The high school regular season has come to a close and none of the local teams have bypassed a tournament playoff game.
The boys’ preliminaries will be played today around the state, with Class C Houlton, along with Class D teams Hodgdon, Katahdin, Southern Aroostook and Greater Houlton Christian Academy all competing for a chance to move into the quarterfinal round of the Eastern Maine Tournament.
Southern Aroostook and Katahdin are playing host to a preliminary game, while the other teams get set for long bus rides.
Warriors vs. Mariners
The No. 6 Warriors will be facing No. 11 Deer Isle-Stonington in Dyer Brook at 4 p.m. today.
“The boys are healthy and playing good ball coming off their win against Katahdin [on Jan. 3],” said coach Vaughn Sleeper. “We are excited about being the host team and have high expectations in making it to Bangor.”
The Warriors, according to Sleeper, haven’t made a tournament appearance since 2003.
Being optimistic, but grounded in reality, Sleeper said, “But we still have to get by a tough Mariner team first.”
Sleeper scouted the Mariners when they played Bangor Christian.
“Eben Powers is their leader, who just recently reached the 1,000-point mark,” said Sleeper. “He is very strong offensively inside and a tough rebounder. We must contain him through help defense and possibly doubling up on him at times.
“Their guard play seems to be built on a balanced attack,” he added. “Many threes are put up and they will get out and run if allowed.”
The Warriors will need to play aggressive team defense and control the boards, if they do that, coach Sleeper said it would fuel their offense.
“We will look to mix up our defenses and try to keep Deer Isle off balance and out of their comfort zone,” he said. “If our boys play with a lot of intensity, energy and stay poised late in the game, I like our chances.”
If the Warriors should win, they would play the winner of No. 3 Shead/No. 14 GHCA on Monday at 9:35 a.m. at the Bangor Auditorium in the Class D quarterfinals.
Cougars vs. Royals
The No. 7 Katahdin Cougars will also host their preliminary game against No. 10 Jonesport-Beals at 6 p.m. in Stacyville.
“I think it’s going to be a good matchup,” said Katahdin coach Shawn Craig. “If we rebound well, I think we have a good chance to pull it off. I feel rebounding has been our Achilles’ heel all year, so, if we don’t rebound well, it will be a long night for us.”
Craig and company are not going to under estimate the Royals, even though they are in 10th place.
“They have some good shooters,” he said. “We don’t want to leave the 3-point line open at all for them. They have a freshman guard, but don’t underestimate him, he handles the ball pretty well although he will make a few freshman mistakes, so hopefully we can capitalize on that.”
Craig said the Royals probably rebound well since that is the trademark of all Downeast squads.
“They have two men inside that we need to make sure we get a body on,” he added. “I’ve been told not to let them get going. They have good hands and if they get a good touch on the ball, they can score.”
For the Cougars to come away with a win, Craig said his team will have to be patient.
“We are going to have to make those extra passes and move the ball,” he said. “One thing we’ve really done well the last few games, we’ve stopped taking the first shot we get with a guy on us. We can’t settle on shooting the three constantly. We need to work the ball into the post and skip it out. Lucas [Craig] will have to do a good job at handling the ball, penetrating to draw the defense and dishing the ball.”
Defensively, the Cougars will press and apply pressure on shooters.
“We are going to try and get into everyone’s face, not necessarily to block the shot, but to contest it so they have to pass it back out,” said Craig.
If the Cougars win, they will match up with the winner of No. 2 Central Aroostook/No. 15 Machias in an 11:05 a.m. Class D quarterfinal game on Monday in Bangor.
Shiretowners vs. Sumner Tigers
In other boys’ action, the No. 10 Houlton Shiretowners will make the trip to Sumner for a 7 p.m. game.
“I am extremely optimistic about the prelim,” said Houlton coach Mike Fogarty. “We have struggled some nights offensively, but I believe one of these nights, we are going to have a break-out game.”
If the Shiretowners win their prelim contest, they would be facing No. 2 Calais in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 3:35 p.m. in Bangor.
“We have played Calais very competitive this year,” said Fogarty. “It would be great to see them in Bangor.”
Though the Shiretowners lost their last three games, Fogarty said that is not indicative of how his team has been playing.
“The boys are working hard, but we have had some letdowns at key points of the game,” he said. “Fundamentally, we should be prepared for whatever is thrown at us. The key is going to be execution … if we stay focused and execute the way we should, then we will be competitive.”
Fogarty said for his team to come away with a win several things are going to have to happen. One, the Shires need to execute on both ends of the court; two, they need to treat every possession as if it were their last; three, they need to limit turnovers; four, they need to limit Sumner to one shot and last, they need to create good scoring opportunities and take advantage of them.
Eagles vs. Shead Tigers
The No. 14 Greater Houlton Christian Academy Eagles are heading to Eastport to take on the Shead Tigers at 6 p.m.
“Shead plays a very strong inside game,” said GHCA coach Sam Henderson. “We will have to defend the post well and box out.”
The Eagles, according to Henderson, are just starting to learn the fundamentals of the game and they have players who are peaking right now.
“Overall, I am very happy with our last six games,” said Henderson. The Eagles finished the last stretch of the season with a 5-1 record.
“We need to make it difficult for their guards to pass to the post players,” said Henderson. “And our help side defense is a must. We need to control the boards and limit our turnovers.”
With a young squad, Henderson said not many people give the Eagles much of a chance.
“We have nothing to lose,” he added. “We will come out and play 110 percent hustle and attempt to go to Bangor.”
If the Eagles win they will play the winner of No. 6 Southern Aroostook/No. 11 Deer Isle in the Class D quarterfinals on Monday at 9:35 a.m.
Hawks vs. Dragons
The No. 13 Hodgdon Hawks will make the trip to Woodland for a 7 p.m. game tonight. Though it’s not coach Jerry Adam’s first pick for a playoff game his team will be prepared for the challenge.
“If we handle their pressure, we can give them all they want,” he said.
Chris Williams will be a key in breaking that pressure for the Hawks. But, Adams believes the game will be won by role players such as Travis Quint, Chris Harris and A.J. Acott.
“I think we match up with them three for three, but the fourth and fifth man will be significant factors,” he said. “Travis, Chris and A.J. have to come through for me.”
Adams said Woodland is a strong rebounding team, so the Hawks will have to keep them off the boards.
“We’ve got to cut down on their transition game because they do get up and down the floor,” said Adams. “We play more of a half court oriented game. So, the type of play will be crucial for us.”
Adams also believes if his team can get the ball down low to the McGillicuddy twins, the Hawks could cause problems for the Dragons.
“Both times Shead played them, they got the ball in low,” he said. “But, Woodland plays a tremendous schedule of opponents such as Sumner, Washington Academy and Narraguagus, all C clubs to name a few. But, going down to Washington County they already have a 10-point lead, so we’ve got to come out of the stalls ready to play. A good start for us will be an important part of the game.”
But, anything can happen on any given night.
“I’m excited for the kids,” Adams said. “It’s a turning point in the road. The kids are excited, hungry and ready to play.”
If the Hawks should win, they would play the winner of No. 5 Ashland/No. 12 Washburn in the Class D quarterfinals at 7:05 p.m. on Monday.
Yesterday, the girls’ preliminary games were played, with Class C Houlton, along with Class D teams Southern Aroostook, Katahdin, Hodgdon and GHCA in the chase.
Lady Shires vs. Pandas
The No. 8 Lady Shires hosted No. 9 Lee Academy at Alumni Gymnasium, and coach Shawn Graham wasn’t looking by the Pandas.
“We were able to pull out a couple of wins on the regular season, however, the second time was much more difficult as the game was back and forth into the fourth quarter,” said Graham. “We just need to stay focused, motivated and play our game, which includes ‘smart’ pressure defense complimented with good ball movement and unselfish play on the offensive end.”
Lee, according to Graham, will probably play a packed 2-3 zone and the Lady Shires will have to hit the perimeter shot to open up the interior.
Last year, Houlton and Lee faced each other in the Class C finals, and Graham said what a difference a year makes, as both teams are fighting for a tourney spot. The motivation for his team is the kind reminder of that game every now and then.
“I think the team is playing pretty well at this point,” he said. “We have our ups and downs trying to find a little better offensive flow. Lack of size has hurt us on occasion and the adjustment from being more of an inside team in the past to getting the perimeter game going this year has taken a little more time than I had anticipated.”
Graham said his players have done a much better job on the boards lately, as well as cutting down on turnovers and he has been pleased with his bench play, as well.
“Erica Lackey and Amanda Fogarty have gotten more confident and are giving us some quality minutes each and every night,” he said. “I look to utilize both of them more often when teams play zone defenses, as they both shoot the ball well around the perimeter. Taylor Bailey has also improved and gives our post players a break when needed. I am now comfortable rotating these eight, which gives us bench depth when fatigue or foul trouble sets in.”
Graham likes the fact he had a number of players with playoff experience heading into last night’s game.
“They have been in this situation before,” he said. “Right now our total focus is on just getting into the tournament.”
If the Lady Shires win they will face No. 1 Calais on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 8:35 p.m.
Lady Warriors vs. Limestone Eagles
The No. 2 Southern Aroostook Lady Warriors faced No. 15 Limestone in Dyer Brook, a team they will play for the third time this season. In both games before, the Lady Warriors picked up lopsided victories.
From last year’s experience of being upset in the playoffs, the Lady Warriors realize how quickly their dream of reaching Bangor can be snatched away. They cannot overlook any opponent and according to coach Jessica Porter, they must play quarter to quarter and treat each possession as if it was their last one.
“We may have beat Limestone twice on the season, however, we are aware of the fact that the regular season is now over. If we do not put forth our best effort, our season could end abruptly as it did last year in the prelim with Katahdin. We are looking no farther ahead then Limestone right now.”
The Lady Warriors can go deep into their bench, which can be an advantage in the postseason, and when the girls are working together, they are tough to beat.
“The team plays its best when they are working as a unit,” Porter said. “The girls have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to win games from here on out. We need to keep our turnovers and fouls down, rebound the ball on the offensive and defensive ends. All of the little things will be what we focus on.”
The Lady Warriors are eager to make a trip to Bangor and experience the tournament atmosphere and to play on the Auditorium floor, said Porter.
“Only three girls on the varsity roster have experienced running out onto the Auditorium floor,” she said. “It has been a goal for the girls from day one to make a trip to the Auditorium.”
But, they must first get by Limestone.
“We will be looking for an up tempo game,” Porter said. “We play our best when we are able to push the ball down the floor in fast breaking opportunities and look to score off our defensive pressure, as well. The girls have worked hard on their half-court game, as well and have been producing more offense in the half-court set.”
If the Lady Warriors advance to the Class D quarterfinals, they will play the winner of No. 7 Deer Isle/No. 10 Bangor Christian at 9:05 p.m. on Saturday in Bangor.
Lady Cougars vs. Shead Tigers
For the No. 6 Katahdin Lady Cougars to defeat visiting No. 11 Shead, coach Phil Faulkner said, “We will need to rebound, cut down on our turnovers and play good defense.”
The Lady Cougars, who started the season with a limited roster, just recently lost another player, Dani-Beth Cyr who injured her knee.
“We are playing with six players,” said Faulkner. “We are still hustling and playing hard.”
Heading into the postseason, the Lady Cougars set three goals to shoot for — make the playoffs, win a playoff and make the tournament. As of yesterday morning, they had reached one of their objectives, a preliminary game.
“Keys to the game will be defense, rebounding and staying out of foul trouble,” Faulkner added.
If the Lady Cougars win, they will move into the Class D quarterfinals against the winner of No. 3 Fort Fairfield/No. 14 Hodgdon at 7:35 p.m. on Saturday.
Lady Hawks vs. Fort Fairfield Tigers
The No. 14 Hodgdon Lady Hawks will be heading up to Fort Fairfield to take on the No. 3 Lady Tigers for the third time this year.
“Larry’s [Gardner] team is a physical team,” said Hodgdon coach Rob Smith. “They love to bump and are aggressive on the boards. They play man and love to press. They are patient in looking for shots and when the shot goes up, four girls are crashing the boards. To make it to Bangor, we are going to have to block out and be ready to break their press. I always say good defense will lead to a good offense. Sounds basic, but some teams are only concerned about scoring, I want the defense to do its job and make it easier on our offense.”
Smith said his team is playing well defensively and will look to employ a man-to-man or 2-3 zone defense against the Lady Tigers.
“We play well when we can press, but when we have to drop back to a half-court defense we tend to struggle,” he added. “As far as our offense, we are scoring by committee. We have one player each game to lead us in points, but it may not always be the same person. We are 1-6 over the last three weeks and are hungry for a win and what better time to get a win in the playoffs.”
Smith said his team needs to be focused and capitalize offensively.
“We will need to execute our plays and knock down open shots. We have missed a lot of open shots. If we miss our shot then Fort will be crashing hard and taking away a second chance on the offensive side,” Smith explained. “If our defense comes ready to play and can keep the score low that will keep us in the game. We played tough against them up there the last time we played. Our girls know that it will be a physical game, but that we can compete with their girls. That confidence is what we need going into this game.”
Smith said reaching Bangor is every team’s goal, including his squad.
“We would love to win this game,” said Smith. “The one thing we have as a low seed is there is no pressure. The higher seed is expected to win. They have more pressure on them then we do.”
A Lady Hawk victory would advance them to the Class D quarterfinals at 7:35 p.m. on Saturday against the winner of No. 6 Katahdin/No. 11 Shead.
Lady Eagles vs. Beavers
The No. 12 GHCA Lady Eagles played their prelim opponent for the third time this season. The Lady Eagles match up against the No. 5 Lady Beavers in Washburn.
“We’ve seen them twice this year and fell short,” said GHCA coach Erika Jackett. “Even though we lost those two, it doesn’t mean we’re out yet. We’ve come a long way since those two games and we’re ready to face them as a new team. We have to stay focused, not intimidated, and always remember that it’s because of God that we even got this far.”
Jackett said in the postseason, the Lady Eagles need to play their game.
“Our team has come together. We’ve gelled and really encouraged one another to come out of our rough patch,” she said. “The girls are still just playing basketball … keeping our cool, staying relaxed and having fun.”
If the Lady Eagles advance to the Class D quarterfinals, they would play the winner of No. 4 Central Aroostook/No. 13 Ashland at 2:05 p.m. on Monday.
