By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
More than halfway through the season and the several local teams are pushing hard to make a postseason run.
In Class C girls, Dexter is first with a 12-0 record, followed by Orono, 10-1; Calais, 10-0; Fort Kent, 6-5; PCHS, 8-3; Sumner, 7-2; Narraguagus, 6-4; Lee Academy, 6-4; Mattanawcook Academy, 4-6 and Central of East Corinth, 3-7.
As of Tuesday morning, the Houlton girls were on the bubble holding the last playoff spot with 12.0370 tourney points and a 5-4 record.
Pioneer Times photograph
DRIVES — Hodgdon’s Lacey McQuarrie drives to the hoop around SACS’ Jess Tucker.
In Class D girls, Washburn is the top seed at 11-0, followed by Hodgdon, 10-0; Schenck, 8-1; Fort Fairfield, 7-2; Machias, 6-2; Van Buren, 7-4; Deer Isle-Stonington, 7-3; Limestone/MSSM, 6-4; Penobscot Valley, 5-5; Southern Aroostook, 9-2; Easton, 7-5; Shead, 5-6; Central Aroostook, 4-7; Woodland, 1-9 and Jonesport-Beals, 2-8.
On Monday, the Katahdin girls came close to an upset, as they pressed Hodgdon, who pulled out the 46-42 overtime win.
“We just didn’t show up ready to play the first half,” said Hodgdon coach Vaughn Farrar.
The Cougars got ahead 15-0 before the Hodgdon girls got going.
“They have really improved with Jona (Scovill Fitzpatrick) and they were hitting on all cylinders,” said Farrar. “It seemed like they hit every shot the first half. We played a tremendous second half of defense. Every girl was big for me down the stretch with intensity.”
The Hawks scored 16 third-quarter points and another 15 in the fourth to set up overtime. Hodgdon held Katahdin scoreless in the extra period.
“They are better than their record,” added Farrar. “I’m very proud of this team’s comeback as you can imagine.”
Jennah Steamer scored a game-high 14 points, while McKensie Palmer had a dozen. Mariah Wiley had nine; Lacey McQuarrie added six and Lauren Howell, five more.
For Katahdin, Ashley Randall netted 10 and Megan Merry nine. Morgan Livesey and Delaney Fitzpatrick each had six, while Molly Cunningham droped in seven and Courtney Stevers four.
Houlton 48, Lee Academy 55 — Last Saturday at Lee, the Lady Shires were overtaken by their host despite senior Marina Cameron’s game-high 26-point effort.
Natalie Hill added eight points, while Tori Hanson and Katie Condon each chipped in with five. Bre Longstaff rounded out the scoring with four points.
For Lee, Khady Toure posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds and Jordan Maxwell posted 18 points and eight assists.
In the junior varsity game, Houlton won 42-27.
Houlton 51, Madawaska 22 — On Friday night, the Lady Shires made easy work of visiting Madawaska. Houlton jumped to an 18-3 first-quarter lead behind Hanson’s nine points and Hill’s eight. Emily Mooers finished the game with 10 points in a balanced effort for Houlton.
Madawaska’s Alexis Levesque and Hannah Cote each had six points.
Houlton 38, Mattanawcook Academy 32 — Last Tuesday in Houlton, the Lady Shires battled for their win, as Hanson scored 10 of her game-high 19 in the final eight minutes of the game on 6-for-8 free-throw shooting. She finished with a double, double as she grabbed 13 rebounds.
Sam Keegan chipped in with six points; Cameron, five; Hill and Condon four each for Houlton.
Taylor Blood paced Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln with eight points and Ashley Libby added seven.
The Lynx led 9-7 to start the game and then Houlton took a 19-17 halftime advantage. After three, the score was Houlton 26, Mattanawcook Academy 25 to set up a climatic fourth period.
Houlton won the junior varsity contest, 38-29.
Hodgdon 60, Central Aroostook 38 — Last Friday in Hodgdon, Lacey McQuarrie racked up 24 points and Jennah Steamer tossed in 14 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as Hodgdon remained undefeated at 9-0. Haley Gardiner scored seven points and grabbed nine rebounds in the game, while Lauren Howell chalked up eight points.
Karli Levesque paced 4-6 Mars Hill with 15 points and Breanne York added 11. Sarah Grass chipped in with six points, as well.
Hodgdon led throughout the game 13-2; 30-13; and 49-20.
Hodgdon 61, East Grand 34 — Last Tuesday, Steamer’s 21-point effort keyed Hodgdon’s win. Gardiner pumped in 18 points and McQuarrie added 11 more.
Elisha Farley’s 10 points paced East Grand, while Shaunna Beaudoin added eight points and Chelsea Winiarski chipped in with seven points.
The break down by quarters found Hodgdon in front all the way 15-11; 32-15; and 51-20.
Katahdin 30, Bangor Christian 41 — Saturday in Bangor, the Katahdin girls battled the Patriots down to the wire.
Bangor Christian led 10-4 to open the game, but the score was deadlocked at halftime, 15-all. In the third, the Patriots nursed a 29-21 advantage en route to the win.
Morgan Livezey led Katahdin with 12 points, while Megan Merry had eight.
Sydney Martin scored a game-high 17 points, including 16 in the second half, to lead the Patriots to the win. Maggie McDonald tossed in 13 points for the winners.
Katahdin 57, Ashland 54 — Last Thursday, the Cougars had a late 3-point shot from freshman Sophie Vetter to win the game.
Merry pumped in 17 points, while Ashley Randall posted 14; Molly Cunningham, 10 and Vetter finished with nine.
For Ashland, Marissa Chasse registered 22 points and Kayla Cote another 17.
Katahdin 41, Fort Fairfield 50 — Last Tuesday in Stacyville, the Cougars played Fort Fairfield tough, but couldn’t get the win.
Merry led Katahdin with a game-high 18 points, while Livezey and Randall each had eight points.
For Fort Fairfield, Jessica Goshom netted 14 points in a well-balanced offensive effort, as Nicole Giberson tossed in a dozen points and Whitney McNamee added 10.
Greater Houlton Christian Academy 42, Washburn 76 — At Washburn on Monday, the Beavers overtook the struggling Eagles.
Kenzie Worcester tossed in 19 points and made three steals, while Carmen Bragg netted 10 points and three steals. Laina Mette and Carsyn Koch each tallied nine points.
Colby Walker led GHCA with 14 points, while eighth-grader Rylee Warman tossed in 12 points.
East Grand 41, Shead 46 — It was a tough loss for the Vikings last Saturday at home.
Through first-half action, the Tigers led 12-4 and 20-18 at intermission. But, the Lady Vikings took a slight 33-31 lead in the third before giving way in the final quarter.
Beaudoin posted 20 points and Samantha Stoddard added nine for East Grand. Rounding out the scoring with four points each were Winiarski, Kim Stoddard and Allie McEwen.
