Cougars pick up opening win over Hawks

Pioneer Times photograph
FALL AWAY — Hodgdon’s Quinn Harris hits a fall away shot against Katahdin defenders during last Friday night’s game. The Cougars overtook Hodgdon, 61-32.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    In both teams mutual openers last Friday night in Hodgdon, neither the Hawks nor the visiting Katahdin Cougars played up to their full potential, according to their respective coaches.
    The Hawks lost their home debut under new coach Rob Smith, 61-32.
    “We started out great on defense,” said Smith, whose team held the visiting Cougars scoreless for the first four minutes of the contest. And, on the other side, Katahdin coach Shawn Craig thought his team came out defensively sound, too. But, each team struggled offensively.
    “We were hurrying our shots,” said Craig. “We had a lot of opportunities to score, but they just weren’t falling.”
    The Hawks were plagued by early turnovers, as their first seven possessions ended in turning the ball over. Midway through the second period, the Cougars were clicking, as they took a 24-5 lead.
    “I told the boys to be patient and that their shots would start to fall,” Craig said. “We started looking up for the fast break more and more as the game went on.”
    In the second half, the Cougars didn’t heed the words of their coach at intermission.
    “I told the boys not to come out flat,” Craig said. “Historically, that is what happens and it did. But, we regouped pretty well and pushed the lead back up.”
    Smith said once his team stopped turning the ball over, they were able to start getting shots.
    “But, then we were forcing them or just missing the open looks,” he added.
    As the Cougars knocked down shots and crashed the boards, they built a 45-20 third-period lead.
    “We had our moments on both sides of the ball,” said Smith. “We showed that we can play defense, but have to keep up the intensity the whole game. On offense, we showed signs of life, but did not come alive until halfway through the fourth quarter.”
    Leading scorer for Katahdin was Brandon Robinson with 12 of his game-high 25 points coming in the pivotal second period. Colton Bivighouse added 15 and Kolby Gallagher netted eight more.
    For Hodgdon, Jake Tidd scored 21 points.
Pioneer Times photograph
SURROUNDED — Katahdin’s Brandon Robinson, No. 33, is surrounded by heavy pressure from Hodgdon’s Josh Hudson, back, and Devon Logie in front. The Cougars defeated Hodgdon in each team’s season opener, 61-32.
    “For the first game, there were bright moments and dark moments,” said Smith. “The good thing is that for our dark moments, they are things that can be fixed. It may take a couple of games and practices, but the more we play together and work together, the better these boys will be.”
    Craig gives his squad a B- on their opener.
    “We are still a little rusty,” he said. “Defensively, I thought we were pretty good, as well as rebounding.”
    The Cougars and Hawks will both face a tough schedule of opponents this week. The Cougars will take on defending state champions Schenck, Bangor Christian and Southern Aroostook, while the Hawks have Washburn, Fort Fairfield and GHCA.
    “We have to come ready to play each of these games for the whole time, not just a quarter or a half, but the whole game,” Smith said.
    In the junior varsity game, Katahdin won 64-23.