Sports Reporter
The end of the regular season is approaching, and several County teams are still in position to get into the playoffs.
Contributed photo/beckysheaphoto
Matt Till of the Caribou Vikings battles a Hermon player for a rebound during Saturday’s 55-53 overtime victory by the Vikes.
With the Maine Principals’ Association new 50-percent rule in effect, only the top 10 teams in each division will qualify for the post-season, which begins with the preliminary round next Wednesday and the quarterfinals Feb. 12 and 13 for Class B teams and Feb. 13 and 15 for Class D teams.
As of Tuesday morning, Caribou is in eighth place in EM Class B with an 11-5 record and 63.11 tournament index points. The Vikings look to be a lock for one of the positions to reach the playoffs, but a victory over No. 3 Presque Isle in Thursday’s regular season finale could even allow the team to avoid a preliminary playoff game.
In EM Class D, Fort Fairfield is third (15-1, 76.12) behind Central Aroostook and Schenck, followed by Jonesport-Beals (13-3, 63.35), Southern Aroostook (12-4, 55.39) and Washburn (11-6, 54.6) to round out the top six, who will make the playoffs without having to play a prelim game.
GHCA, Shead, Deer Isle-Stonington and Machias hold the next four positions, with Katahdin still holding an outside chance to crack the top 10 and advance to the post-season.
Summaries of boys games played through Monday are as follows:
Caribou 55, Hermon 53 (OT) – Caribou survived in overtime at home Saturday, keeping alive their hopes to host a preliminary playoff game next Wednesday.
Matt Till posted 17 points as Caribou prevailed over Hermon for the second time in 10 days.
Cameron Anderson chipped in with 14 points for the winners. Chris Nadeau had nine rebounds to go along with 15 points in his best offensive output of the season.
Colton Gross paced Hermon with 16 points and T.J. Mayhew added 10.
Easton 69, LCS/MSSM 39 – At Limestone Monday, Jonah Bacon led three players in double figures with 19 points as Easton triumphed. Holden Turner added 12 points and Reid Clark 11 for the Bears, who led 17-6, 30-12 and 54-21 at the quarter breaks.
Michael Allen paced Limestone Community School/Maine School of Science and Mathematics with nine points. Cody Bryant came off the bench to toss in six.
Central Aroostook 69, Washburn 40 – In front of a packed Doc Albert Gymnasium Saturday, the Central Aroostook Panthers’ pressure defense and junior guard Logan McLaughlin’s surprising offensive output helped Central Aroostook blitz the Beavers.
“Usually, coach (Tim Brewer) just tells me to play good defense every night and control the floor and be a leader,” Logan McLaughlin said. “When Caleb (Kelly) got in foul trouble early, I knew someone had to pick up some scoring.”
Kelly, who scored his team’s first five points before sitting out with foul trouble, had a strong second half and finished with 15 points for the Panthers.
Central Aroostoook used a McLaughlin three-pointer to go up 17-7 at the end of the first quarter and the Beavers were unable to get any closer the rest of the game.
Mitch Worcester led Washburn with 20 points despite being guarded heavily with a mix of man-to-man pressure and occasional box-and-one.
“We looked confused out there,” said Beaver sophomore Jordan McLaughlin. “We knew the pressure was coming, but it was a combination of being a little nervous and not reacting well to their press and also having a rough shooting night.
“Give (Central Aroostook) credit. That’s the best I’ve seen them play,” he added. “They played intense and don’t lose anything when their subs come in.”
Washburn 60, Limestone-MSSM 45 – At Washburn Thursday, Worcester scored 19 points, while Mason Turner scored nine of his 11 points in the second quarter as the Beavers came out on top.
Jordan McLaughlin added 12 points and Connor Fitzpatrick chipped in with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the winners.
Dylan Caldwell scored 14 points to lead the Eagles.
Fort Fairfield 58, Washburn 53 – At Washburn last Tuesday, John McNamee tossed in 17 points, while Travis Noyes and Josh Booth each added 15 as Fort Fairfield held off the upset-minded Beavers.
Worcester scored a game-high 20 points to pace the Beavers, Chase Chandler contributed 12 points.