The Central Aroostook Panthers picked up their biggest win of the season Monday, but needed to hold off a furious comeback to do it.
CA led by as many as 22 points in the second half, but the Fort Fairfield Tigers rallied late and the Panthers settled for a 69-63 triumph in Mars Hill.
Ben Thomas and Brayden Bradbury powered the Panthers, now 8-1 and atop the Class C North standings, with 24 and 20 points, respectively. Caleb Harris added 14 more.
Isaac Cyr scored 16 points and Isaac Cyr added 15 for Fort Fairfield, which fell to 7-2 and is currently in second place.
The game was one of four games, all featuring boys teams, held in the region Monday.
Tuesday’s slate, which includes numerous girls’ games, is highlighted by Presque Isle’s game in Caribou, which begins at 7 p.m. The County’s only two Class B programs square off in an intriguing battle. First-year Viking coach Kayla Richards will take on the team and the coach (Jeff Hudson) she played under only a few years ago.
The third-seeded Vikings (6-4) have won four of their last five games and sport a 5-1 record on their home court. The Wildcats have owned the Vikings in recent years, but are down in eighth place as they enter with a 4-2 mark.
Other girls’ games Tuesday include Washburn at Van Buren at 5:30 p.m. and Katahdin at Ashland, Central Aroostook at Fort Kent, Southern Aroostook at Easton and Fort Fairfield at Hodgdon, all with 7 p.m. tip off times.
In boys’ action, Washburn in at Van Buren beginning at 7 p.m.
Summaries of the other games played Monday are as follows:
Houlton 86, Hodgdon 28 — At Houlton Monday night, Cam Cleary scored 16 points to help Houlton (6-2) record the win. Nick Brewer chipped in with 15 points for the Shiretowners while Nolan Porter and Ben Grant each added 10.
Josh Foster scored nine points to lead Hodgdon (4-6). The Hawks played without the services of their head coach, Rob Smith, who was away due to a death in the family. In his stead, former Hawk standout Matt Oliver served as the coach, with assistance from David Tuttle and Anita Levesque.
Presque Isle boys 68, Orono 64 — The Wildcats couldn’t stop the Red Riots’ Connor Robertson, who poured in 36 points, but PI senior Griffin Guerrette had a huge game himself with 35 points and his team sweated out the road victory.
Presque Isle, now 6-2 and in third place in Class B North, had two other players in double figures as Jonah Hudson netted 13 points and Caleb Wheaton 11.
Sam Martin added 14 points for 2-5 Orono.
Southern Aroostook 50, Easton 38 — At Easton, Garrett Siltz notched five 3-point field goals and finished with 24 points as the Warriors avenged a 32-point home loss in a game played 17 days earlier.
Jayden Burpee and Steven Rackliff tossed in eight points each for 4-5 Southern Aroostook, while Collin Sotomayor had 13 points, Camden Michaud nine and Keagan Kinney eight for the Bears, whose record evened at 5-5.
