Medomak Valley girls’ basketball team picked up mega heal points with a 27-26 win over 2nd ranked Mt.View Friday night in Waldoboro. The Lady Panthers led 10-8 at the quarter and 20-14 at the half, before the Mustangs stampeded in the third, holding Medomak to four, while pumping in 12 points to take a 26-24 lead into the fourth period.
Medomak tied the Mustangs up offensively in the fourth quarter, holding them scoreless. The stingy Panthers did not give Mt.View even a single free throw in the pivotal final period. Lacy Massengale connected at the foul line on three of four shots in the final period to lift Medomak to a one-point victory.
“We changed things up from what we usually do. They were told to take their post away,” said MVHS coach Randy Hooper. “It is nice when your game plan works. I drew it up and the girls executed. They did everything I asked them to do. Our defense played a big part. We played half court man to man and doubled up on their post. It seemed to work. We didn’t trap and double team them nearly as much as we usually do. All of them did a terrific job of focusing on what they needed to do.”
Medomak doubled up on Mt.View’s two big girls Jessica Smith and Dakota McAdam, and held Smith to six points and McAdam to two.
Scoring for Medomak were Massengale 12, Mariah Jenkins 4, Jasmyn Rose 3, Danielle Dyer 2, Lindsay Ranquist 2, Erica Tolman 2 and Erika Knustson 2. Scoring for Mt.View were Hayleigh Kein 4, Macy Montminy 6, Smith 6, Alexis Bennett 4 and McAdam 2.
The Eagles led 6-5 at the quarter and 20-19 at the half, before the Panthers rallied in the 3rd to take the lead for good. Erskine won the turnover battle and controlled the boards in first half action, but Medomak turned things around in the second half, and grabbed the first seven rebounds of the 4th period.
Medomak trailed by seven in the second frame, before rallying for eight straight points to take the lead with a minute to go in the half. Nicole Weaver hit two at the charity stripe and scored on a breakaway pass on a Jasmyn Rose steal. Ericka Christensen scored back- to-back hoops off the offensive glass. Erskine had the final say of the quarter when Monica Malley connected off the glass for a one point Eagle lead at the half.
Medomak scored the first four points of the 3rd period to take the lead for good. Danielle Dyer and Erica Tolman connected for a shot each at the line and Lacy Massengale scored on a Dyer feed in the rally. Medomak led by as many as seven in the period, before Erskine cut the lead to two with 1:42 to go on an Ashley Clark three. Dyer answered with a three, Alanna Vose found net, and Mariah Jenkins scored on an inbound ball at the buzzer and the resulting foul shot to put the Panthers up 38-28 at the end of three.
Medomak spread the floor in the 4th, but failed to make their shots fall against a scrappy Erskine defense. Massengale and Lindsay Ranquist went two-for-two at the line in the final minute and a half to seal the win.
Scoring for Medomak were Massengale 9 (6R,2S), Dyer 7 (2R,3S,2A), Jenkins 7, Tolman 5, Christensen 4, Weaver 4 (3S,3A), Ranquist 4 (6R), Vose 2, and Rose 2 (4R,2A).
Scoring for Erskine were Clark 9, Kaci Hudson 7, Monica Malley 4 (6R), Samantha Morse 4, Jessica Souther 2, Bethany Britten 2, and Megan Helm 2.
“I’ve got to give Erskine credit. They have improved tremendously since the first time we played them; we’re everyone’s ticket now. They are all gunning for us,” coach Randy Hooper said of his Heal point heavy Lady Panthers.
