Narraguagus girls press way past Dexter in semifinal play

By Pete Warner
BDN Staff

BANGOR — Narraguagus didn’t want to get into a half-court game against 6-foot-1 Megan Peach and the Dexter Tigers.

The Knights’ relentless defensive pressure made sure that didn’t happen.

BDN photo/Ashley L. Cont

TOURNAMENT WEEK — Narraguagus’ Cassidy Osgood slams to the floor while trying to steal the ball from Dexter’s Katherine Batron during a Class C North girls semifinal basketball game on Feb. 19 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Third-seeded Narraguagus earned a 39-24 victory over the No. 2 Tigers.

Narraguagus of Harrington employed a diamond-and-one press that forced many of Dexter’s 35 turnovers, paving the way for a 39-24 Class C North girls basketball semifinal victory at the Cross Insurance Center on Feb. 19.

“We do pretty well at pressing because we have a lot of quick kids, ambitious players,” said Narraguagus senior Emily Reynolds.

Coach Heather Thompson’s No. 3 Knights’ (17-2) advanced to the regional title game against No. 4 Penobscot Valley of Howland. It is Narraguagus’ first championship game since 1992, when Thompson was a player.

Second-seeded Dexter (15-5) struggled not only to get the ball past half-court, but to run offensive sets when it did so. Led by Reynolds, Osgood and sophomore Madison Leighton, along with freshman Lanie Perry, harassed Dexter’s ball-handlers.

“We didn’t want the ball in Peach’s hands and we figured the best way is to put a little pressure on the ball so maybe they couldn’t see Peach so much,” Thompson said. “It paid off.”

Coach Jody Grant’s Tigers also were hampered by early foul trouble for Peach, who finished with six points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots.

Narraguagus had its own turnover issues (23), but the Knights executed enough to get in front and stay there.

Senior forward Kelli Kennedy led ’Guagus with a game-high 16 points along with six rebounds, six steals and a blocked shot. Freshman Kylee Joyce posted nine points and four rebounds, while Osgood (3 steals), Leighton (3 steals) and Reynolds (2) steals scored four points apiece. Perry also made three steals.

“It’s something that we’ve been working for for a long time and it’s finally paying off my senior year,” Kennedy said.

Dexter, which had 20 fewer field-goal attempts, was led by junior Abby Webber (seven points) and senior Katie Batron (six points and seven rebounds).

Narraguagus took control in the third quarter, holding the Tigers scoreless for the last 6 minutes, 20 seconds. That came after a basket and two free throws by Batron had cut the Knights’ lead to 19-15.

Joyce’s rebound basket and three Kennedy foul shots pushed the Narraguagus advantage to 27-15 with 4:55 left in the third and Dexter never got closer than 11 after that.

BDN photo/Ashley L. Conti

SKYLER HOOK — Dexter’s Skyler Theodore  tries for two past Narraguagus’ Kylee Joyce (eft) during their Class C North girls semifinal basketball game  on Feb. 19 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. The third-seeded Tigers’ season came to an end at the hand of Narraguagus, by a score of 39-24.

BDN photo/Ashley L. Conti

PEACH IN THE PAINT — The Tigers’ Megan Peach tries for two past Narraguagus’ Kylee Joyce during a Feb. 19 Class C North semifinal.

BDN photo/Ashley L. Conti

TIGERS ON THE PROWL — Narraguagus’ Kelli Kennedy looks to shoot past Dexter’s Ashley Reynolds, left,  and Skyler Theodore during their Class C North girls semifinal basketball game at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. 

Class C North semifinal

Narraguagus 39, Dexter 24

No. 3 Narraguagus (17-2) 39
Leighton 1-6 2-4 4, K. Reynolds 0-0 0-0 0, E. Reynolds 1-6 2-4 2, Osgood 1-5 2-2 4, Kennedy 5-13 6-12 16, Toppin 0-3 0-0 0, C. Reynolds 0-0 0-0 0, Perry 1-3 0-2 2, Pray 0-0 0-0 0, Alley 0-0 0-0 0, Look 0-0 0-0 0, Joyce 4-9 1-2 9; Totals 13-45 13-26 39

No. 2 Dexter (15-5) 24
Pratt 0-1 1-3 1, Batron 2-6 2-4 6, Theodore 0-5 1-2 1, Cummings 0-0 0-0 0, K. Webber 0-1 0-0 0, Reynolds 0-0 0-0 0, Deering 0-0 0-0 0, Lewis 0-0 0-0 0, Peach 2-6 2-3 6, A. Webber 2-3 2-3 7, Patterson 0-0 0-0 0, Cunningham 1-3 1-3 3; Totals 7-25 9-18 24

Narraguagus 8 19 28 39