Calais girls’ 3-point barrage will be tested by smothering Dexter defense in Class C North semi

It will be an offensive juggernaut against a stifling defense in Friday’s 7:05 p.m. Class C North schoolgirl semifinal between sixth seed Calais, 19-1, and second seed Dexter, 16-3, at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

Dexter’s defense won out a year ago as the Tigers beat Calais 36-15.

In the 8:35 p.m. semifinal, ninth seed Stearns of Millinocket, 16-4, will take on No. 4 Penobscot Valley of Howland, 16-4, in the rubber game after each won on the other’s court during the regular season.

Calais averaged 67.6 points per game during the regular season before beating Central of Corinth 80-45 in their preliminary round game and then setting a Class C North record with 12 3-pointers in their 74-42 victory over Madawaska in their Wednesday quarterfinal.

Lauren Cook nailed six 3-pointers en route to her 29-point performance and fellow junior guard Logan Huckins had five accounting for 15 of her 24 points for the Blue Devils.

Dexter eliminated Fort Fairfield 47-25 and that was the 16th time in 19 games that the Tigers had held opponents under 30 points.

Sophomore guards Peyton Grant and Avery Herrick powered the Tigers as Grant scored a game-high 23 points and Herrick registered 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds.

The Tigers will be seeking their third straight Class C North championship game appearance as they lost to Houlton, 33-30, in overtime in last year’s regional championship game after winning the Class C crown in 2017.

Dexter also reached the regional final in 2015, losing to Houlton in the final.

Calais last won a regional title in 2013 after winning the state championship game the previous season.

Stearns freshman guard Alisyn Alley turned in an eye-opening debut at the Cross Insurance Center on Tuesday, racking up 23 points, eight assists and five steals to lead the Minutemen past top seed Central Aroostook of Mars Hill.

Annalys Robinson contributed 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists and Kat Alley, Alisyn’s junior sister, chipped in with 13 points and three assists.

Stearns last played in a regional title game in 2012, losing to eventual state champ Central of Corinth 42-41 in overtime.

Junior center Lexi Ireland’s 16 points and 10 rebounds guided Penobscot Valley past Narraguagus of Harrington. Emily St. Cyr and Laney Harding had 10 points apiece and St. Cyr also produced seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Penobscot Valley last played in a Class C North final in 2016, losing to eventual state titlist Narraguagus.

This season, Penobscot Valley beat Stearns in Millinocket 57-52 on Dec. 10 but Stearns avenged that loss 39-31 in Howland on Jan. 21.

The Class C South semifinals will be held on Thursday afternoon at the Augusta Civic Center with second seed Winthrop (17-2) facing No. 3 North Yarmouth Academy (15-4) at 2:30 and top seed Boothbay Region (19-0) battling No. 13 Madison (7-13) at 4 p.m.