Schenck pulls away from Patriots for season-opening win

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    MILO — Early in the second quarter of a mutual opener to the 2014-15 season on Dec. 5, the Penquis Valley High School boys tied the score 10-10 against Schenck High School of East Millinocket. The Class D Wolverine defense then held the Patriots without a point for over six minutes to take a 19-10 lead on the way to a 46-39 victory.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

    COOKING WITH FIVE — Penquis Valley senior Phillip Cook took a steal the other way for a layup during the fourth quarter of the 2014-15 opener against Schenck of East Millinocket on Dec. 5. Cook scored five points in the fourth, but the Wolverines earned a 46-39 victory.

    Penquis and Schenck were tied on four separate occasions in the opening quarter, and the Wolverines went up 10-8 at session’s end. A basket by junior Noah Allen, who led the Patriots with 13 points or a third of his team’s total, tied the game at 10 points apiece early in the second quarter.
    The next nine points all belonged to Schenck as the team took its 19-10 lead. With 1:14 to go in the opening half, Penquis sophomore Charles Artus sank a pair of free throws to end the run for the Wolverines. Artus would add another shot from the foul line and sophomore Clayton Preble’s jump shot just before the buzzer matched one at the other end of the court to make the score 21-15 heading into the third quarter.
    Schenck led by 13 late in the third quarter, 36-23, and by 15 points late in the fourth quarter, 45-30, before the Patriots began to threaten. Wolverine sophomore Justin Thompson had six points in less than a minute of play, part of his game-high 17-point night, to put his team ahead at 45-30. A Penquis timeout was called immediately after the third of these field goal with 1:31 left on the clock.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

    UP AND AWAY — Coming up with a loose ball is senior Clayton Tarnoczy, who has teammate and fellow senior Justin Larry open a short throw away.

    The stop in the action worked as senior Phillip Cook scored on the ensuing possession and then next time the Patriots had the ball Allen sank a deep 3-pointer to quickly make the contest go from a 15-point to a 10-point game at 45-35.
    A Schenck 60-second timeout was intended to stop the onset of panic among the Wolverines, but the team could not score after in-bounding the ball. Penquis had no trouble finding the basket as Cook sank a jump shot — he would record all five of his points in the fourth quarter — to make the game 45-37 with 32 seconds remaining.
    At the 19.3-second mark Schenck senior Zackary Smith was fouled in the act of shooting. His first free throw attempt bounced off the rim and his second try also was no good as Preble corralled the rebound.
    The shot on the other end missed its mark and Schenck senior Brandon Danforth was quickly fouled after getting the rebound to stop the clock. Danforth went right to the line with his team in the bonus, and he made his first foul shot to extend the Wolverine lead to 46-37. Danforth’s next attempt was no good as Penquis got the ball.
    A Preble jumper got the point back and added another to cut the deficit to seven at 46-39. Preble’s would be the last shot from the floor as Schenck held off Penquis to earn the victory on opening night across the state.
    The two teams are scheduled to play again, the second game will be in East Millinocket, on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 14.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

    THIRTEEN FOR ALLEN — Junior Noah Allen, shooting over Schenck seniors Zackary Smith (30) and Ryan Leavitt, recorded a team-high 13 points.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

    DELIVERED THROUGH THE AIR — Firing off a pass into the corner is Penquis sophomore Clayton Preble while Schenck senior Ryan Leavitt defends. Preble finished second for the Patriots with 10 points.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

    PATRIOT GAMES — Looking to drive the lane against Schenck senior Ryan Leavitt is Patriot sophomore Devon Cuthbertson as sophomore Clayton Preble and Wolverine senior Brandon Danforth look on from behind the top of the arc.

BASKETBALL
BOYS
Schenck 46,
Penquis 39
SCH    10    11     15     10  —  46
PEN       8      7       8     16  —  39
    PENQUIS: Allen 13, Preble 10, Cook 5, Larry 5, Artus 3 and Tarnoczy 3.
    SCHENCK: Thompson 17, Danforth 7, Sewall 7, Leavitt 5, Z. Smith 5, Ladd 3 and Lawson 2.
    Records: Penquis 0-1, Schenck 1-0.