Girls earn split on week
By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
The Caribou boys abruptly ended a two-game slide last Wednesday by stopping the Presque Isle Wildcats in front of a sell-out crowd at PIHS, 53-31.
The Vikes, who had been victorious in their first six to open the season, regained their winning ways by holding the Wildcats’ 6-8 senior center Brad Shields to two field goals and a total of just six points. Caribou also held a decisive rebounding advantage over Presque Isle, with Cody Herbert snatching 10 himself to lead the way.
“I thought we defended Brad well and I liked the way our guys attacked him when he got into foul trouble,” said Viking coach Chris Casavant. “It wasn’t just Kameron Manter, who had the defensive matchup on Shields, but I thought our guards did a good job pressuring theirs and created numerous turnovers while not allowing them to get the ball inside.”
Derek Richardson paced the offense for Caribou with 15 points, while Dayne Savage, coming off a sprained ankle, scored 10. Herbert also scored 10 points.
Drew Bates was Presque Isle’s leading scorer with nine.
Casavant said his team never lost confidence after back-to-back losses to Houlton and Old Town.
“It’s a veteran group we have, so they don’t get rattled,” he said. “We just prepare them hard for each team we play.”
Caribou’s scheduled game against Hermon Saturday was postponed due to the icy roads and will now be played at CHS Tuesday beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Coach Ryan Deprey’s Caribou girls’ team picked up its first road victory of the season Thursday when it travelled north to Fort Kent and bested the Warriors, 62-48. The win completed a sweep of the season series.
“We didn’t win a road game last year and only had two the year before, so getting a win on the road is huge for us,” Deprey said.
Bria Judd notched 28 points to pace Caribou on the offensive end. Jenna Boucher registered her second consecutive double-digit outing by tallying 17, with Shyanna Barnes tossing in nine more.
Chelsey Plourde had 23 points and Lauren Doak 10 for the Warriors, who fell to 2-6 with the defeat.
Last Tuesday, Caribou played hard and played well in a 66-43 loss to undefeated Presque Isle on the Wildcats’ home floor.
“Nobody expected us to be able to compete with them, except for the girls in the locker room,” Deprey said. “We can go into every game this season knowing we have a chance just with the amount of effort this team gives for 32 minutes. Our whole team has guts. “
Caribou fell behind early but battled back to make in a nine-point game at intermission before PI took control midway through the third quarter.
Freshman guard Maddie Doucette joined Boucher as Caribou’s top scorers with 12 points each. Delaney Williams notched another 11 in the loss.
Hannah Graham had 21 and Krystal Kingsbury 17 to lead Presque Isle.
The Caribou girls will now play their make-up game against Hermon, originally scheduled Saturday, at 5 p.m. Jan. 28.
The Limestone-MSSM girls continued their winning ways despite the absence of their floor leader.
Sophomore point guard Chelsey Pelkey, who was averaging 15 points, sevn assists and five steals per game, is out with a concussion, but the Eagles were still able to beat GHCA and Central Aroostook during the past week to improve to 11-0.
“Without Chelsey, we have seen a larger output of points from individuals, where before we were a bit more balanced,” said Limestone-MSSM coach Ryan O’Neal.
Kelsee Albert had stepped out of her sixth-man role to take Pelkey’s place in the starting five “and did a great job,” O’Neal said.
However, now she is limited, having suffered an elbow injury which will “keep her on the court sparingly and only when the situation dictates it,” according to the coach.
Her sister, Kassee, got the start in Tuesday’s home game against GHCA.
The other starters, Jordyn Hopkins, Melissa Cantafio, Alexis Bell and Mariah Williams, have all “stepped up their games.”
“We have quite a few kids capable of dropping 15 or more points on a given night,” O’Neal added. “Being so banged up, we have needed other players step up into larger roles.”
O’Neal said Ellyzabeth Bencivenga is also working through a knee injury.
Madeline Williams, Jackie Peers and Danika Devost will now take on expanded roles due to all the injuries, according to the coach.
“Hopefully, we can get everybody healthy in time for the playoffs, but everyone here is capable of playing an important role.”
Mariah Williams hit a key shot in the 52-49 win over GHCA at UM-Presque Isle last Tuesday. Her three-pointer with 4.7 seconds to play was the difference maker. She had 22 points to lead the way.
Against Central Aroostook, Bell scored a career-high 25 points to go along with eight rebounds and five steals as the Eagles rolled, 80-36.
Cantafio and Mariah Williams scored 13 points each in the win.
The Limestone-MSSM boys are now 2-9 following a win over GHCA and a loss to Central Aroostook.
