Big fourth quarter helps Foxcroft defeat Old Town
DOVER-FOXCROFT — A 19-7 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter helped the Foxcroft Academy boys pull away from Old Town High School and earn a 67-52 victory during a Jan. 25 contest between two teams battling for berths in the upcoming Class B North postseason. With the host Ponies up by three at 50-47 early in the final eight-minute frame, the team went on a 15-3 run close out the Coyotes.
Junior Hyatt Smith and senior Drew Dankert topped all players with 23 and 22 points respectively, as the 45 combined was too far off the 52 for 10 Old Town players. Smith and Dankert together picked up 13 points in the final quarter to help spark the run for Foxcroft (who improved to 5-7).
Smith would score in the post to begin the 15-3 run and then Dankert added a pair of free throws to extend the Foxcroft advantage to multiple possessions at 54-47. An ensuing Coyote field goal was equaled by a Dankert jumper at the other and he would later convert two more foul shots to increase the lead to 58-49.
Another stop at the defensive end of the court, gave the ball back to Foxcroft and Smith scored again while being positioned in the post for a 60-49 advantage.
Old Town’s other point on the wrong end of the 15-3 run came on a free throw. The Ponies then had a layup from junior Jeremy Richard — he finished third on the team with nine points — and Smith’s third shot of the quarter from close range. Smith was fouled in the act of shooting on his team’s next possession and after his first attempt the Coyotes opted to send in a full contingent of reserves with the game essentially over. A Smith foul shot made the score 65-50 as Foxcroft also opted to pull its starters after a winning effort.
Foxcroft earned a split in 2017-18 against Old Town as the Coyotes won on the team’s home court 53-46 on Jan. 3. The victory in the second meeting of the season snapped a four-game skid for the team and gave the Ponies a boost in the Heal Point standings as 11 teams will qualify for the postseason in Class B North.
The Ponies would win at home vs. John Bapst Memorial High School of Bangor 72-39 two nights later, to stand at 6-7 and hold the 11th and final playoff spot with five games remaining.
Old Town fell to 4-10 on Jan. 25 with the team’s fourth straight defeat since the Jan. 3 win over Foxcroft and suffered its sixth loss in seven games.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Foxcroft 67,
Old Town 52
OT 14 19 12 7 | 52
FA 14 22 12 19 | 67
Old Town: Hayes 11,
Cyr 8, Hoogterp 8,
Spell 8, Albert 5,
Mitchell 3, Swift 3,
Archer 2,Doucette 2,
Gerogia 2.
Foxcroft: Smith 23.
Dankert 22, Richard 9,
Spooner 5, Ames 4,
Marsh 2, Martin 2.
Records: Foxcroft 5-7,
Old Town 4-10.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FOULED IN THE ACT OF SHOOTING — All Old Town senior Nicholas Swift can do to stop Foxcroft junior Hyatt Smith is foul him as the Pony draws contact late in the fourth quarter of the Jan. 25 contest in Dover-Foxcroft (looking on is Coyote junior Zach Fostun). Smith scored a game-high 23 points in Foxcroft’s 67-52 win, including seven in the fourth quarter when the Ponies had a 19-7 point advantage.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
TWENTY TWO POINTS OF HIS OWN — Pony senior Drew Dankert shoots over Old Town freshman Shawn Hoogterp during the third quarter of the Jan. 25 contest. Dankert would score 22 points as he and junior Hyatt Smith combined for 45 or seven less than the entire Coyote team.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
RISING ABOVE THE COMPETITION — Foxcroft junior Jeremy Richard threads the Old Town defense for a layup. Richard scored nine points to help the Ponies earn a season split with Old Town as the home team won each matchup.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HAULING IN THE REBOUND — Junior Michaleb Niles pulls in the offensive rebound during the second quarter against Old Town on Jan. 25. In on the play is senior teammate Cameron Marsh and Old Town senior Logan Doucette (24) and sophomore Travis Spell (4).