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| Contributed photo/jMavor Photography The Limestone-MSSM duo of Jordyn Hopkins and Mariah Williams (5) puts defensive pressure on Fort Fairfield’s Kayla Giberson during a regular season game. The Eagles took on Penobscot Valley of Howland in a preliminary playoff game Tuesday night. |
By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
It’s playoff time in high school basketball, and both the Caribou girls and boys and Limestone-MSSM girls and boys are involved.
The preliminary playoff games for girls’ teams were held Tuesday, with Caribou travelling to Bar Harbor to take on Mount Desert Island and Limestone-MSSM hosting Penobscot Valley High School of Howland.
The boys’ prelims are tonight. The Vikings host Hermon at 6 p.m., while the Eagles make the trip to Hodgdon to play the Hawks, also at 6 p.m.
Coach Ryan Deprey’s Caribou girls won just four times this season, but point-worthy victories over Houlton, the No. 4 team in EM Class C, and Old Town were enough to give the squad the No. 12 seed and a chance for a third meeting against the Trojans, the fifth-seeded team in Eastern Maine Class B.
MDI won the regular season matchups, 69-39 at CHS Dec. 28 and 76-38 in Bar Harbor Jan. 26.
Caribou’s scoring and rebounding leader is senior Alexa Massey, who averaged 11.1 points and 6.3 boards.
Classmate Rebecca McDougal is second on the team in both categories, averaging 8.6 ppg and 4.6 rebounds.
The other starters are senior Anesha Hersey, the team’s point guard, along with senior guard Katelynn Tardie and junior forward Delaney Williams.
The Limestone-MSSM girls played their best basketball late in the season.
First-year coach Ryan O’Neal’s Eagles won their final four contests to finish at 11-7 and draw the No. 8 seed in the EM Class D playoffs.
They took on a Howler team that went 11-7 on the campaign.
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| Contributed photo/jMavor Photography Dayne Savage of the Caribou Vikings dribbles the ball up the floor against Presque Isle’s Ben Nickerson during a January game in Presque Isle. Savage’s Vikings will host Hermon in a preliminary playoff game to be played tonight at CHS. |
The Eagles are a balanced unit. Freshman Chelsea Pelkey averages 10 points per game and juniors Melissa Cantafio and Alexis Bell each average eight points per game.
“We feel like we’re battle tested,” O’Neal said. “We played many close games. I’m pleased with our new dedication to rebounding, as our success in the playoffs will hinge on our ability to keep bigger teams off the boards.”
For the third time this season, the Caribou boys will play Hermon Hawks, only this time a trip to the tournament is on the line.
Caribou enters as the No. 5 seed and meets up against a Hermon team it has defeated twice in close games — 67-60 at Caribou Jan. 12 and 57-53 at Hermon Feb. 2.
The Vikes also defeated Hermon in a home prelim game two years ago.
Sophomore guard Dayne Savage has become an offensive force over the second half of the season and averages 18.6 points per game. He shoots 40 percent three-point land, 82 percent from the foul line and leads Caribou in steals and assists.
Junior Matt Milliard (8.5 ppg) is the team’s defensive stopper and joins classmates Derek Richardson (12.4 ppg, 6.7 rebounds), Cody Herbert (9.2 ppg) and Kameron Manter (4.3 ppg) to make up the rest of the starting five.
The Limestone/MSSM boys get a third crack at Hodgdon tonight.
The Eagles are ranked 12th with a 6-12 record and meet up against the No. 5 Hawk team that beat them twice, 73-35 at home Jan. 22 and 66-25 in Hodgdon Feb. 5.
The Eagles, coached by Jon Hamilton, are led by seniors Nate Tucker (12 ppg) and Dean Clavet (10 ppg). Classmates Brandon Thompson and Bret Butler are other key players along juniors Tristan Kirk and Chris Bernier.
