TOPSHAM

Coming into Friday’s Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference contest with Camden Hills, Andy Morris’ Mt. Ararat squad had dropped four games this season by three points or less, including a four-overtime setback to Biddeford and an overtime loss to Falmouth.

After the visiting Windjammers pulled out a 46-44 girls high school win over the Eagles, make it five close losses this season.

Add it up, Mt. Ararat is not the 1-12 season that its record shows.

Tied at 40 after Eagles Kate Guerin and Sara Lamb scored on drives to the basket, Camden used six points from Charlotte Messer, including two free throws with 37 seconds remaining, for a 46-42 lead. Lauren Labbay scored to get Mt. Ararat within two points with six ticks left, but Camden ran out the clock as the Eagles desperately tried to foul.

“It is on us sometimes, where other teams come up with that big shot when we have a break down here or there,” said Morris, whose Eagles will look to get back into the win column on Tuesday at Oceanside (6:30 p.m.). “The girls played well. We scored, were looking to get to the rim. Sara Lamb had 14 points and 17 rebounds, Kate Guerin a bunch of rebounds. It is tough. It wears on them, but these girls are amazing. They will come back, practice and be up-tempo, getting ready for the next game.”

“It is tough to come so close every single time and lose in the last final minutes, agreed Guerin, who had seven points, 10 rebounds and four steals. “Our team is really good about pushing forward every single day. Everybody stepped in and paid attention. They each give 100 percent. I trust every one of my teammates. We are excited to try and get some wins in.”

Solid Eagles start

Both teams put up a lot of shots in a fast-paced, end-toend contest, combining to attempt 37 shots in the opening frame, a quarter that the Eagles claimed a 15-12 advantage as Katelyn Cox and Lauren Sturgess each picked up four points. Camden’s Mara Dostie also had four points to keep the Windjammers (4-10) close.

Lauren Labbay came off the bench and got involved. She stepped back and drilled a 3-pointer and added a short jumper that gave the Eagles a 20-15 lead.

But, the Windjammers finished the half strong, outscoring Mt. Ararat, 12-4, to take a 27-24 to the intermission. Dostie led the way with eight points, with Cox pacing the Eagles with six first-half points. Both teams put the ball up a lot, combining for 77 attempts. Camden was 11-of-40, while the Eagles made 10-of-37 attempts and held a 26-22 rebounding edge.

The third quarter featured three lead changes. Lamb’s trey finished off a 9-2 Eagles run for a 33-29 lead.

Camden’s Maddie Bowman tied the game by driving hard to the basket and finishing, and Dostie swished a 3-pointer as the Windjammers scored seven straight points for a 36-33 edge after three quarters.

After Lamb drew the Eagles to 36-35 from the freethrow line, Lauren Miller and Laticia Billings scored to give Camden a 40-35 advantage.

A turning point came on the Windjammers’ next possession. A battle for a loose ball resulted in an Eagles takeaway. Camden coach Doreen Robbins argued and was assessed a technical foul with 3:08 remaining. Lamb made 1-of-2, followed by a basket each from Guerin and Lamb for a 40-40 deadlock with 1:58 on the clock.

Mt. Ararat’s run came despite both Sturgess and Taylor Wienckowski fouling out 30 seconds apart, forcing Morris to go to his bench.

“Give credit to the bench. We could have folded,” said Morris, who inserted Ashley Parker, along with varsity newcomers Caitlyn Smith and Ainsley Bryant into big roles late, along with Labbay, who had seven points and five rebounds. Guerin and Lamb were big inside, combining on 27 of the Eagles’ 41 boards. “Kate Guerin had a great game, rebounding, defense. She has a cold and we are fighting these little things. But, these girls never give up.”

After a timeout, Messer scored to give the visitors the lead. But, Lamb drove to the hoop and tied the game again, this time with one minute remaining.

Messer answered again, giving Camden the lead for good. After a Messer steal, she was fouled and made both at the line for a four-point Windjammers lead.

Dostie led Camden Hills with 11 points, nine rebounds and three steals, while Messer had 10 points and four steals. In all, Camden forced 30 Mt. Ararat turnovers.

Cox finished with eight points, while Sturgess had six points and five boards.

At the free-throw line, Camden finished 6-of-17 and Mt. Ararat 8-of-12.

Camden Hills 46,
Mt. Ararat 44

Friday, at Topsham
Camden — 12 15 9 10 — 46
Mt.Ararat—15 9911—44
Camden Hills — Kristen Keiran 2-0-
4, Lauren Miller 2-0-4, Charlotte
Messer 4-2-10, Mara Dostie 4-1-11,
Maddie Bowman 3-1-7, Kassie Krul
0-1-1, Mya Wiley 1-1-3, Laticia
Billings 3-0-6. Totals — 19-6-46.
Mt. Ararat — Katelyn Cox 4-0-8,
Lauren Sturgess 3-0-6, Sara Lamb 4-
5-14, Kate Guerin 3-1-7, Taylor
Wienckowski 0-2-2, Sabrian Paetow
0-0-0, Lauren Labbay 3-0-7, Ashley
Parker 0-0-0, Ainsley Bryant 0-0-0,
Caitlyn Smith 0-0-0. Totals — 17-8-
44.
3-point field goals — (CH) Mara
Dostie 2; (MtA) Sara Lamb, Lauren
Labbay.
Records — Camden Hills 4-10, Mt.
Ararat 1-12.
Up next for the Eagles — Tuesday at
Oceanside, 6:30 p.m.

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