Tigers started the game like gangbusters using a 15-2 run as Wilder and Preston dominated. Wilder dropped eight points in the first quarter, while Preston added six and Ashland was never able to recover, trailing 19-5 by the end of the period.
“I thought we looked really good in spots, but we still have a lot of work to do,” coach Preston said.
The Hornets struggled to get into an offensive rhythm and found themselves in a 36-16 halftime deficit that grew to 58-21 by the end of the third quarter.
Taking the ball to the hoop is Ashland’s Jamie Poulin, left, while guarded by Shead’s Katelyn Mitchell.
(Joseph Cyr)
“We knew Shead was a good team and this game was going to be a challenge,” Ashland coach Whitney Flint said. “To come and have to face a team that played in State’s last year, that’s pretty tough — especially for a young team like us.”
Sophomore Olivia Tardie scored nine points and eighth-grader Jamie Poulin totaled seven for the Hornets.
With just one senior on the roster in Hannah Stratton, Ashland coach Flint said she approached the second half of Monday’s game as a learning tool for her younger players to get some experience on the floor at Bangor.
“I am very pleased with how the team took [the loss],” she said. “I’m proud of my girls and I’m confident we’ll be back next year.”
