A big indicator of a Most Valuable Player may be how her team performs when she’s not there.

When Jonesport-Beals center Tricia Carver got into foul trouble during the Eastern Maine Class D final Saturday, Woodland got back into the game. And as soon as Carver re-entered, the No. 2 Royalettes were able to hold off the No. 1 Dragons for the win. All week, the 6-foot Carver handled the offensive load and made the opposition pay on defense.

Carver, who averaged 27.3 points last week, including a 32-point effort, 15-rebound effort in the regional final, has been named the 2000 Bangor Daily News’ Owen Osborne Most Valuable Player for the Eastern Maine Class D tournament.

George Stevens Academy’s Lora Trenkle, who was the Osborne award winner in Class B last year, earned Class C MVP honors and is the first girl to win in two different classes. Camden-Rockport’s Meg Cressler, an all-tourney pick last year, was named the Class B MVP.

The MVP award was established in 1994 in memory of Osborne, a former NEWS sports editor and reporter. The award and all-tourney teams, which are listed below by class, are selected by a vote of media, tournament personnel and representatives of the Maine Principals’ Association.

All three honorees helped their teams earn regional titles at the Bangor Auditorium last week.

ClASS B – Cressler was a unanimous pick for MVP, and the senior guard poured in 87 points over the course of the week for an average of 29 points per game, the most of any player in any class. She also hit 80.9 percent of her free-throw attempts.

Joining her on the All-Tourney team is teammate Anna Sommo who averaged 7.6 points per game, dominated on defense and ran the offense as the point guard. The senior had seven assists in the semis.

Mount Desert Island senior center Melissa Gott averaged 21.5 points and 15.5 rebounds in the Trojans’ two games.

Houlton placed two players on the all-tourney team. Junior forward Samantha Berry, who comes off the bench, went 22-for-36 from the floor in three games and averaged 15.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest. Senior guard Kelly Socoby, an all-tourney pick last year, averaged 11.3 points and 6.6 assists.

CLASS C – Senior guards Trenkle and Nikki Allen represent George Stevens of Blue Hill this year.

The versatile Trenkle, who runs the offense for the Eagles, averaged 16 points and 6.6 assists per game. Nikki Allen averaged 17 points over GSA’s three games.

Calais’ Katie Frost was key to the Blue Devils’ overtime win over Mattnawcook Academy of Lincoln in the semis and averaged 16.3 points.

Penquis of Milo sophomore guard Megan Russell averaged 16.5 points through the semis. Mattanawcook junior guard Brandi Rideout scored 21 points in an upset quarterfinal win and averaged 19 points in two games.

CLASS D – Carver, whose sister Sandi won the award in 1994, was also a unanimous MVP pick. Her play in the final helped the Royals upset the Dragons. Carver’s teammate Lillian Durkee averaged 10.6 points, including 17 in the EM final.

Ashley Marble and Julia Knights helped lead Woodland to the final against Jonesport-Beals. Marble, a sophomore forward, poured in 18.6 points per game, while Knights scored 10.6 points and grabbed 8.6 rebounds per game.

Van Buren senior forward-center Denise Marquis averaged 19 points in two games.

Eastern Maine Girls

All-Tournament Selections

Class B

Name School Pos. Ht. Yr.

Meg Cressler* Camden-Rockport G/F 5-8 Sr.

Anna Sommo Camden-Rockport Guard 5-8 Sr.

Melissa Gott MDI Center 6-1 Sr.

Samantha Berry Houlton Forward 5-9 Jr.

Kelly Socoby Houlton Guard 5-7 Sr.

Honorable Mention:Coley Stetler (MDI), Sarah Beasley (Houlton), Bethany Rodrigue (Winslow)

Class C

Name School Pos. Ht. Yr.

Lora Trenkle* George Stevens Guard 5-9 Sr.

Nikki Allen George Stevens Guard 5-9 Sr.

Katie Frost Calais G/F 5-6 So.

Megan Russell Penquis Guard 5-6 So.

Brandi Rideout Mattanawcook Guard 5-7 Jr.

Honorable Mention:Lanna Martin (Calais), Morgan Drew (Calais), Cassie Carver (Mattanawcook Academy), Mandi Allen (George Stevens Academy)

Class D

Name School Pos. Ht. Yr.

Tricia Carver* Jonesport-Beals Center 6-0 Sr.

Lillian Durkee Jonesport-Beals Forward 5-8 Sr.

Ashley Marble Woodland Forward 5-9 So.

Julia Knights Woodland Forward 5-10 Sr.

Denise Marquis Van Buren F/C 5-10 Sr.

Honorable Mention:Larisa Sobey (Bangor Christian), Sara Ricker (Shead), Bonnie Smith (Woodland)

*-Owen Osborne Award winner