The Cheverus girls’ basketball team is making its first-ever trip to the Western Class A semifinals. The previous three years, the Stags lost winnable games in the quarterfinals at the Portland Expo, to Marshwood, Sanford and Scarborough.

Sanford Coach Kristy Parent said she made sure her team knew about the Stags’ disappointing history at the Expo.

“Absolutely. They haven’t won a quarterfinal game. That’s what I told them yesterday and reminded them pregame that we had the advantage in that,” Parent said. “And we played here earlier this year and scored 62 points in this gym. We were just trying to build them up the best we could.”

The Cheverus seniors got nine big points from junior Georgia Ford, all in the second half, and won 31-26. Ford said the tough losses in previous years have made the team tougher.

“It’s extremely important to get past the quarterfinals,” Ford said. “It just shows what kind of a team we’ve become over the past four years. We all grew together and we all just depend on each other all the time now, and we all know how good of a team we’ve become. It’s not just one person any more. It’s the entire team.”

MAYBE CHEVERUS senior guard Mikayla Mayberry should shoot more. On a day when Cheverus and Sanford combined to shoot under 25 percent, Mayberry made the only shot she took – a huge 3-pointer ending the first half. She also made two clutch free throws with one minute left.

Cheverus Coach Richie Ashley called Mayberry the “smartest player I’ve ever coached.”

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VarsityMaine The Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram put a priority on high school sports coverage, and this blog is a place for all our reporters to put news and notes from around the state.

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About the Author

Maine High School Sports Bloggers

Paul Betit is an Augusta native and graduate of the University of Maine. He has covered Maine high school sports for more than 30 years and is entering his seventh season as a beat writer covering the Portland Pirates. In his spare time, Betit writes mystery-suspense novels. Occasionally, he tries to sink his second career hole-in-one.

Glenn Jordan came to Maine in 1994 to cover the nascent Portland Sea Dogs. After eight baseball seasons and three children – the last two within 18 minutes of each other – he became a part-time writer. Among the sports he covers are now are tennis, skiing, swimming and running. He has a degree in philosophy from Dartmouth, a decent forehand and a penchant for checkers.

Mike Lowe is a Massachusetts native who feels he's lived long enough in Maine (since 1982) to have roots here. He graduated from Boston University and has worked in New Hampshire and Maine, covering everything from the Little League World Series to the Summer Olympics. When he has free time – Ha! – he likes to read, collect comic books and watch the grass grow from his hammock.

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