PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Northern Maine Community Recreation Association held its annual fifth- and sixth-grade girls’ basketball tournament in a new venue March 10 and 11, 2017.
For the first time in over 20 years, Presque Isle was the host site as the tourney took place at the new Sargent Family Community Center. Seven teams competed. In the end, Caribou proved to be too strong as the Vikings topped Fort Fairfield in the championship game.
Despite one of its key players, Selena Savage, sitting out with a neck injury, Caribou prevailed over the Tigers, 32-23. Fort Fairfield led after the first period, and Caribou gained the edge by two points at intermission. It was still a two-point game heading into the final quarter before a 13-6 run down the stretch gave the Vikes the win.
McKenna Mathie keyed Fort Fairfield to a victory over Mars Hill in one of the semifinal games, while Caribou bested Presque Isle in the other semi as Savage and Olivia Leichliter combined for all but two of their team’s points in a 29-17 win.
Caribou started with an opening-round victory over Ashland, while Mars Hill stopped Washburn. Both games occurred on the first day of the tournament. Fort Fairfield came through with a win over Easton in another quarterfinal which opened the second day of the event.
Breya MacFarline of Presque Isle, Fort Fairfield’s Mathie, Araya Caverhill of Mars Hill and both Madelynn Deprey and Leichliter of the champion Vikes made the all-tournament team.
