By Mike Violette
The Cony Rams are pretty familiar with The Augusta Civic Center as they usually play a few games there away from their home court during the regular season. Generally it is safe to say that the ACC has been a nice home away from home. Not. Yesterday. You see yesterday, the Augusta Civic Center was a house of horrors for the higher seeds on the girls side in Class A North and the day began with #3 Hampden Academy upsetting #2 Cony, 42-38. Rock fight? You bet. Grinder? Oh yeah. Tractor pull? Ayuh! Nothing pretty about this ballgame at all. The Broncos got off to a good start, jumping out to an 8-2 lead in the first quarter keyed by a great Kya Douin pass to Abby Morrill for a lay up that gave Morril 4 points through 5 1/2 minutes.., more than she scored in the whole quarterfinal game vs. Skowhegan. Certainly a good omen for the Rams, right? Oh well. HA responded with a 9-0 run after that to lead 11-8 but Morrill hit a 3 at the buzzer and this game was tied at 11 after 1.
In the 2nd quarter, with HA up 15-11, Kya Douin had a nice steal and driving lay up to make it a 2 point game, 15-13 and the Broncos kept the lead for the entire 2nd quarter before Cony rallied and got a very late hoop to take the lead 21-19 at the break. Grace LeBree led HA in the 1st half with 8, using her size and length to score in close. After being stifled vs Skowhegan, Abby Morrill broke free for 9 1st half points, all in the 1st quarter. Kya Douin added 7 1st half points.
The 3rd quarter was a see saw affair as both teams had multiple leads. Abby Morrill hit a 3 to make it 28-27 Cony with 1:38 to go. Aubrey Shaw got it right back though and it was 30-28 HA. Rylin Miller then hit a 3 for Cony and the Rams led again, 31-30. But wait! There’s more! Eve Wiles knocked down another triple for the Broncos and we went to the 4th with HA up by 2, 33-31.
The 4th quarter was when the tractors were brought into ACC for the Tractor Pull. The two teams combined for a grand total of 16 points. Here are some of highlights of the 4th. Grace LeBree had a huge block on Gabby Vachon with 5:20 left then HA opened the game up.., a little bit. Leading 35-31, Eve Wiles hit a runner, 37-31 Broncs. Gabby Vachon then fouled out for Cony then HA ran almost a minute off the clock in their spread offense before they turned it over with 1:45 to go. Morgan Fichthorne of Cony hit a driving lay up, 37-33 HA then she fouled Eve Shaw who hit both free throws to pretty much put it away. Abby Morrill hit a 3 in the waning seconds to bring the Rams within 3 but that was it. Broncos 42 Rams 38. Give tremendous credit to HA’s lockdown defense which held Cony to 28% shooting from the floor while the Broncos shot 42%
Aubrey Shaw led HA with 13 points and 5 boards, Grace LeBree had 12 to go along with 6 very big blocks. Katelyn Adams only had 5 points but was huge on the boards with 9 rebounds. Abby Morrill was the only Cony player in double figures with 14 points and Morgan Fichthorne had 9 points and 5 boards.
Hampden Academy’s upset of Cony would be a sign of things to come on the girls side from the Augusta Civic Center.
Semi Cony Consolation Prize? Rams Coach John Dennett is by far the best dressed coach in Maine high school basketball. More of this pleas!!!
