Following a few days off for Christmas, many local basketball teams are back in action this afternoon or tonight.
Six girls games and five boys games involving teams from the region are on the slate for Wednesday.
Houlton’s Kolleen Bouchard, in action against Southern Aroostook Dec. 22, will try to help the Shiretowners to their fourth consecutive victory to begin the season as they host Stearns of Millinocket, also undefeated at 6-0, Wednesday at 7 p.m. (Joseph Cyr)
The headliner is a battle of undefeated Class C North girls teams in Houlton beginning at 7 p.m. Stearns of Millinocket comes in with a 6-0 record and hold the division’s top ranking, averaging a 24.7 points per game margin of victory in those contests, while the Shiretowners are in seventh place at 3-0 with wins so far over Central Aroostook, Caribou and Southern Aroostook.
Two undefeated teams in the Class B ranks are set to battle at Presque Isle High School beginning at 5 p.m. Coach Jeff Hudson’s Wildcat girls have been idle since Dec. 16 due to Saturday’s postponement of their scheduled game at Orono, but enter their first home game of the season against Ellsworth having earned lopsided victories over Washington Academy and Belfast earlier this month. The Eagles traditionally play the Wildcats tough and head in with a 3-0 record.
Also on the girls’ side, Fort Fairfield (4-2 record) travels to Eastport to take on Shead (2-3) at 3:30 p.m., while Mount Desert Island (4-0) is at Caribou (2-3) for a 4:30 p.m. contest, East Grand (0-5) plays at Woodland (3-1) at 5 p.m. and Central Aroostook (1-2) makes the trip north to meet up against Madawaska (2-1) at 5:30 p.m.
In boys’ action, East Grand (2-2) plays at Woodland (5-0) and Ellsworth (2-2) is at Presque Isle (2-1), both for 6:30 p.m. starts. Matchups pitting Southern Aroostook (2-3) at Hodgdon (3-3) and Central Aroostook (2-1) at Madawaska (2-1) begin at 7 p.m., while the Mount Desert Island (4-0) at Caribou (3-2) game tips at 7:30 p.m.
