NORDIC SKIING
MT. BLUE’S BRYNNE ROBBINS PLACES 2ND AT SASSI MEMORIAL
RUMFORD — At the Sassi Memorial held at Black Mountain Saturday, Jan. 25, Eva Clement of Falmouth won the girls race in 16:50.4. Brynne Robbins (17:26.9) of Mt. Blue edged out Deering’s Megan Cunningham (17:27.6) for second.
Racers hit the course at 15-second intervals and Robbins, who followed Clement in the chute, kept her in her sights for most of the race.
“I was very fortunate. They gave me ‘zero’ skis,” Robbins said, referring to skis specifically designed to add grip in icy conditions. “They had the kind of kick zone on them that you want in these conditions. I went out and tested them this morning and it went pretty well.”
Robbins said she derived inspiration from last year’s girls winner, Mt. Blue teammate and close friend Emma Charles, who was in Vermont for the Eastern Cup.
“I kind of wanted to represent her and do justice for her,” she said.
Mt. Blue’s Bridget Reusch finished in seventh place.
In the boys race Mt. Blue’s Evan Hornbach was eighth.
BOYS BASKETBALL
GARDINER — There’s a learning curve for any freshman playing varsity basketball. Even the most talented player is going to have ups and downs.
For Gardiner’s Kalvin Catchings and Mt. Blue’s Zach Poisson, expect mostly ups from here on out.
Catchings and Poisson squared off Friday night, and each showed he should be considered among the top freshmen in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference. The 6-foot-5 Catchings was the best player on the court throughout Gardiner’s 53-47 win, scoring a game-and career-high 25 points to go with 11 rebounds and eight blocks.
For the Cougars, Poisson scored a team-high 12 points while starting in the backcourt.
Poisson has been a key contributor all season for a Mt. Blue team looking to hold onto the eighth spot and a playoff seed in Class A North.
“He’s played great. We don’t consider him a freshman anymore, as we get towards the end of the season,” Cougars coach Troy Norton said. “He’s one of the leaders on the court.”
That’s the thing about freshmen. They become upperclassmen, and if they continue working hard, they become the guys you can build a team around.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
GARDINER 64, MT. BLUE 34
Mt. Blue Senior Lexi Mittelstadt reaches career milestones
FARMINGTON —Lizzy Gruber’s 18 points and 21 rebounds led the Tigers (13-1) to a road win over the Cougars (6-8) Friday, Jan. 24.
Mt. Blue’s Lexi Mittelstadt scored a game-high 25 points. The University of Maine commit scored her 1,000th career point and made her 100th career 3-pointer in the contest.
Bailey Poore had 12 points and Jaycie Stevens had 10 for Gardiner.
BOYS HOCKEY
CONY/MONMOUTH/HALL-DALE 3, MARANACOOK/WINTHROP/MADISON/SPRUCE MOUNTAIN/LAWRENCE 0:
READFIELD — In a game last week, the Rams (5-4) skated circles around the Hawks (2-7).
Zach Whitney scored the first goal for Cony. Ayden Clark and Tyrell Souza also produced goals, each set up by an assist from Collin Osborne.
Goalie Thomas Tronton made 22 saves for Maranacook, while goalie Matty Shea stopped 17 for Cony in the winning effort.
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