We’ll let Lucas from the Maine Basketball Ranking give you the details below:

I’ve watched a lot of basketball in my life and I’ve never seen anything like this.

The Madawaska/Van Buren girls game was expected to be a low scoring affair. Van Buren entered the game averaging 17 points a game while Madawaska was averaging 4.5. Yes, 4.5.

At the half, Madawaska takes a 10-2 lead into the locker room.

Lucky for us, WOWL had to re-start their feed with 34 seconds left and the Owls clinging to a 10-8 lead with Van Buren in the Red Zone.

How did Madawaska manage to hold a lead without scoring in the second half? It doesn’t seem like they stalled, but I’ll be honest: I didn’t watch the whole thing.

Anyway, after an airballed three that Madawaska failed to corral, Van Buren has one more shot with 3.4 to go.

The shot misses and the putback misses and then the putback is GOOD!

But they waive it off. Foul on the initial shot. 0.2 to play. There should be 1.5 seconds on the clock, but details.

Van Buren’s entire team, minus the shooter, is talking to their coach when the officials put the ball in play for the first free throw, which is missed. Her teammates rejoin her for the second one, which she also misses. Madawaska thinks the game is over. But! We have a lane violation on the Owls (this is why coaches drink).

Now we have confusion and a timeout. (This is also confusing if you’re watching it on mute in the corner of your screen)

With 0.2 left, that’s not enough to catch and shoot (that extra second sure would be handy here), so Van Buren needs to miss the FT and get the tip-in for overtime. Naturally, the shooter makes the free throw, much to her frustration. 10-9. Timeout. And we have to reset the clock, which now reads 0:00.

And that’s the story of the team that won without scoring in the second half.

If you’re wondering, that final 0.2 seconds took 4 minutes and 28 seconds to complete.

Houlton received a blow when Senior Captain Gabby Gentle went down with a non contact injury. MRI results revealed by her parents this week, show a torn ACL. Coach Ken Erwin said that you just don’t replace everything that Gentle brings to the gym each day. Her leadership and defensive abilities , not to mention her scoring. We hope that Gabby has a successful recovery.

On Saturday Dec 16, Hunter Hartsgrove poured in 32 points against Van Buren to become just the fourth girl from Katahdin to reach that Milestone. It’s been over thirty years since any girl has reached that goal. She is shown here after that game with her coach, Shawn McAvoy.

Junior Anna Oliver scored her 1000th point at Washburn. Anna is pictured with her Coach Matt Day and Dad Matt Oliver. She is the third member of her family to reach this Milestone for Hodgdon, joining her Dd and her brother Walker.

St Joseph’s @ Husson

Cousins and former teammates to meet in college for the first time.

It’s a big day for two of Coach Cliff Urquhart’s former Southern Aroostook teammates. They will meet for the first time today in college.

Makaelyn Porter is one of the senior leaders for Husson, while her cousin Maddie is in her first year for the Monks. Maddie is making a quick adjustment and has been the first player off the bench and averaging over 20 minutes per game.

Makaelyn is the daughter of Jon and Jess Porter, while Maddie is the daughter of Brett and Kim Russell.

Expect to see plenty of family and friends to cheer on the two girls this afternoon at Husson.

Watch at 3 PM today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DInVihSaM8M

It will be very hard this week for many Aroostook County players and fans to go to Bangor and NOT think about @lgrass12

Libby left us way too early……… In her memory – Play hard like she always did. Give 100% effort all the time, like she did, and remember to have fun and SMILE – like Libby always did.

Good Luck to ALL the County Teams this week! Make some great memories!
#aroostookvarsitysports
#aroostookcountyhoops
#mesports
#centralaroostookpanthers

HOULTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT-ATHLETE NAMED
GATORADE® MAINE GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO (March 19, 2018) — In its 33rd year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, today announced Kolleen Bouchard of Houlton High School as its 2017-18 Gatorade Maine Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Bouchard
is the first Gatorade Maine Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Houlton High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Bouchard as Maine’s best high school girls basketball player.

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award announced in March, Bouchard joins an elite alumni association of past state girls basketball award-winners, including Maya Moore (2005-06 Collins Hill HS, Ga.),Rashanda McCants (2004-05, Asheville HS, N.C.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Diana Taurasi (1998-99 & 1999-00, Don Antonio Lugo HS, Calif.), Shyra Ely (1999-00, Ben Davis HS, Ind.) and Lisa Leslie (1988-89, Morningside HS, Calif.).

The 6-foot senior point guard led the Shiretowners to a 21-1 record and the Class C state final this past season. Bouchard averaged 29.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 3.3 steals and 2.9 blocks per game while shooting 56 percent from the field and 88 percent from
the free-throw line. A four-year captain who was named the 2017-18 Miss Maine Basketball by the Maine Association of Basketball Coaches, Bouchard concluded her prep career with a school-record 2,046 points.

Bouchard is president of Houlton’s chapter of the National Honor Society and class valedictorian. She is also a trumpet player in the school band. She has volunteered locally at the Elks Hoop Shoot Free Throw Contest and has donated her time at youth soccer and basketball camps, Special Olympics events and as a mentor in an after-school program.

“I’ve never seen a girl dominate any more than Kolleen did this year,” said Wendell Harvey, head coach at Hodgdon High. “In my opinion, and I’ve seen a lot of good players
over a long period of time, but she’s just on another level. A lot of fun to watch.”
Bouchard has maintained a 97.09 average in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Bentley University in Massachusetts beginning this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball,
softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process isadministered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media
advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Bouchard joins recent Gatorade Maine Girls Basketball Players of the Year Emily Esposito (2016-17, Gorham High School), Nia Irving (2015-16 & 2014-15, Lawrence High School), Allie Clement (2013-14 & 2012-13, Catherine McAuley High School), Meghan Gribbin
(2011-12, Windham High School), Niki Taylor (2010-11 & 2009-10, York High School), Morgan Frame (2008-09, Waterville High School), Rachael Mack (2007-08, Cony High School), and Ashley Cimino (2006–07, McAuley High School) among the state’s list of
former award winners.

As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Kolleen will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. 12 spotlight grants – one for each sport – will be announced throughout the year.

To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow the conversation on Twitter #GatoradePOY. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list
of past winners and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit http://playeroftheyear.gatorade.com/.

Congratulations to Natalie Rickards of Katahdin for being named to the McDonalds All Academic Team.

She was one of the ten athletes recognized from throughout the state at the McDonalds All Star Banquet this Weekend.

Natalie is pictured here with her coaches Jona Fitzpatrick and Shawn McAvoy.

UMFK’s Knight named USCAA player of year

Knight was named the 2018 USCAA Division I, Player of the Year and First Team All-American on Tuesday night at the annual USCAA Winter National Championships Banquet while teammates Troy Williams and Bobby Syvanthong gained second-team honors and women’s basketball player Jankowski was named to the first team. Jarid Walton was named an Academic All-American.

Knight won the first USCAA Player of the Year award for a UMFK basketball player, man or woman. The senior swingman averaged 18.8 points per game and 6.0 rebounds a game. Knight shot over 52 percent from the floor and 77 percent from the line, while also averaging three assists per game and third in the USCAA in total steals.

Jankowski led the USCAA in scoring this season, averaging 19.5 points per game. She also was top 10 in the USCAA in eight total categories, including free throws made and steals.

WED BOYS PLAYOFF RESULTS

Class D

*Bangor Christian defeats Deer Isle Stonington 76-65. They will next play on Monday at 8:35 PM when they take on top ranked Woodland