PCHS continues to roll with 10th straight victory
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
GUILFORD — Back on Dec. 13, the girls of Piscataquis Community High School earned the team’s first victory — after an 0-2 start — by winning at regional rival Penquis Valley High School 59-24. Since the victory in Milo the Pirates have kept on winning, and the team upped its month-long streak to 10 games with a 37-16 victory on its home court vs. the Patriots on Jan. 15.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
10 IN A ROW — PCHS junior Jordynne Littlefield goes up for a shot during the third quarter of the team’s 37-16 victory vs. Penquis Valley High School on Jan. 15, the Pirates’ 10th consecutive win. Also on the court is, from left, PCHS senior Alex Speed, Penquis junior Lauren Worster, PCHS freshman Erin Speed, Penquis senior Danielle Brawn and PCHS junior Delani Bennett.
In the game’s opening minutes, PCHS quickly built a 9-0 lead behind a 3-pointer by freshman Erin Speed and three shots from the floor by junior Jordynne Littlefield.
Penquis junior Lauren Worster got her team on the scoreboard in the opening quarter, but five combined points from junior Delani Bennett and senior Alex Speed helped build a 14-2 advantage that enabled PCHS to be in control for the rest of the game. Speed’s basket began a night in which she scored a game-high 10 points.
PCHS Head Coach Brian Gaw was able to rotate most of his roster off the bench and onto the court, as in the second quarter non-starters junior Haylee Patterson and freshman Lexi Harris had two points apiece for nearly half of the team’s output in the second quarter.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
WALKING THE SIDELINE — Freshman Bailey Lemieux dribbles over half court while Penquis freshman Kortnie Stone applies the defensive pressure.
In the same eight-minute span, Penquis more than quadrupled its point total from two to nine. Sophomore Jordan Durant, on a field goal and free throw, picked up three of her team-high five points during this stint. Senior Lindsay Turner had the other four, on a shot from the floor and pair of foul shots.
The 14-point lead was increased to 24 during a 12-2 scoring advantage for the Pirates in the third. The two Speed sisters had four apiece in the third for nearly half of their combined 17 points, and Bennett and Littlefield scored two points each, on two free throws and a field goal respectively.
The scoring advantage was in the visitor’s favor in the fourth, at 5-2, behind two points apiece by junior Danielle Brawn and sophomore Jazmyn Gray and a free throw from senior Rachel Baker.
The 16 points was the fewest allowed by PCHS (10-2) in 2014-15, surpassing the previous low of 24 yielded in the first meeting with Penquis. The Patriots fell to 0-13 with the defeat at Guilford.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
POST PLAYERS IN THE HIGH POST — Junior Delani Bennett shoots over senior Lindsay Turner of Penquis during the Jan. 15 contest in Guilford. To the right is junior Lauren Worster of Penquis and PCHS junior Courtney Deane.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
MID-AIR COLLISION — Freshman Erin Speed’s layup is contested by Penquis sophomore Jordan Durant. Speed would finish with seven points while Durant led her team with five.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
OFF HER FEET — Junior Courtney Deane hoists a jumper over sophomore Krista Dearborn of Penquis last Thursday night. Under the basket is Patriot junior Lauren Worster and near the 3-point line is Pirate senior Alex Speed.
BASKETBALL
GIRLS
PCHS 37,
Penquis 16
PEN 2 7 2 5 — 16
PC 14 9 12 2 — 37
PCHS: A. Speed 10, Littlefield 8, E. Speed 7, Bennett 6, Patterson 4 and Harris 2.
PENQUIS: Durant 5, Turner 4, Brawn 2, Gray 2, Worster 2 and Baker 1.
Records: PCHS 10-2, Penquis 0-13.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
YOUNG PIRATES — Halftime of the Jan. 15 PCHS-Penquis girls’ basketball game provided the opportunity for Pirate Rec basketball players to showcase their skills on the high school court and before an audience of spectators.