Beavers drop quarterfinal game

Beavers drop quarterfinal game

    BANGOR — At least for one half of Monday’s Eastern Class D quarterfinal, the Washburn boys basketball team showed how they became known as “The Young Guns of Washburn.” 

    No. 5 Washburn (12-7) shot its way to an 11-2 first-quarter lead over No. 4 Jonesport-Beals (16-3), but unfortunately, that shooting touch disappeared in the second half. The Beavers ended up falling 64-41 to the Royals as Jonesport-Beals used its significant size advantage in the win.
    Washburn’s Mitch Worcester tallied 17 points, while Jordan McLaughlin added 12. Garrett Beal had 16 for the Royals, while Matthew Alley added 14.
    “That [shooting] is our game,” Washburn coach Randy Norsworthy said. “When we’re shooting the ball, we’re a lot of fun to watch. But when we don’t shoot well, it creates some issues because we just don’t have the size that Jonesport-Beals does.”
    The Beavers played undersized all season, facing taller County opposition in the form of Central Aroostook — with 6-foot, 4-inch Mike McClung — and Fort Fairfield — with 6-5 John McNamee. Against Jonesport-Beals, the young Beavers were often looking up at 6-6 center Justin Alley and 6-5 forward Zachary Smith
    In comparison, the tallest players on the Washburn roster are Chase Chandler and Zach Davis, who both stand at 6-1.
    “We’re used to being the smaller squad,” Norsworthy said. “Usually, our half-court trap helps us out.”
    Washburn got off to the hot start as McLaughlin notched seven of his 12 points in the first quarter. Worcester added a pair of 3-pointers and Washburn led 17-14 at the end of the quarter.
    The Royals answered to start the second period, scoring two straight baskets for its first lead 18-17 with 5:42 to play in the half. Washburn battled back on the strength of its shooters as Worcester put the Beavers back up 23-22 with a trey with 4:02 to go. Jonesport-Beals regained the lead with just under a minute to play in the half when Justin Alley converted on offensive rebound. The Beavers never led again.
    A halftime adjustment Washburn made, may have been a factor in the loss.
    “I think I’ll blame the coach on this one,” Norsworthy said. “We changed our game plan in the second half. We went away from our trap, because we were giving away baskets underneath. I thought we’d try jamming it in to see if they [Jonesport Beals] could shoot.”
    The Royals could, in fact, shoot and increased their scoring output, outscoring Washburn 18-5 in the third quarter and 20-11 in the final period for the victory.
    Washburn’s first basket of the second half did not come until nearly four minutes had ticked off the clock when Connor Fitzpatrick scored from the low post. The Beavers ended with just five points in the entire quarter.
    The final period saw Washburn cut the lead to 13 at one point (51-38) as McLaughlin hit a 3-pointer and made two foul shots. But that would be as close as the Beavers would come to the Royals.

Staff photo/Joseph Cyr

CONNOR FITZPATRICK fires up a shot for Washburn in Monday’s 64-41 loss.