Class B North girls regional final
The Old Town Coyotes handed the 1st place Ellsworth Eagles their first loss of the season in the Class B North regional finals Friday evening 58-42.
The first time these teams met was on January 3rd where the Coyotes lost to the Eagles by five points at home. They played again two weeks later. Ellsworth took that win 69-50.
The Coyote’s help-side defense is lethal. They stagger the middle of the court keeping their opponents out of the paint and forcing them to shoot on the outside. The Eagles have an unbeatable endurance when it comes to any part of the game, making their defense another tough thing to overcome.
Old Town’s key players are Senior guard Mikayla Emerson and Senior Forward Saige Evans. Emerson possesses a clutch shot and drive in times of need, as she revealed in the semifinal game. Evan’s is a force to be reckoned with on defense. She rips the ball out of anyone's hands on the court providing her team with fast-breaks.
Ellsworth has so many players that contribute. Junior guard Grace Jaffray’s energy that she brings to the court fuels her teammates as she hypes them up. Junior guard Abby Radel is a sharp-shooter and always crashes the boards, while Sophomore guard, Elizabeth Boles, whips the ball around the perimeter.
The Eagles had an early lead thanks to Jaffray’s layup a minute into the first quarter. Alexis Degrasse, a Senior guard for the Coyotes, cut through the middle of the paint with six minutes to go. She made the floater and was fouled by Jaffray scoring the bonus for a 3-2 lead.
Radel got the ball at the top of the key at the two minute mark. Dribbling around her defenders, she sunk a layup taking the lead for Ellsworth 9-8. Junior guard Elizabeth Magoon showed her high basketball IQ with her patience on offense, passing to open teammates and making easy plays for Old Town. Just seconds after Radel’s deuce, Magoon slung the ball to Karina Dumond, a Sophomore forward for two. The Coyote’s were able to overcome their deficit and led 16-10 going into the second quarter.
Old Town’s chaotic passing on offense disrupted Ellsworth’s typically formed defense. Instead, the Eagles were scrambling to pick up whoever had the ball. Down 26-14, Addison Atherton, a Junior forward, drained a three in the corner with four minutes left in the half.
Boles added some foul shots to Ellsworth’s score, getting them within ten points. Jaffray hit a triple off the dribble at the three minute mark, cutting their deficit 30-22. But, the Coyote’s rallied for steals and offensive rebounds which kept them in the lead. Emerson made a three-pointer as the seconds disappeared from the scoreboard, making Old Town’s lead 35-22 at half time.
Seconds into the second half Atherton took a jump shot and was fouled, making both free throws she cut the Eagle’s deficit 35-24. In the next possession Lily Bean, a Junior forward, drained a triple to stay within a single-digit of Old Town.
Degrasse shined in this game. With four minutes to go in the third quarter she gathered a rebound from her missed attempt and scored, adding two to the Coyote’s lead. Old Town found it easy to break Ellsworth’s trapping. Emerson stayed composed at the top of the arch baiting the Eagles and then passing it to her open teammates. Boles and Radel scored layups in the last two minutes to stay in the game.
However, Evans swished a buzzer-beater elbow jumper, propelling the Coyote's lead 48-34 going into the final eight minutes.
The Coyote’s made a point to guard Jaffray very tightly in the post. She rarely drew fouls on them, in turn this messed up the Eagle’s offense as they got frustrated. Ellsworth attempted to regain the ball and take as many shots as possible, but nothing was falling for them. Evans left this game as the high scorer with 24 points, helping Old Town win this match 58-42
Old Town will face Oceanside on Friday, March 1st at 6:00 p.m. in Bangor for the Class B state championship.
