Upset Number 1!
The first game of the playoffs was a thriller.
Well the Tourney is off to a great start.
The Erskine and MCI girls just couldn't wait to get started, kicking off the prelims a day early, and since it's less than an hour from my house, I just had to make the trip.
The Erskine gym (which, by the way, is a black hole of cell phone coverage) can get pretty loud for a regular season girls game. For a prelim? Oh it was packed and raucous.
But not during the introductions of MCI's starters. Because during the introduction of the starters, the Erskine student section pulled out newspapers--oh the humanity! Hopefully the MPA won't have to step in with some SMU-level sanctions.
Erskine starts 3 freshmen and a sophomore and you always wonder how a group like that will respond to their first taste of postseason play. At first, it didn't go great. MCI struck first, opening a 7-4 on a Kayleigh Dunton bucket as Erskine shot 3/15 in the first quarter. But they forced 10 MCI turnovers and after 1, MCI led 9-7.
MCI went on a 9-2 run to open the 2nd behind Skyla Dean. She had 8 in the quarter and 22 in the game. MCI's lead fluctuated between 4 and 8 until a 9-2 Erskine run at the end of the 3rd quarter got them within 1 and a Serena Hotham three (Eskine's first of the game) tied the score early in the 4th.
MCI answered with a 10-0 run and with just under 2 minutes to go, it looked like it was all over.
But Erskine's freshmen found their playoff legs. Kelsie Dunn scored to cut it to 8, then off a turnover fed Olivia Childs for a 3 to cut it to 5. After a free throw, Dunn scored again to cut it to 4, hit 2 free throws after a time out to cut it to two, then scored again off her own steal to tie the game at 41. Dunn finished with 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 steals.
Erskine had 2 chances to win it in regulation, but Jyllian Riendeau and Aleah Harris came up with huge blocked shots to send it to overtime.
Caleigh Crocker scored first in overtime off a MCI turnover, but Dean answered.
Kayleigh Dunton scored with 20 seconds to go left to give MCI the lead (she finished with 9 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 assists), but missed the and 1 and freshman Isabella Winchenbach was fouled on the rebound. She was 0/5 from 3 on the night, but she calmly went to the line to knock down both free throws. But! MCI raced down the floor. Dean fed Aleah Harris for a layup with 5 seconds left.
Erskine had one more chance.
MCI pulls off the upset!
If this is any indication, we're in for one hell of a tournament.
All the boys Tourney Guides are up and I'm building the girls ones now (had to wait for Cheverus and Portland to finish the regular season last night), so they'll be uploading as I finish them.
Lucas McNelly
If you're looking to stream games, here's where you can find them:
Prelims: Depends on the higher seed (check the Scoreboard)
Quarterfinals: NFHS
Semis & Regionals: WHOU
States: MPBN
It's Tourney Time!!!!
Tuesday is Girls Prelim day, but apparently we're doing a couple boys games too.
Mt. Ararat and Fryeburg met once this season, a 54-47 Fryeburg win at home. But since then, they stumbled down the stretch, losing 3 of their last 4, including a loss at home to 3-15 Brunswick.
Mt. Ararat finished by winning 3 of their last 4, including a 9-point win at Brunswick. Is there something in the tea leaves there?
Winner gets GNG. Loser gets ready for baseball season.
The rest of the Model's picks for today are after the jump.