The four teams remaining in the Western C girls basketball tournament can get scoring from a number of different places. But as we saw in the quarterfinals, any one of those players can step forward and have a big game.

On Tuesday, Madison’s Cristie Vicneire scored 17 points, leading the Bulldogs to a win over Mt. Abram. This afternoon at 2:30 p.m., No. 2 Madison faces No. 3 Old Orchard Beach in the semifinals at the Augusta Civic Center.

Old Orchard Beach center Christina Colman was the scoring star for the Seagulls on Tuesday, scoring 23 points in a win over Monmouth. Although Monmouth scored 57 points in that game, Madison coach Al Veneziano thinks it’s paramount for the Bulldogs to handle OOB’s defense.

“I think we need to control the ball,” Veneziano said. “They press a lot. We’ve got to to take care of the basketball, and make sure we run our offense, take good shots, and do some good things there, and not necessarily be in such a hurry that we turn it over all the time.”

Madison and OOB did not go head-to-head during the regular season, but Monmouth is a common opponent, and Madison defeated the Mustangs 50-32 at home in early January.

In the other semifinal, No. 1 Boothbay faces No. 4 Waynflete at 4 p.m. Waynflete ran away from Dirigo, 69-39, in the quarterfinals. The Flyers did not have a great shooting night, but play at such a frenetic pace that it looks like they have 10 players on the floor. Guard Martha Veroneau scored 24 points for the Flyers in that game.

Boothbay’s only losses this season were to Monmouth and Class B Spruce Mountain back in December, and the Seahawks and coach Tanner Grover are on a 15-game winning streak.
Boothbay scuffled a little in a 43-37 quarterfinal win over St. Dominic, but the Seahawks have more of a true inside, post-up game than Waynflete, led by 6-foot-1 senior Alex Clarke and 5-9 forward Allison Crocker.

“I think they’re really talented,” Waynflete coach Brandon Salway said. “They’ve got size. I think they’ve got good guard play. Tanner’s done a tremendous job with them. Clarke has improved a lot since last year — she looks like a different player. We’ll have to play really well to beat them.”

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243
mdifilippo@centralmaine.com
 


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