WINTHROP — The Winthrop girls basketball team earned an early Christmas gift on Thursday night.
Led by the shooting of guard Ella Rice, who scored 17 points — including four 3-pointers — the Ramblers beat defending Class C champion Old Orchard Beach 44-41 in the Poulin Gym.
The win was long-sought by the Ramblers, who have been knocked out of the playoffs by the Seagulls each of the past two seasons.
“We really wanted this win,” said Rice, a junior. “We played hard. It was a really hard-fought win, and we played probably one of the best defenses, in the second half, that we could have.”
Guard Madeline Wagner scored 10 points, including two key free throws in the fourth quarter, and grabbed six rebounds for Winthrop (2-1). Kylee Mansir added eight points.
Tessa Ferguson led the Seagulls (3-1) with 19 points, while Sarah Davis added 16 points.
Battling a zone defense, Winthrop hit seven 3-pointers.
“There’s a lot of zones that we go against,” said Winthrop head coach John Baehr. “This year, we’re getting to that next step (as an offense).”
Winthrop’s Madeline Wagner (11) takes a foul shot against Old Orchard Beach during a girls basketball game Thursday in Winthrop. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel
Down 11-5 after the first quarter, the Ramblers turned to Rice, who nailed three 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the quarter to give Winthrop a 22-19 halftime lead.
“When I start (successfully) shooting, everyone starts (successfully) shooting,” Rice said. “It’s just a trickle effect. Everybody just kept shooting and it just kept going in. Like we do as a team, we just hyped each other up.”
“This year, I’m asking (Rice) to be more of a scorer,” Baehr said. “She’s kind of taking the role. She wants to get into the gym and start shooting. Her leadership tonight was fabulous.”
The Seagulls battled, led by Ferguson, who scored 13 of her 19 points in the second half. Wagner played a key role in the fourth quarter, hitting a 3-pointer, and two free-throws for the Ramblers’ final two points to seal the victory.
The Ramblers are in the middle of an early test in their schedule. Winthrop fell 45-42 to North Yarmouth Academy on Dec. 12 and play Hall-Dale at the Augusta Civic Center on Dec. 27.
“(The win) will help us with the upcoming games,” Rice said. “Coach Baehr always tells us to keep that chip on our shoulder… He always tells us, ‘You’re good. Play like you’re good against these teams.’”
“Every day we practice and grind,” Baehr said. “That’s our mentality and the culture we have. It’s about (having) the mental edge, and that’s not just on the court, it counts in life, too, being mentally prepared and mentally tough. That’s what I preach, and it’s showing.”
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