Morgan Frame has been a dominating force in the Eastern Maine Class B basketball landscape for the past few years.

Her imposing presence in the paint has spearheaded Waterville’s run of 44 consecutive victories and two consecutive Class B state championships.

The 6-foot-1 senior center will take that presence to Division II Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. next year.

Frame, who also runs cross country and track and field for the Purple Panthers, worked on her outside game over the summer while playing Amateur Athletic Union ball for the New England Crusaders.

“I worked with Kara Leary, my AAU coach this year, and I would not have gotten this far without her,” said Frame, who was also considering Franklin Pierce College and Assumption College, also Division II institutions.

Among the players Frame played against in AAU ball over the summer was Brittany Griner, a 6’8 Texas high school standout committed to Baylor University whose dunking abilities has drawn many YouTube hits.

That should prepare Frame soundly for the rigors of the college game, where most centers stand in the 6’3, 6’4, 6’5 range.

“This summer we played a lot of teams that had a lot of size,” she said.

Frame also likes the rebuilding direction the Hawks’ program is going in. St. Anselm’s roster currently has five freshman and two sophomores.

“The team is getting on track, everyone is working hard and knows what the goal is, hopefully I’ll be able to help out once I get there,” she said.

The atmosphere and tightness of the school and the geographic location were among the selling points.

“I really liked everything [about] the atmosphere,” said Frame, who visited the school three times. “Everyone’s close, it’s a small school everyone knows each other.”

Frame added that coach Chris Leazier reminds her a lot of Waterville coach Ted Rioux, so the adjustment in coaches shouldn’t be a problem.

“He wears his pants the same way as coach Rioux, they kind of look alike, he’s pretty intense, and has a good connection with the girls,” Frame said.

Frame plans to major in biology and pursue pharmaceutical studies.

Preseason hoop tourneys

If Black Friday shopping isn’t your cup of tea, then Brunswick and John Bapst Memorial High Schools have a little something to get your basketball taste buds watering after the Thanksgiving holiday wraps up.

Brunswick will host the first annual Turkey Tip-Off preseason girls tourney in Augusta on Friday.

The eight-game extravaganza will take place at the Augusta Civic Center, with games lasting an hour and a half apiece.

Action tips off at 9 a.m. with Poland facing Jay, followed by Fryeburg and Dirigo of Dixfield, Hampden Academy and Thornton Academy of Saco, Lawrence of Fairfield and Westbrook, Cheverus of Portland and Brunswick, Morse of Bath and Sanford and Brunswick and Skowhegan.

Admission for the all-day event is $4 for adults and $2 for seniors.

Meanwhile, Bapst will host its annual preseason tourney at the Bangor Auditorium Friday and Saturday.

Each day will consist of four hour and a half games, with boys and girls teams playing doubleheaders.

John Bapst and Winslow kick things off Friday morning at 9, followed by Winslow and Orono at noon, Orono and Mount View of Thorndike at 3 and Mount View against John Bapst at 6.

The Crusaders will face Bangor in a doubleheader to start Saturday’s action at 9, followed by the Rams facing Hermon at noon, Hermon taking on Belfast at 3 and Belfast meeting Bapst at 6.

Admission for the tournament is $4 (adults) and $2 (students, seniors).

Maine teams earn national berths

While most of Maine’s high school runners are making the transition from cross country to indoor track mode, a select few will have a chance to take to the national cross country stage next month.

Several local high school standouts ran to solid performances as the USA Track and Field Regional I Junior Olympic championship meet at Van Cortlandt Park in New York City over the weekend, representing the Lakers Track Club, based in Augusta.

Both the boys’ and girls’ teams earned berths in the Dec. 13 national championship race in Mechanicsville, Va., in the 5-kilometer Intermediate division.

The boys’ contingent of Will Geoghegan of Brunswick, Luke Fontaine of Cony in Augusta, Kelton Cullenberg of Mt. Blue of Farmington, Logan Price of Greely in Cumberland Center, Cheverus of Portland’s Jack Terwilliger, Alex Moser of York and Liam Cassidy of Brunswick led the Lakers’ squad to a perfect score of 15.

Geoghegan took overall first-place honors in 16 minutes, 25.33 seconds.

On the girls side, the Lakers’ crew took home runner-up honors, with the South Windsor (Conn.) Sports Group team coming away with the win.

Leading the charge was Mt. Blue’s Melody Lam, who finished seventh overall in the field.

Other Maine runners on the team include Taylor Burr of Maranacook of Readfield, Brewer’s Michelle Haluska, Morgan Beede of Cony and Mt. Blue’s Addie Cullenberg.

rmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net

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