Fast start helps undefeated Dexter get by the Patriots
Staff Writer
DEXTER — The Dexter Regional High School girls entered a Jan. 5 afternoon contest against regional rival Penquis Valley High School with a perfect record of 7-0 and the first-place position in the Class C East Heal Point standings. The Tigers concluded play with both marks still intact nearing the halfway point of the 2012-13 season after defeating the Patriots 41-20, also snapping a three-game winning streak for the away team.
EIGHT IS GREAT — Penquis senior Lexi Larson hoists a shot over Dexter sophomore Michaela White during a Jan. 5 afternoon contest. The Tigers successfully defended the team’s home court with a 41-20 victory, improving to 8-0 on the season. In the post is Patriot sophomore Lindsay Turner and, from left, Dexter seniors Jordyn Bell and Lauren Crane and junior Abbie Melvin.
Six seconds in Dexter — who earned a season sweep of 3-4 Penquis with the first victory coming in Milo on Dec. 17 by a score of 62-40 — got on the scoreboard after sophomore Abbie Melvin won the tipoff against Patriot senior Hannah Bess. The Tigers quickly went down the court for two by sophomore Tasha Pratt.
ABOUT TO GO ON THE PROWL — Dexter senior Jordyn Bell corrals a rebound between Penquis juniors Jessica Preble, left, and Allison Durant as the Tiger offense looks for a possible fast break the other way. Behind the trio in the paint is Dexter sophomore Michaela White and junior Lexi Larson of Penquis.
Using a full-court press, Dexter prevented the opposition from getting a shot off in the first three minutes of play before Patriot sophomore Lindsay Turner put a shot up from the right block, off the glass and in to tie the game at two points apiece 3:07 into the first quarter.
After yielding the field goal Dexter would keep Penquis scoreless for the remainder of the opening quarter and the first few minutes of the second. The Tigers would get rolling offensively as the team added 14 points to the team’s own total before the Patriot side of the scoreboard would change. A balanced approach provided the offensive output of the 14-0 run as five Tigers contributed points on the same number of shots from the floor, including three-pointers by senior Lauren Crane and sophomore Michaela White.
TEN POINTS APIECE — Junior Jessica Preble of Penquis drives against Dexter sophomore Tasha Pratt in a play involving the game’s two leading scorers, who both tallied 10 points.
A field goal by Pratt at the end of the second quarter made the Dexter lead the same as it was at the start of the eight-minute session, 14 points with the home team up 22-8 as the squads went to the locker room. Pratt ended up leading her team with 10 points, and tying Penquis junior Jessica Preble for the game-high.
The 20 points allowed by Dexter was the team’s second lowest total of the season, behind only 11 the Bangor Christian School tallied in game No. 2 as the Tiger defense is averaging just under 34 points per game. Dexter helped keep the opposition in a deficit by giving up just four points in the third quarter, while scoring nine at the other end to lead by 19 at 31-12.
The fourth quarter scoring output was nearly even, with Dexter having a narrow 10-8 advantage, but the Tigers still doubled up the opposition by a final score of 41-20.
TIGER PACK — Junior Abbie Melvin of Dexter pulls in a rebound between teammates sophomore Tasha Pratt (20) and senior Jordyn Bell.
The Patriots ended up holding a Dexter team now averaging over 57 points per game to a season-low total. The previous mark came in a 51-42 Tiger victory vs. Orono High School just before Christmas.
UP AND AT THEM — Tiger sophomore Michaela White jumps over Penquis senior Lexi Larson for a shot in the second half. White would pick up five points as eight Dexter players got on the scoring sheet. In the right post is, from left, Dexter senior Jordyn Bell, Penquis junior Jessica Preble and Tiger senior Lauren Crane.