HAMPDEN – Strong inside efforts by Kristina Roderick, Stacy Whitcomb, and Tara Leavitt lifted the Hampden Academy Broncos to a 52-37 schoolgirl basketball victory over the Presque Isle Wildcats in Big East Conference action here Friday afternoon.

The Broncos dominated the frontcourt game with a 41-22 rebounding advantage and received many second- and third-shot opportunities, while limiting the Wildcats to one shot on their end. Ten of Hampden’s first 22 points came after an offensive rebound.

The 5-foot-11 Roderick paced the inside game with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Leavitt (6-0) added inside balance with 9 points and 12 rebounds, while Whitcomb (5-11) contributed 7 points and 6 rebounds.

Hampden won its third straight game and is now 3-1. Presque Isle slipped to 1-4.

“We took it to the hoop when they played up on us and I think we play real well against man-to-man,” Roderick said. “We have balanced outside shooters, too.”

The Wildcats attempted to stop the Broncos’ inside game by fronting the low post and bringing a player around to try to knock away the lob pass. The Broncos countered by using one of their bigger players to pass the ball in, while the post person protected the ball well and converted for high-percentage baskets.

“Normally, girls with size are not real good athletes, but these Hampden kids are good athletes,” Presque Isle Coach Dick Barstow said. “They move real well to the basket.”

The Broncos were also able to easily break PI’s full-court pressure, as the Wildcats were seeking transition baskets to keep close. Hampden guards Brandi Hunnewell and Jen Craig did a good job breaking the pressure, while the frontcourt players also helped.

“We’re not very quick, but when we go (to a shorter lineup), we’re actually slower,” Hampden Coach Clint Worthley said. “Part of our speed is our size.”

PI’s Jennifer Staples hit a 10-footer to open the game, but the Broncos then rolled off 22 unanswered points in the next 12 minutes to decide the game’s outcome early.

The Broncos’ frontcourt trio paced the scoring surge with 14 of the 22 points. Roderick had 6, Leavitt 5, and Whitcomb 3.

Despite the big lead, Hampden was able to maintain its intensity to stifle the Wildcats as Worthley used all of his players.

The Broncos took a 24-9 halftime lead and then started the third quarter much like the first as they outscored the Wildcats 17-3 in the third.

PI’s strongest performance came in the fourth quarter when its bench players outplayed Hampden’s subs and enjoyed a 10-0 scoring surge.

Nikki Fulton paced PI with 9 points and Theresa Underwood added 6.

Broncos 52, Wildcats 37

Hampden girls Presque Isle

Name AG G AF F TP Name AG G AF F TP

Hunnewell 5 3 0 0 6 Cullins 0 0 3 0 0

Craig 3 2 2 0 4 Dicker 3 2 1 0 4

Hawkins 3 1 0 0 2 Fitzgerald 5 1 1 0 2

Ryerson 1 0 0 0 0 Fulton 8 3 3 1 9

Love 2 0 1 0 0 Graves 5 0 2 1 1

Cyr 5 2 6 4 8 Hersey 10 2 3 1 5

Arbuckle 2 0 5 1 1 Nightingale 4 1 0 0 2

Thompson 4 2 0 0 4 Pinette 5 2 0 0 4

Roderick 14 5 3 1 11 Scullion 6 1 1 0 2

Whitcomb 5 3 5 1 7 Underwood 4 0 6 6 6

Leavitt 11 4 2 1 9 Carter 1 0 1 0 0

Derosier 0 0 0 0 0

Staples 3 1 2 0 2

Totals 55 22 24 8 52 Totals 54 13 23 9 37

Hampden 18 24 41 52

Presque Isle 2 9 12 37

Preliminary: Hampden JVs 41, Presque Isle JVs 35

3-pt. goals: Hampden (0-0), Presque Isle (2-5) Dicker 0-1, Fulton 2-4