There was little hoopla preceding Kayla Burchill’s milestone last week. The Deering High senior scored the 1,000th point of her stellar career last Saturday in a 79-30 win over Massabesic.

Burchill, perhaps the state’s best 3-point shooter, needed 23 points going into the game. She scored 24 in the first half and finished with 27, sitting out the entire fourth quarter.

That Burchill did it quietly shouldn’t come as a surprise.

She is one of the most unassuming star players in the state. She has never forced her game, instead playing within the team concept that has made the Rams one of the best teams in the state over the last four years.

“For a scorer and a kid who shoots it well, she could have taken a lot more shots her first three years,” said Coach Mike Murphy. “But she has always deferred to other players.”

Burchill, though, has always been a leader, even when she was in a supporting role.

Now, as Murphy said, “She’s the one who makes us go.”

But Burchill, who is heading to the University of Vermont in the fall, seldom takes shots that don’t come in the flow of the game. And that has served the Rams well. They are undefeated and ranked second in Western Class A.

Murphy did call a timeout after Burchill scored her milestone point so Deering could acknowledge her feat. He plans on presenting her with a game ball later in the season.

 

SOON AFTER she got the head coaching job at McAuley, Amy Vachon decided she had to tap into some experienced coaches. Besides her father, Paul, the former Cony coach, she sought out her former college coach, Joanne P. McCallie, now at Duke.

So before the season began, Vachon and her father made a trip to Durham, N.C., to visit McCallie, who coached Amy at UMaine.

“I always wanted to go down there,” said Vachon. “When I was hired I knew I wanted to see and learn from the best. And Coach P is the best. It was cool.”

The Vachons watched a couple Duke women’s practices and had dinner at McCallie’s home. They also got to watch the Duke men practice.

“It was cool to see how some of the things have remained the same, but others have changed,” said Vachon. “They ran some of the same drills we ran (at UMaine), but some new ones, too. I got some good stuff and drills.”

Well, it must have had some effect. The Lions are 9-0 and ranked first in Western Class A.

“We’re getting there,” said Vachon. “We’re having ups and downs, but we’re coming away with wins.”

 

IT’S A BIG WEEK ahead for Medomak Valley, which is 11-0 and ranked second in Eastern Class B.

The Panthers play at fifth-ranked Nokomis (9-2) tonight, then host unbeaten Leavitt (10-0) on Friday.

Coach Randy Hooper is trying to downplay the importance of the games.

“It is (a big week) and it isn’t,” he said. “It’d be nice to remain undefeated, but our whole focus is to lock up a top-six spot, get a bye to Bangor and to win at Bangor.”

Medomak was expected to be one of the best teams in Eastern B. And the Panthers have lived up to all expectations. All but one of the their wins has been by double digits — and that one came Friday when Medomak escaped with a 40-39 win over Winslow, as Alanna Vose hit a foul shot with three-tenths of a second remaining.

“We did a lot of things to lose that game, but we held on and won it,” said Hooper. “We can learn from it.”

The Panthers are balanced and versatile, able to play just about any style that is needed. They can go inside, shoot from the perimeter, play a half-court set or run the fast break.

They are led by three players in double figures: senior 6-2 center Ericka Christensen, senior forward Lindsay Ranquist and Vose, a junior guard

 

WAYNFLETE IS off to an 8-2 start — the two losses each by one point — but suffered a big blow last Tuesday when sophomore guard Catherine Veroneau suffered a season-ending right knee injury, tearing an ACL in a 55-47 victory over Traip.

“It’s going to be hard to replace her,” said Coach Brandon Salway. “She guarded the other team’s best player, she scored, she rebounded. She did a little of everything.”

Sophomore Rhiannan Jackson has moved into the starting lineup, and freshman Leigh Fernandez will see her minutes increase.

The Flyers still have plenty of talent, including Martha Veroneau – Catherine’s twin – and Lydia Stegemann. Martha Veroneau is averaging 16.1 points and has hit 28 3-pointers.

“She’s a great competitor and leader,” said Salway. “I think she’d play for any team in the state.”

 

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at: mlowe@pressherald.com

 

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