PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle girls basketball team lost 48-41 in its season opener to Old Town at home Saturday after failing to respond to a late offensive push from its opponents.
The Wildcats began the game looking strong, buoyed by a big game from sophomore Faith Sjoberg with 13 points on the day. Yet, even when the team led, the score was tightly contested by Old Town. The only end-of-quarter lead they would have throughout the game was a narrow one, 10-9 at the end of the first.
Presque Isle failed to defend against offensive firepower from Old Town in the second quarter. A series of big games from Old Town players, including Maddy Emerson (who had 14 points and four 3-pointers) and Lexi Thibodeau (14 points), led to a double-digit lead for Old Town at 23-13 at the end of the half.
Presque Isle proved that it was still in it in the next quarter, scoring 16 total points while holding off Old Town’s big shooters to only nine. The quarter ended with Old Town leading by just three.
The Wildcats did not maintain this momentum. Although the game remained relatively tight within 10 points, Presque Isle was never able to take the lead back from Old Town, as they were outscored in the last quarter 15 to 12.
As time dwindled, Presque Isle had a series of three-point attempts in the last five minutes of the game. Apart from one, all were missed, ensuring that Old Town would get the win.
Presque Isle girls coach Jeff Hudson said some of his younger players may have gotten “nervous,” causing mistakes that a powerful team like Old Town could easily capitalize on.
“We lost the game, so I’m not happy,” Hudson said. “We didn’t make the plays we needed to.”
Old Town coach Heather Richards said she went into the game knowing that Presque Isle was a formidable opponent, especially offensively, and was happy with how her team performed.
“I think down the stretch, maybe their legs got tired,” Richards said of Presque Isle. “But you can never lay back, because you don’t know when shooters will find their touch again.”
Old Town’s Emerson, who tied Thibodeau to be her team’s top scorer of the game, said she and her teammates had been hard at work in practice in preparation of facing the Wildcats.
“We lost against them last year, so it felt good to get a win,” Emerson said.
Both the hometown and visitor bleachers were nearly filled to capacity for the game. Some Presque Isle fans jeered the referees throughout the game, especially when fouls were not called against Old Town.
The next game for the Presque Isle girls basketball team will be against Houlton at Presque Isle High School at 7 p.m. on Dec. 10.
