6 Technicals

We'll get to the technicals, I promise.

But first, I went to Belfast for their double-header with Medomak Valley, partly to see Medomak play and partly because I suspected Belfast might be an interesting story this year and I wanted to see them first-hand.

We all know how last year played out for the Belfast boys. They went 1-17 and it went viral when an IG account and DJ decided clicks were more important than the truth, despite a mountain of evidence that said otherwise. Not a good season!

But they have a new coach, a couple of transfers, and won a bunch of games this summer. How would it translate? The schedule-makers decided to start them with a tough test and the Belfast gym was packed. The student section was hyped.

It started well for the Lions. Medomak poked at their zone and wasn't having much luck shooting over it and after 1 quarter, the Panthers led 12-10. Then in the 2nd quarter, Medomak used their defense to take off, going on a 26-3 run to put it away in a game that finished 54-23.

Mason Nguyen went 6/8 from the floor to lead Medomak with 15 points. Kristian Schumann added 14 and Gabe Lash keyed everything with 14 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.

This is a massive improvement for Belfast. I still think they're going to win a good number of games. I'm not sure I'm sticking to my preseason take that they might be the most-improved team in the state. But, you know, it's a tough draw.

The girls' game followed a similar script. This Belfast rebuild is further along, but they entered the game short-handed. It was 9-7 Medomak after 1, only Belfast had scored all their points from the line. By the half, they still hadn't made a field goal. With 5:22 left in the third, they finally hit one, snapping an 0/18 start. So then, of course, they made their next field goal attempt. Obviously.

Medomak cruised to a 45-17 win behind 19 points, 5 assists, and 8 steals from Kytana Williamson, but the real takeaway is that the Panthers have something in freshman guard Anna Reed, who came off the bench to put up 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals in 19 minutes. She might not be coming off the bench for long.

Like everyone, the refs were just working their way into the season.

At the time, I thought this would maybe be the only ref material in today's newsletter.

Boy, was I wrong.

Let's go to Monmouth, where the Mustangs are kicking off their title defense against Maranacook (and, if you're a Monmouth fan, the refs).

It's worth noting that everyone for Monmouth was in foul trouble early. Like, multiple players with three fouls in the first quarter foul trouble.

t's unclear what the first tech was for, as it happened as WHOU was in a replay in the first half. But since Jarod Richmond and Aaron Morse didn't have a lot to say about it, it's safe to assume it was justified.

We get the flop warning with 5:49 left in the third quarter (around 1:08:00 into the broadcast) on a play that sure seems like it has contact. But, you might ask, what exactly is a flop? From the NFHS rules:

Faking being fouled is defined in Rule 4-49-1 as when a player simulates being fouled or makes theatrical or exaggerated movements when there is no illegal contact. Examples include, but are not limited to, embellishing the impact of incidental contact on block/charge plays or field goal attempts, using a “head bob” to simulate illegal contact and using any tactic to create an opinion of being fouled to gain an advantage.

On the next possession, they call the flop technical. Is it a flop? I guess? But he's really just bailing out before he actually gets hit, because he's clearly going to get hit (and does get hit on his way down). It's a pretty soft technical, but ok.

Less than a minute later, Aiden Oliveira picks up a technical for a mild-looking reaction to a call. This is Monmouth's 3rd technical in the game and 2nd in a minute. Oh, and the technical is his 5th foul, so his game is done mid-way though the third quarter.

Monmouth coach Wade Morrill then picks up a technical for defending his kid, which is 4 techs.

A couple of plays later, Monmouth gets called for an offensive foul that Aaron Morse points out sure did look like a flop by Maranacook.

Then, in the final minute of the 3rd quarter, Maranacook gets called for a flop warning where there's clear contact.

But we're not done! With just under 2 minutes to go, Monmouth gets called for another flop. This one is a pretty easy call. 5 techs.

And then, with 1:13 to play, Monmouth gets a SIXTH technical for reaching over the line while defending the throw-in.

Six technicals.

Are some of them defendable? Sure. Is the point of emphasis stupid? Absolutely.

But it still reminds me of this.

In all this mess, Jack Fontaine scored 24 in Maranacook's 55-43 win.

The big boys game of the day, Noble rallied with Jamier Rose in foul trouble to beat South Portland. The Red Riots got 14 points and 13 rebounds from Manny Hidalgo and Rose matched him with 14 and 10, but the star of the game was Noble's Bryce Guitard, who filled it up to the tune of 23 points.

Noble gets a big win, 67-59.

The Cony girls ended Oceanside's winning streak.

Tyler Krusz has the first look at Brewer's acclaimed freshman.

Elsewhere...

The Portland boys got a 21-point deficit down to 3, but couldn't finish the job against Bangor...Leo McNabb scored 20 as Cheverus came back to beat Deering in OT. Deering was led by Evan Legassey's 22...Edward Little got 23 from Diing Maiwen to beat Oxford Hills by 1...Jaxon Desjardins dropped 35 as Forest Hills crushed Vinalhaven...John Patenaude's 22 wasn't enough for GNG as they fell to Freeport and Conner Smith (19)...Kade Ippolito went off for 28 in Greely's win over Mt. Ararat...Theo Pow has 23 as Kennebunk cruised...Nolan Leso's 24&11 led Mt. Blue past Lawrence...Trot Moody had 16 points, 7 boards, and 5 assists as OOB crushed Sacopee Valley...Poland's 25-5 fourth quarter erased a 15-point deficit. Damon Martin's 24 and Nick Jamo's 22 led the way...Carter Blanche's 20 led Scarborough over Bonny Eagle...Jace Bessey dropped 28 on Boothbay...Creighty Dickson's 16 & 14 paced Windham over Lewiston...Kylie Lamson scored 20 as Cheverus crushed Deering...Sarah Theriault had 21 as Marshwood beat Kennebunk...Mollie Puffer's 20 led Sanford's blowout of TA...Leah Jones had 22 as Camden beat Brewer...Olivia Ball had 19 and Mariam Delisle had 13 and 18 boards in Lincoln Academy's win over MCI...Freshman Kinsey Ulmer debuted with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 steals in Erskine's win over Leavitt...Elliot Staubel, Rajon Reed, Jesse Booker combined for 60 of Bangor Christian's 66 points...

We have an early leader in the clubhouse for "biggest blowout".

I'm told Hodgdon went deep into their bench early and often.

Sometimes your bench is just better than the other team's starters.

It's a slow day after last night's flood of games, but we've got an interesting game.

The Hall-Dale girls won their first game by a billion, even beating the Model's projection of a million.

Last year, their sole regular season loss was to Spruce Mountain, so it's safe to assume they've had today's game circled on the schedule.

Spruce has had some graduation losses, to say the least. One would expect them to drop back into the pack, but the pack in B South is as wide-open as it's been in a long time. There might be 6 teams that could win it.

This could be a good one.