Carlson’s early burst was key for Panthers

Throughout the 2005 Eastern Maine Class D tournament, Andrew York and Jason Woodworth took the offensive lead for the Central Aroostook of Mars Hill boys basketball team.

But in Thursday night’s 79-62 victory over Valley of Bingham in the Class D state championship game, it was Tim Carlson who got the Panthers off to a quick offensive start.

The 5-foot-11 sophomore forward struck for 13 points in the first quarter, making 3 of 4 3-point tries along the way, and finished the first half with 22 points.

“It’s either Andrew, Jason or me usually in the first half, but I got it today, I guess,” said Carlson, who finished with a game-high 28 points.

“No. 21 [Carlson] was pretty hot early,” added Valley coach Dwight Littlefield. “I don’t know how many points he had, but he was on fire.”

Long-range jumpers, pull-up shots in transitions, and layups. All were part of Carlson’s early repertoire.

And while he went without a field goal after intermission, Carlson made 6 of 8 free throws in the final 2:39 of the fourth quarter to help put the game away.

“Tim Carlson has a lot of ability,” said Central Aroostook coach Tim Brewer. “Maybe he’s struggled at times this year, but he came to play in this game and you saw some of what you’re going to see in the future from Tim Carlson, once he gets a little more confidence.”

Panthers’ quickness prevails

Team quickness benefited Central Aroostook in several ways as the Panthers won the school’s first state championship in nine years.

Defensively it helped force 25 Valley of Bingham turnovers, and offensively it enabled the Panthers to both run the fast break and create opportunities in their halfcourt sets.

“We didn’t feel like they had people to guard us off the dribble, so that’s what we did, take them off the dribble,” said Woodworth, Central Aroostook’s senior point guard.

“Overall I thought we had an advantage because we were quicker off the dribble than they were,” added Central Aroostook coach Tim Brewer. “That was our game plan coming into the game, to take them off the dribble. I thought Andrew [York], Jason and Timmy [Carlson] had an advantage with the kids who were guarding them, and that’s what we exploited.”

A gold ball double

Central Aroostook coach Tim Brewer joined an exclusive club Thursday night, coaching his alma mater to a state championship 11 years after being part of a state championship run during his playing days at the Mars Hill school.

“I guess it hasn’t sunk in for me as a coach,” said Brewer, who was named MVP of the 1994 Eastern D tournament and went on to help the Panthers top Vinalhaven 71-43 in the state final. “I’m just out here enjoying watching the kids.

Brewer took over the coaching duties five years ago with ambitious aspirations.

“I set a goal for myself of winning a gold ball every four years,” he said. “Unfortunately I didn’t accomplish that because this is my fifth year, but I enjoy more watching the kids out here than worrying about how I feel.

“That’s why I got into coaching. I want to see the kids have the success I was able to enjoy as a player.”

Central Aroostook nearly achieved Brewer’s four-year plan a year ago before bowing to eventual state champion Calvary Chapel of Orrington in the 2004 Eastern D final – in overtime.

That just provided even more motivation for 2005.

“We had the goal at the beginning of the season of winning a gold ball, not an Eastern Maine championship,” he said. “You’ve got to win that along the way to win the gold ball, but I thought we kept our focus and we got what we were after.”