AUGUSTA, Maine — To say there was pressure on the Washburn Lady Beavers to repeat as State Champions would be an understatement. A huge crowd from Washburn nearly filled one side of the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday afternoon and almost all the folks were expecting a Washburn win over Richmond, the same team the Beavers defeated last year to win the Class D crown. Washburn did win big, 60-35, but the victory was not a given in the early going.
“I knew they were going to make an early run at us, when they took the early lead. There were a few people sweating behind the bench, but I knew we would wear them down,” said Washburn coach Mike Carlos. “I thought Richmond got tired and the girls played absolutely fantastic.”
“They were quick, they really were,” he added. “Their first five were pretty good, but once we got past their first five it became obvious to me what was going to happen.”
Despite some first quarter difficulties finding their shooting range and Carsyn Koch picking up three fouls in the first quarter, Washburn rode the hot hand of freshman guard Mackenzie Worcester, the Eastern Maine Class D Eastern Maine Tournament MVP, to the lead.
Worcester scored Washburn’s first seven first-quarter points after the Beavers fell behind 5-0 early. She paced the Beavers with a game-high 24 points.
“I was nervous at first but after the first 30 seconds I got into the flow of the game and wasn’t nervous anymore,” Worcester said.
Worcester’s offensive output was even more impressive when you factor in the way she scored — on drives to the hoops, short pull-up jumpers and beyond the three-point line.
The Beavers were able to stretch their lead to 43-31 after three quarters thanks to their aggressive play and free-throw shooting, as Washburn hit all nine of its foul shots in the period.
Washburn six-foot junior center Olivia Doody spent much of the first half getting used to playing against bigger players, but after the break she adjusted and made several buckets inside to push the game out of reach. She finished the game with 12 points.
The fourth quarter was all Washburn, as the Beavers limited Richmond to one field goal in the final eight minutes.
With about two minutes left in the game, coach Carlos emptied his bench and the starters left the court to a standing ovation from the Washburn fans.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” Doody said. “ I can’t even describe it.”
The future appears pretty bright for the Washburn Lady Beavers, who are all underclassmen. Only two of the starters, Doody and Rayah Saucier will be seniors next year. Carmen Bragg, Koch and Nicole Olson, who saw significant minutes off the bench, will be juniors. Worcester and Joan Overman, who spent some time in the starting lineup when Koch was injured early in the season, will be sophomores.
“Definitely more state titles to come,” Doody added. “Next year we are just going to go for it.”
Coach Carlos said a few more state titles does sound good.
“Winning two in a row is a fantastic feeling, but to be quite honest I like three or four or five in a row, but two is fine for right now,” he exclaimed.
Washburn capped off a 21-1 season while Richmond finished 19-2.
WASHBURN (60)
Saucier 1-1 1-4 3, Blackstone-Thompson 0,
Overman 1-7, 3-4 5, Koch 1-6, 1-2 3, C.
Bragg 2-13, 3-3 8, Worcester 8-17, 5-8 24,
Doody 4-4, 4-7 12, Coulombe 0-0, 0-2 0,
Heald 0, Landry 0-0, 0-1 0, L. Bragg 0,
Olson 1-5, 2-4 5, Shaw 0;
TOTALS: 18-53, 19-35 60
RICHMOND (35)
Hurley 2-9, 1-2 6, Snedeker 2-8, 3-4 8,
Acord 0-1, 0-0 0, Lewia 0-1, 0-0 0,
Plummer 6-19, 2-8 14, Hoopingarner 0-1, 0-1 0,
Johnson 1-1, 0-0 2, Murphy 0-1, 0-3 0,
Harrington 0, Pearson 2-13, 0-0 4,
Lancaster 0-5, 1-2 1;
TOTALS: 13-59, 7-20 35
WASHBURN
10-18-15-17 — 60
RICHMOND
6-15-10-4 — 35
