DYER BROOK, Maine — The Southern Aroostook girls basketball team has flown under the radar as a squad of young and scrappy underclassmen. All that changed last season, however, when the Warrior girls dominated the competition in Class D, en route to a 20-2 overall record, finishing as state champs for the first time since 1995.
With essentially the entire roster back, eighth-year coach Cliff Urquhart knows that teams will be gunning for them. And that suits coach Urquhart and the Warriors just fine.
“An often overlooked part of the game of basketball is cohesiveness,” coach Urquhart said. “Talent will only take you so far. Lack of chemistry will ultimately determine the success of your season. I think we have great team chemistry. We have five kids on the floor acting as one. (The team has) no stars or egos and everyone knows what their role is.”
A year ago, the Warriors finished 16-2 in Class D North, with its only two losses coming to Class C powerhouse Houlton in a pair of close contests. The No. 1 seed in their region, SA defeated No. 9 Jonesport-Beals, 71-39, in the quarterfinals; beat No. 5 Katahdin, 73-41, in the semifinals; and defeated No. 2 Woodland, 55-41, in the regional championships.
In the state title game, the Warriors found another gear against a senior laden squad from Vinalhaven, a team that had won 33 consecutive games and was the defending state champs. SA won that game 54-37.
Members of the 2018-19 Warrior roster are seniors Katelyn Slauenwhite, Kylie Vining, Kassidy Mathers and Maddie Cummings; juniors Makaelyn Porter, Sydney Brewer and Lori Woodcock; sophomores Paige Vose, Kacy Daggett, Selena Botting and Emma Nadeau; and freshmen Emily Stewart, Gracie Brewer, Bre Daggett and Emily Skinner.
Mathers, a 5-foot, 9-inch forward, was an All Tournament and All Aroostook player last year as well as an All-State Honorable Mention. She is two years recovered from a knee injury which sidelined her during her sophomore season.
Porter, a 5-11 forward/guard, was a tournament MVP, All Aroostook and All State Honorable Mention and could be poised for an even bigger season this year.
Vining, a 5-6 guard, may be the team’s shortest player in the starting lineup, but that did not stop her from leading the team in rebounding for the third consecutive year. Kacy Daggett, a 5-11 center, had a tremendous tournament in Bangor. Sydney Brewer, a 5-9 forward, has the ability to lead the team in scoring any given night. Slauenwhite, a 5-7 guard, has been an offensive spark for the Warriors with her ability to shoot the ball in big games.
“We have multiple players that can switch and defend multiple positions,” the coach said. “In our starting lineup we have five kids that I truly believe can all guard every position if they had to.”
After winning a state title, the coach said the team must not rest on its laurels.
“We have to be careful about complacency,” he said. “Just because we have everyone back does not guarantee anything. The bullseye will be on our backs this year. We can not let the light that shines on us ever become brighter than the light that burns inside us.”
Assisting with the team again this season are Brandon McCarthy and Jessica Greene.
