Wolverines!

We're running a little late here because I took a bunch of NyQuil and then my computer decided to be difficult this morning.

Let's get the big news out of the way.

Even if you've bought into the idea that Wiscasset is turning things around, this is a staggering result.

Landin Shirey had 31 points to lead the Wolverines. Blaine Nadeau had 20 & 10 and Jaxson Desjardins put up his own 31 in the loss.

But, more important, is the idea that Wiscasset (and the Noble boys) are a great example of the value of relegation. Three years ago this program was getting scheduled as the front end of a double-header so schools could get a game in by playing their JVs against a varsity program and now they're beating the premier D South program on the road.

The value of getting a mediocre teams some actual wins can't be overstated. I think relegation is here to stay.

And if you're one of those people who think it's so unfair that the big schools get to play down with the smaller schools, can I submit the Wiscasset girls, who lost 73-15.

With Medomak/Spruce postponed, I nearly went to the Camden @ Oceanside double-header, but I've been sick and am still too sick for a gym that promised to be as full as I assume the Oceanside gym was last night.

Boy, did I miss a couple of good games.

And then.

The loss drops the Camden boys to a surprising 0-3, but after 38 in the last game and 31 tonight, it looks like Nolan Ames is the real deal.

We are merely a week into the season and the cries for a shot clock are back for the second time this season.

But, some people think it's no big deal. A solution in search of a problem, they say.

I do not see teams running the four corners passing stall game. Once in a great while you will see someone try to dictate tempo, but when was the last time you saw a big tournament win because someone played stall ball? [Varsity Maine]

Let's go to Mount Blue!

There's some context here. Maranacook had 3 starters in foul trouble and it seems like this might have been a plan to shorten the game with the hopes of avoiding heavy bench minutes. As a game theory move, I don't hate it. It's pretty smart, actually.

But I'm still not going to condone stalling.

Maranacook lost.

Brewer freshman Oli Higgins had 19 points as the Witches beat Bangor.

Elsewhere...

The Poland girls (C South) beat Noble for the program's first ever win against a AA school. Noble has more than double Poland's enrollment of 485...Simon Bates had 20 points as Boothbay rallied past Sacopee Valley...Evan Legassey scored 22 in Deering's win over Westbrook...Falmouth's Davis Mann dropped 28 on GNG...Messo's Ty Bernier went off for 30 against Lawrence...Bryce Wilcox led Mount Abram to a strong second half to beat Waterville. He finished with 21...Kienna Morse had 17 & 12 as Erskine beat Winslow...Brayden Murch scored 10 of his 34 points in the 4th quarter as Oxford Hills rallied down 7 to beat Cony in overtime...Anthony Whittier put up 25 & 22 as Rangeley beat Vinalhaven...SoPo's Manny Hidalgo dropped 23 on Scarborough...St. Dom's moved to 3-0 behind Taylor Varney's 23...Arianna Bradeen had 16 and Savannah Lorenz 18 as Mount View rolled...Braden Rodrigue and Body Willette each scored 21 as Winslow beat Erskine...Lexi Morin's 17 led Brunswick, which held Jordyn Crump to 4...Cheverus' Kylie Lamson dropped 30 on Portland...Abby Luczynski's 11 & 13 paced Dirigo against Traip...Maddie Cormier led Freeport with 19 against Lewiston...Kaitlyn Frost filled it up with 18/6/3/4/4 for Monmouth...Ella Pelletier went off for 34 against Cony.

This is a great (and smart!) event for a number of reasons.

It's always good to get games on the tourney floor. There's no downside to it.

Plus, the normal travel for some of these games is insane. Wiscasset to Jackman is 134 miles. Traip to Islesboro is 143 miles (with a ferry!). Rangeley to Islesboro is 132 miles (also with a ferry). North Haven to Vinalhaven is...much closer than going all the way to Augusta.

We have a fight in Ashland.

Stay classy, parents.

Houlton has an immediate opening for their girls varsity coach after Ken Erwin resigned Friday afternoon.

That's, uh, unusual timing to be looking for a new coach and one would assume there's some kind of story here.

As I said earlier in the week, there's always room in the newsletter for a buzzer-beater.

Here's Camden's Will Duke calling game for CMCC on Thursday.

These are, uh, a choice.

The Caribou boys are considered by many to be the favorite in a B North that might be a little bit down from last year's Murder's Row gauntlet (but still tough! Don't yell at me!). They're 2-0 in the early going, with dominant wins over Bapst and Houlton.

They'll host Emmitt Byther and an Old Town team that finds themselves at 0-2 with losses to Presque Isle and Bapst. They'll be looking to get in the win column, but doing so against the Vikings might be difficult.

The Model's picks for the rest of today's games are after the jump.