EAST MACHIAS – The strength of the Narraguagus girls basketball team’s full-court press left no doubt about the outcome of the Knights’ game Wednesday against Washington Academy.

Narraguagus of Harrington forced 10 first-quarter turnovers, and the Knights’ ability to work their inside-outside game led to a 67-46 victory at Gardner Gymnasium.

Narraguagus senior Sarah Snider scored 14 of her game-high 26 points in the first half as the Knights (9-3) opened up a 22-4 lead at one point in the first quarter. They got points on a range of scoring chances: a jumper by Missy Barbee, a fast-break basket by Linny Barbee, and feeds inside to Shelby Howe and Snider.

“We figured if we got a quick lead on them, that would really key our offense,” Snider said. “If we can get the turnovers we can usually get layups on the [other] end. Pretty much our man-to-man worked better that our three-quarters [press], and that’s where we got a lot of turnovers.”

WA coach Tony Maker said his young team, which has only one senior starter, may have trouble mentally getting back into the game.

“With all the turnovers, you don’t get a shot at the end,” he said. “When you’re going three of four trips and you find yourself back on the defensive, it really digs a hole.”

Offensive rebounding was also key for the Knights, who were able to put back a number of shots. Snider pulled down 13 total rebounds, Annie Woodsum had nine and Shelby Howe (14 points) added seven.

“We didn’t shoot the ball as well as we usually do but we got a lot of easy looks and a lot of chances,” Snider said.

The Raiders (6-7) made it more of a game in the fourth quarter with a free throw and a basket by Krystle Gaddis and a basket from Lauren Govoni that made it 61-46 with three minutes left. But Allison Sawyer made a free throw, Snider hit her only 3-point try of the game and Liz Grant scored to regain a 21-point lead.

Washington Academy came out in a man-to-man defense but switched early to a 1-3-1. Snider said Narraguagus was prepared for the Raiders’ defensive game plan.

“As a team we did a good job reading the defenses,” she said. “We played them before so we knew they were going to come out in a [zone]. They changed it up a little with the man but they did go to the 1-3-1.”

Lauren Govoni led WA with 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting from 3-point range and Andrea Govoni added 10 points, including a 7-for-8 effort from the free-throw line. Gaddis and Lauren Govoni each had six rebounds.

KNIGHTS 67, RAIDERS 46

Narraguagus (9-3) Washington Acad. (6-7)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

M. Barbee 2 6 0 4 4 Albee 0 0 0

Tenney 1 4 0 0 2 A. Govoni 1 10

Sawyer 1 4 0 1 2 Holmes 0 0 0

Woodsum 1 12 2 4 4 Mawhinney 2 4

L. Barbee 3 9 1 2 7 Porter 0 0 0

Snider 11 16 3 4 26 Gaddis 3 8 8

Howe 6 12 2 2 14 Livingstone 0 1 0

Pounder 1 4 0 0 2 Almendinger 3 8

Tenan 0 1 0 0 0 Stauffer 0 2

Grant 2 2 2 2 4 L. Govoni 4 11

Smith 0 0 3 3

Farren 0 0 0 0

Totals 28 70 10 19 Totals 13 45 15 27 46

Narraguagus 22 38 55 67

Washington Acad. 9 21 32 46

3-pt. goals: Narraguagus 1-5: Snider 1-1, Howe 0-1, Pounder 0-1, L. Barbee 0-1, M. Barbee 0-1; WA 5-15: L. Govoni 3-5, A. Govoni 1-3, Livingstone 0-1, Almendinger 0-3, Mawhinney 0-3

Attendance: 300 (est.)

Preliminary: Washington Acad. JV 46-45