ELLSWORTH – It took two quarters, but once the Ellsworth girls basketball team got its flex offense – especially what Ashley Oleson and Laura Archer could provide – on track after a rough first half, it was hard to stop.

Oleson and Archer combined to score 14 third-quarter points, breaking open a game that had been tied at halftime en route to a 51-42 victory over Hancock County rival George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill Monday night.

Archer finished with 15 points and Oleson had 11 for coach Dana Smith’s team, which goes to 6-2. GSA falls to 3-4.

“We finally started running our offense,” Oleson said, an exasperated look crossing her face. “Laura went right off, and finally we made some shots and ran the offense. We didn’t overlook them but they kept right up with us.”

One way GSA was able to keep up? Brandi Winters’ three buzzer-beating 3-pointers, one each at the end of the first, third and fourth quarters.

It was Hannah Gray’s jumper at the second-quarter buzzer that tied the game for George Stevens. The tie didn’t last long as Oleson got things started quickly in the third with two straight baskets.

Things went back and forth for a while and GSA freshman center Kathlynn Ahern got the lead down to one with a layup later in the quarter, but Archer hit a 3-pointer from the left corner and Monique Boutaugh scored for a 35-29 lead.

Still, GSA wouldn’t go away as Winters made her second buzzer-beating 3-pointer to cut the lead to four.

But Ellsworth started off the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, capped by Ginny Dalrymple’s 3-pointer from just right of the key. The shot pushed the lead back to 13.

“We started shooting a lot better in the second half and that was good for momentum,” Archer said. “We could start pulling ahead and not have to worry as much. [Dalrymple’s basket] was a big shot for our confidence, too.”

George Stevens had seven turnovers in the third quarter (13 overall), while Ellsworth had five in the entire game.

“There were some times where we got ourselves a little out of control,” GSA coach Donald Allen said. “We advanced the ball too fast, took bad shots. Ellsworth runs the flex offense and they’re very patient with it. We had a couple of breakdowns where we gave up some easy ones.”

Hillary Savage added 10 points and five rebounds for Ellsworth.

Winters finished with a team-high 15 points and Gray had 13.

Allen was pleased with Ahern’s effort on Oleson, who is regarded as one of the top post players in Eastern Maine Class B. Oleson was 2 for 8 in the first half and 4 for 12 overall. Oleson did grab a game-best 13 rebounds, while Ahern had 10.

Winters guarded Archer, who can be a deadly shooter. The Ellsworth standout made 6 of her 12 field-goal attempts.

“We didn’t lose this game on the defensive end,” Allen said. “We played very well there. [Ahern] held her own.”

ELLSWORTH 51, GEORGE STEVENS 42

George Stevens (3-4) Ellsworth (6-2)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Lymburner 0 0 0 0 0 Dalrymple 1 6

Moon 2 10 0 0 4 Boutaugh 3 9 6

Rioux 0 0 0 0 0 Cloak 0 2 1

Astbury 0 0 0 0 0 Archer 6 12 15

Winters 6 13 0 0 15 Fortier 0 1 0

Conte 0 1 0 0 0 Savage 5 10 10

Gray 5 13 3 4 13 Silsby 1 2 0 2

Smith 0 0 0 0 0 McEachern 0 0

Flynn 0 0 0 0 0 Oleson 4 12 11

Ahern 3 4 0 0 6

Beardsworth 2 14 0 2 4

Totals 18 55 3 6 42 20 50 18 51

George Stevens 9 19 33 42

Ellsworth 6 19 37 51

3-pt. goals – George Stevens (3-11): Winters 3-6, Moon 0-1, Beardsworth 0-4; Ellsworth (2-5): Dalrymple 1-1, Archer 1-2, Savage 0-2

JV: Ellsworth 50-40

Attendance: 250 (est.)