Camden Hills and Presque Isle bring strong records to Class B girls’ tourney

For most of the Eastern Maine Class B regular season, both the Presque Isle and Camden Hills girls basketball teams were undefeated.

But when the tournament starts Feb. 17, all eight EM Class B representatives will have at least one loss – an indication of the balance in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and the effect injuries can have on a team.

Still, there’s no reason to think the Wildcats and the Windjammers won’t be among the favorites for the regional crown.

Presque Isle will likely go into the tournament with the top seed despite a loss to Class C Fort Kent in the Wildcats’ final game of the season.

It’s a position with which PI is familiar – in an almost unfortunate way. The ‘Cats were the No. 1 team for the past two years and have lost both quarterfinal games.

The loss to Fort Kent came without standout guard Kylan Smith, who is expected to return from a bout with mononucleosis by the start of the postseason.

The rest of Presque Isle’s lineup includes Katie Delong, who made a smooth transition to point guard this year, freshman Sarah Porter, a danger on the perimeter, and forwards Moriah Morris and Angela Norsworthy. Both have turned in fine efforts under the basket – especially Norsworthy, who hadn’t started before this year.

Senior Katie Moody, who came off the bench when Smith was healthy, started in her absence and will likely continue to be the first player off the bench when Smith returns.

Camden Hills lost two in a row toward the end of the season, but the Windjammers had nothing to hang their heads about – their losses came to Rockland and Winslow, two of the top teams in the balanced KVAC.

Like Presque Isle, the Windjammers had to adjust at midseason as senior guard Marianne Croce went down with a knee injury. Croce, however, will miss the rest of the season.

So Camden Hills will rely on one of the deepest rosters in Eastern Maine Class B, starting with guards Kayla Gushee, Kayla Carleton, Kristin Richards, and Allie Parent and forward Carly Holgerson.

MDI, the regional runner-up last year, is also without one of its key players. The difference is that the Trojans have played most of the season without standout guard Kelsey Stratton.

Stratton, an all-tourney player last year, has played sporadically this season due to a shoulder injury. That means the Trojans, who went 7-1 to start the season, have had to rely on relatively inexperienced players like center Susan Falt, guard Lindsay Lewis, and forward Amethyst Cousins. All three are juniors.

Rockland coach Karen Bickmore is going to her bench earlier and more often than she did last year.

In addition to their results in last year’s tourney – beating No. 1 Presque Isle in the quarterfinals – the Tigers could go deep into the playoffs.

Rockland’s mainstays include forwards Caitlin Hynes and Lindsay Barnes and guards Allie Todd, Danielle Hansen, and Dana Clark. This year’s key backups include Kelsey Butler and Baillie Boggs.

MCI of Pittsfield coach Bill Pullen, whose Huskies have a good shot to win a tourney game if they make it past the preliminary round, likes Waterville’s chances.

The Panthers, who are in Class B for the first time, are a balanced group that includes guards Liz Bell and Sarah Given, 5-10 centers Alisha Champagne and Danae Plaisted, and forward Stephanie Whitten.

Waterville has had close games against Rockland and Winslow this year.

The Black Raiders, who will look to defend their Class B state title, have had an up-and-down season off the court due to a midseason coaching change and injuries to sisters Erin and Lin Richards, who were starting at the beginning of the year.

But Winslow still has 6-2 forward Stephanie Bossie, who has become a force in the paint, and athletic forward Ashley Carter, who is 6-0. And the Raiders have logged wins over Rockland and Camden Hills.

John Bapst of Bangor also had a strong first season in Class B.

The Crusaders have a solid inside-outside game with shooting guard Chere Wickstrom on the perimeter, and Lauren Nichols and Hillary Laferriere inside. Point guard Ashley Freeman also contributes on offense.