by Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
Missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season was a very real possibility for the Caribou girls’ varsity basketball team heading into Monday’s home game against Houlton.
The Vikings, however, pulled off a significant 53-51 upset victory over the No. 4 team in Eastern Maine Class C.
The win lifted Caribou (4-13 overall) to the No. 12 position in the ‘B’ rankings, with the regular season coming to an end Friday and the playoffs set to begin next Tuesday, Feb. 12.
Only the top 13 teams out of the 19 in the division qualify. Caribou will not be able to go higher than No. 12, but 13th-place Winslow is 1.9 points back in the Heal Point rankings and No. 14 Medomak Valley is nine points behind the Vikings.
Caribou wraps up its regular season schedule Thursday when it hosts Presque Isle.
Ryan Deprey said his team came through with a clutch performance Monday with a post-season berth on the line.
“The game definitely had a playoff feel to it,” he said. “We knew we still had a chance if we didn’t win, but we wanted to give ourselves the best chance to get in and control our destiny.
“The win doesn’t necessarily lock us in, but it gives us a much better chance, that’s for sure,” he added.
Caribou received a big performance from its four senior starters. Becca McDougal (16 points), Alexa Massey (14) and Anesha Hersey (10) combined for 40 of the team’s points and Katelynn Tardie played great man-to-man defense on Houlton’s Marina Cameron throughout the second half and also hit some clutch free throws at the end of the game.
Deprey said Massey also turned in a great defensive effort by limiting Katie Condon to four second-half points after she had exploded for 18 against the Caribou zone in the first half.
The Vikes trailed by as many as nine points, but never gave up, according to Deprey.
The Caribou boys stood in sixth place in the Heal Point rankings entering last night’s home game against undefeated Houlton, the No. 1 team in EM Class C.
The Vikes also have an important game looming Friday at home against Presque Isle, who are fourth in EM ‘B.’
Caribou handled both Fort Kent and Hermon in action last week. Dayne Savage tallied 27 points in the Vikings’ 62-41 triumph over Fort Kent.
On Saturday, Caribou downed Hermon, 57-53, despite trailing through much of the first three periods. Savage had 22 points and Derek Richardson netted 11 more for the Vikes, who improved to 12-4.
The Limestone-MSSM girls helped their playoff standing with victories last week over Fort Kent, Ashland and Easton.
In the latest win, which took place Monday, Melissa Cantafio drained six three-pointers and scored 18 of her game-high 23 points in the second half of a 44-39 victory at Easton.
The Eagles are now 10-7 with one game remaining tonight at home against Southern Aroostook. The team is ninth in EM Class D and could move up to the top eight and a home prelim game with a win and some help.
The Limestone-MSSM boys are also in solid position for a playoff berth. The team beat Madawaska Thursday and hosted Hodgdon last night before closing out its regular season at home against Fort Kent Friday. The Eagles are in 13th place with their 6-10 record.
