Vachon tops `A’ all-tourney picks

Things just keep getting better and better for Cony’s Amy Vachon.

The 5-foot-7 guard’s scoring numbers got fatter and fatter with each Eastern Maine Class A schoolgirl basketball tourney game, and the Rams from Augusta kept their 43-game unbeaten streak alive through Saturday’s Eastern Maine final victory against Presque Isle.

Last year’s nearly unanimous choice for the Bangor Daily News’ Owen Osborne Most Valuable Player Award, established in 1994 in memory of the late sports editor, Vachon was the unanimous choice for her second Osborne award.

The 1996 award marks the University of Maine-bound guard’s fourth consecutive selection to the NEWS’ Class A All-Tournament team.

And the team looks much like Vachon’s team, featuring 5-6 senior guard Erica Pridham and 5-9 senior Christine Huber, both of Cony, and Bangor’s 6-1 senior forward Katie Clark, and the team’s sole junior, 5-10 forward Kim Condon of Presque Isle.

Clark, who celebrates her second year on the Class A All-Tourney team, and Condon, who marks her first year, were both unanimous selections.

The NEWS All-Tourney squads are selected by a vote of media, tournament personnel and Maine Principals’ Association representatives.

Vachon averaged 18 points per game in the Rams’ rush to their second consecutive state title appearance, where they will take on two-time Western Maine champion Westbrook, at 7:07 p.m. Saturday at the Portland Civic Center.

Bangor boasted of the Big East player of the Year’s talents, as Clark averaged nearly 30 points per game through the regular season. The Rams’ emotional and scoring leader, Clark averaged 12.6 points and 10 rebounds in two tournament games.

Presque Isle’s juniors found scoring and defensive strength aplenty, but it was Kim Condon who took charge down the stretch. Condon, who poured in 27 points in the Wildcats’ quarterfinal upset of No. 3 Hampden, left the tourney averaging 18.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

An All-American selection in soccer, Huber makes the step up from last year’s honorable mention list, averaging 14.3 points and 9.6 rebounds in three games.

Pridham’s selection marks her second year on the All-Tourney team, as the Cony senior averaged nine points and two rebounds per game.

Presque Isle’s Shannon Reynolds and Rachel Underwood, Andrea Pardilla of Old Town and Katie Hamlin of Waterville were selected as members of the honorable mention team.

Eastern Maine Girls

All-Tournament Selections

Class A

Name School Pos. Yr.

Amy Vachon (MVP) Cony Guard Sr.

Katie Clark Bangor Forward Sr.

Kim Condon Presque Isle Forward Jr.

Erica Pridham Cony Guard Sr.

Christine Huber Cony Forward Sr.

Honorable Mention: Katie Hamlin, Waterville, Center, Sr.; Andrea Pardilla, Old Town, Forward, Soph.; Shannon Reynolds, Presque Isle, Center, Jr.; Rachel Underwood, Presque Isle, Guard, Jr.