Sports Reporter
MARS HILL – The two teams had met Dec. 11 in Washburn, but the Beavers’ 32-31 victory over Central Aroostook was a distant memory.
The host Panthers exacted revenge in a big way last Tuesday, bolting to a 10-2 lead within the first 3 minutes and 20 seconds of play, leading by 16 at intermission and coasting to a 42-20 triumph.
Twin sisters and senior starting guards Brianna and Chelsea Hartin of the Panthers had missed the first meeting between the two teams, but were back on the floor and made their presence felt early. “It’s nice having them out there,” said sophomore guard Rachel Grew. “They have a lot of experience, are a couple of our best shooters and a couple players we can rely on.”
The Hartins, combined with the other three starters (Grew, classmate Vicki McIntyre and junior Kristen Long), allowed the Panthers to demonstrate excellent ball movement against the Washburn halfcourt zone defense.
Grew’s only basket of the game, a 14-foot jumper, clinched an offensive trip which saw every Panther in the lineup touch the ball at least once thanks to some crisp passing to the post and around the perimeter. The hoop gave CA a 10-2 advantage before the first quarter was half over.
After Rebecca Campbell and Angelita Hernandez made field goals for Washburn to cut the lead to 12-6, McIntyre netted two consecutive baskets and CA took control for the remainder of the game. Chelsea Hartin’s three-pointer with 43 seconds remaining in the opening quarter sprung the Panthers to a 19-6 lead, which grew to 28-12 at halftime.
“We were thinking revenge and we came out strong,” Grew said. “Our goal was to shut them down in the first quarter and play our hardest.”
The talented guard likes the way her team is coming together and meshing as a unit.
“We’re like one big family,” she added. “We have a great chemistry, we all work well together and we trust each other.”
McIntyre finished with 22 points and hauled in 15 rebounds to lead the Panthers, who improved to 6-2 after also beating Ashland at home Monday. Grew had seven assists and six steals against the Beavers.
Campbell, one of the best offensive players in Eastern Maine Class D, was limited to six points by the aggressive Central Aroostook defense.
“They outplayed us tonight,” said Washburn coach Mike Carlos. “They were better prepared against our pressure [defense] and they hit their outside shots,” he added. “We didn’t hit ours.”
At Mars Hill Monday, Central Aroostook received a 24-point effort from Grew, while McIntyre added 19 as the Panthers topped Ashland, 47-25. CAHS led 10-8, 22-10 and 36-18 at the quarter breaks.
Adrianna Paradis led Ashland (4-4) with seven points.
Washburn split its other two games played last week and is now 4-4 overall. At Dyer Brook Saturday, the Beavers were handily beaten by Southern Aroostook, 59-35. Campbell scored 10 to pace Washburn.
On Monday, the Beavers bounced back for a 50-42 victory at home over Hodgdon. Campbell’s 21 points were tops for the winners. She hit 13 of 18 of her attempts from the foul line.
Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg
VICKI MCINTYRE of the Central Aroostook Panthers shoots over Washburn’s Sarah Sjoberg and scores two of her 22 points in CA’s 42-20 victory last Tuesday.
