HAMPDEN – It’s nice to open the high school basketball season with a win against one’s rival. Especially if that rival won both regular-season matchups last year.

Bangor got a well-rounded scoring effort and stellar defense en route to a 49-31 victory over Hampden as high school teams around the state opened for the winter season.

“It’s always exciting to play Hampden,” said Bangor senior Amy Hackett, who is one of the Ram captains this year. “To get them for our season-opener was nice. It’s a good rivalry.”

Bangor sophomore Meagan Doucette scored a game-high 12 points, six in the third quarter. Hackett had four of her eight points in the third as the Rams took charge, while sophomore Stephanie Comstock scored four of her eight points in the second period.

Senior Allie Clukey had seven points to go with a game-best seven rebounds, while senior Amy Wadleigh and sophomore Breianna Tocci each added six points.

“We just got contributions from everyone tonight,” Bangor coach Tom Tennett said. “I’m very pleased with how the kids played.”

As sometime happens in a season-opening game, neither team looked sharp early and combined for 16 turnovers and just 11 points in the first quarter.

It didn’t take long for Bangor to start converting Hampden’s turnovers, however, and the Rams went on a 14-4 run in the second quarter.

“We were kind of nervous going in but once we settled down we knew what we had to do,” Doucette said.

Bangor lengthened its five-point lead midway through the second.

Tocci put back an offense rebound, followed by a Hackett layup after a steal. Tocci hit a jumper and then Doucette drained a mid-range shot off a kick-out pass from Clukey to make it 21-8.

“I wasn’t expecting that pass,” Doucette said. “We were just looking for open shots and trying to execute.”

Hampden went on a mini-run to get within eight points but Bangor senior Tanna Jellison picked up a loose ball from the floor and threw up a shot less than three seconds before halftime to get back to a 10-point cushion.

Bangor played a lot of full-court, man-to-man press to create turnovers. But in the halfcourt, the defensive concern was Hampden junior Kayla Webb, who along with senior teammate Mikki Libbey combined to hit six 3-pointers in a 61-55 Bronco win last Jan. 30.

“She was quick,” said Doucette, who helped guard Webb. “She’s tough to guard but you have to keep her contained.”

The Rams also got Hampden center Rylee Rawcliffe and forward Jenn Wilson, both seniors, into foul trouble. That helped lead to a 34-26 rebounding edge for Bangor.

“That hurt,” Hampden coach Ben Greenlaw said. “I would say the second quarter we were really hurt with foul trouble but throughout the game we didn’t rebound as well as I hoped. Turnovers and offensive rebounds really hurt us. A lot of turnovers, but I think that’s pretty normal for this time of year. It’s an 18-game season and we’d like to think we get better each week.”

Freshman Julia Snyder came off the bench to lead Hampden with seven points.

Jessica Bloch may be reached at jbloch@bangordailynews.net or 990-8193.

RAMS 49, BRONCOS 31

Bangor (1-0) Hampden (0-1)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Jackson 0 1 0 0 0 Webb 1 7 3

B. Hackett 0 4 0 0 0 Pond 1 7 2

Roberts 0 1 0 0 0 Foster 1 5 2

Tocci 2 7 2 2 6 Libbey 2 2 5

A. Hackett 4 8 0 2 8 Wilson 1 3 5

Jellison 1 1 0 0 2 Stephnsn 0 0

Frdnbrgr 0 1 0 0 0 Moore 1 2 2

Doucette 5 5 2 2 12 Rawcliffe 0 3

Dana 0 2 0 0 0 Chambrs 0 2 1 1

Wadleigh 2 4 2 3 6 Neill 0 0 0

Sivik 0 2 0 0 0 Snyder 2 3 7

Clukey 2 7 3 4 7 Anderson 2 4

Comstock 4 5 0 2 8

Totals 20 48 9 15 49 Totals 11 33 15 31

Bangor 7 23 39 49

Hampden 4 13 24 31

3-pt. goals – Bangor (0-7): B. Hackett 0-1, Sivik 0-1, Clukey 0-2, Tocci 0-3; Hampden (2-7): Webb 1-4, Libbey 1-1, Chambers 0-1, Snyder 0-1

JV: Hampden 37-32 (OT)

Attendance: 250 (est.)