Sports Editor
WATERVILLE — Facing the defending state champs is a tough task, regardless of what the team may be seeded. Just ask Caribou girls basketball coach Bill Schofield.
The No. 9 Vikings (8-11) drew the unfortunate challenge of playing a red-hot Waterville squad that ended the regular season with a three-game win streak. No. 8 Waterville (12-7) scored early and often en route to a 62-32 victory over Caribou in a preliminary playoff Tuesday.
“I had higher hopes that we would play a little better,” coach Schofield said. “It’s not that we played poorly, it’s just that they [Waterville] played really well. They are a lot better than their record shows.”
With the win, Waterville advanced to the quarterfinals, where it faced No. 1 Presque Isle (17-1) Saturday.
Coming into the game, coach Schofield hoped his squad would be able to contain Waterville’s Jen Nale. That plan did not materialize as Nale dropped 26 points on the Vikings.
Cara Rousseau added 10 for the Purple Panthers.
“They run a lot of screens for her to get her the ball and she came through,” Schofield said of Nale’s performance.
Caribou junior Jenna Selander accounted for half her team’s points as she tallied 18 on the night. No other Viking player reached double digits.
Schofield said Waterville used an eight-man rotation and substitute players frequently to keep the team fresh throughout the game.
“They pressed us a lot, right from the opening tip until the end,” he said. “We felt like we had improved. We scored close to our average.”
For seniors Brittany Doak and Danielle Soucy, Tuesday’s game marked their final game with the Vikings. Schofield said the two brought a lot to the team this year in terms of leadership.
“We’re proud of how they played hard, came to practices and we’re thankful they were there for us this year,” he said. “For the juniors who will be seniors next year, we’ll be expecting the same leadership from them.”
