Fitzpatrick honored for milestone, leads Cheverus to another victory

PORTLAND—Friday night, the greatest player in the history of the Cheverus girls’ basketball program, and one of the all-time best to ever take the court in the state of Maine, reached a career milestone.

Tuesday evening at Keegan Gymnasium, Madigan Fitzpatrick received her recognition for scoring 1,000 points, then went out and seemingly impossibly, raised the bar even higher.

Hosting Lewiston, the undefeated Stags got off to a sluggish start, surrendering the game’s first seven points, but after three key reserves entered the game and provided a spark, Cheverus scored 15 straight points and held a 15-9 advantage after one quarter, as Fitzpatrick hinted at her stat sheet stuffing game to come, with five points, four rebounds, four steals and a pair of assists.

By halftime, the Stags had opened up a 38-23 lead, as Fitzpatrick neared triple-double territory with 12 points, nine rebounds and six steals.

The Stags ended the competitive phase of the contest in the third period, as Fitzpatrick reached double figures in rebounds and steals en route to a 65-38 lead.

Fitzpatrick played sparingly in the fourth quarter, but Cheverus went on to a 70-48 victory.

For the game, in roughly three quarters of action, Fitzpatrick had a whopping 25 points, 11 rebounds, 11 steals and the Stags improved to 14-0, dropping the Blue Devils to 8-6 in the process.

“(Maddie) loves to pass the ball and the past couple years, I’ve tried to get her to score, then pass. She’s just got the God-given talent to score inside and out. She’s an amazing player and she’s having an amazing year,” said Cheverus coach Billy Goodman.

The road to 1,000

Fitzpatrick was highly acclaimed when she entered high school, but her freshman year was limited to 10 games due to the pandemic, then she missed half of her sophomore campaign due to a thumb injury. She did manage to return to action in time to lead Cheverus to its first Gold Ball, however, then dominated a year ago and while the Stags fell just short of a repeat crown, falling to Oxford Hills in a double-overtime regional final epic, Fitzpatrick was named Maine’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

“When she got here, we went 9-1,” Goodman said. “Her sophomore year, we won states. Last year, we came close. Having her on the floor is a big difference.”

This season, Fitzpatrick has clearly been the state’s finest player from the get-go and despite a myriad of question marks around her, has helped Cheverus get off to the best start in program history.

The Stags started with decisive wins at South Portland (48-28) and Oxford Hills (76-47), then impressed with a 53-40 home victory over preseason favorite Thornton Academy. After downing host Portland (72-35), Cheverus rolled at Deering (61-27), held off visiting Scarborough (46-37), then defeated visiting Windham, 62-28 before holding on for a dramatic 58-54 home win over Oxford Hills. After downing host Bangor (55-35) and Lewiston (69-51), the Stags handled visiting Edward Little (69-39) and Greely (66-41), then won at Thornton Academy Friday, 62-44, as Fitzpatrick reached the 1,000-point plateau early in the third quarter.

“I didn’t honestly think I’d get it considering my freshman and sophomore years, so I kind of put it out of my mind,” said Fitzpatrick. “(The coaches) told me the game before and I didn’t know I was that close. I think it’s just one of the goals I’ve had for so long. I remember in third grade, (Greely standout) Ashley Storey got it and I was there. She was (at TA) when I got it. It proves to me that my hard work has paid off. It feels good to accomplish something I’ve wanted for so long. There were so many people there to support me. The Cheverus community is amazing. Coach Goodman has been my coach for four years and I’ve known him since seventh grade. Coach (Carolyn) Freeman, Coach (Bill) Whitmore, my teammates, they’ve helped me stay motivated. Thanks to them and of course my family too.”

Lewiston, meanwhile, has been very competitive this year, winning its first three games, including a 99-7 victory over Noble. After losses to Class AA South contenders Scarborough and Sanford, the Blue Devils won three more in succession before losing to Edward Little and Cheverus. Wins over Bangor and Massabesic were followed by a narrow 57-52 home loss to Oxford Hills Friday.

In the teams’ first meeting Jan. 9, Fitzpatrick erupted for 36 points.

After being honored in the pregame Tuesday, Fitzpatrick came out and produced an even more impressive stat line.

Cheverus’ Maddie Fitzpatrick, along with coach Billy Goodman, shows off the ball signifying her 1,000 career points. Hoffer photos.

Lewiston threatened to spoil the party early, as senior Koral Morin sank a 3-pointer 15 seconds in to set the tone, then senior Natalie Beaudoin made a jumper in the lane and after a steal from senior Skylar Gaudette, Beaudoin hit another jump shot with 6:11 to go in the opening stanza and the Blue Devils were up, 7-0.

But not for long.

Out of a timeout, Goodman inserted sophomore Rachel LaSalle and freshmen Addison Jordan and Abby Kelly into the game and that triumvirate, along with Fitzpatrick and senior Ruth Boles, helped the Stags roar to life.

After a Jordan steal, Boles scored on a putback to break the ice.

Fitzpatrick then made a layup after a steal and with 4:33 on the clock, Fitzpatrick stole the ball again, made another layup while being fouled, then hit a free throw to complete the old-fashioned three-point play to tie the score.

Fifteen seconds later, after a steal, Fitzpatrick set up Jordan for a layup and Cheverus was ahead to stay.

The Stags weren’t done, as Jordan buried a 3, then with 2:55 remaining, Fitzpatrick got an offensive rebound and set up senior Megan Dearborn for another 3 to cap a 15-0 run in just 2 minutes, 39 seconds of game action.

“We knew Lewiston would come out strong,” Fitzpatrick said. “They’re a very good offensive team. The girls off the bench gave us the energy we needed. It started on the defensive end and it helped with our offense.”

“Addison, Abby and Rachel have been great all year,” Goodman said. “Every game, I rotate those three in. The starters have played great the past few games and tonight, the girls off the bench did their job. They know I believe in all of them. They’re new at this, but they’ve played very, very good basketball.”

With 1:49 to go, senior Ellie Lagare made two foul shots to end the run and snap a 4:22 drought, but that only pulled Lewiston within six, 15-9, after one quarter of play.

Morin started the second period by getting a runner to roll in, but Fitzpatrick set up sophomore Anna Goodman for a corner 3 and after sophomore Bailey Tardif-Mockler made a layup for the visitors, Fitzpatrick produced seven points in only 45 seconds, first scoring on a contested layup, then putting home a miss with a reverse layup before converting another three-point play after a turnover to make it 25-13.

Beaudoin countered with two free throws, but Dearborn got a corner 3 to rattle home.

After Beaudoin made a jumper and Fitzpatrick had to sit after picking up her second foul, LaSalle scooped home a shot.

The Blue Devils would creep within nine, as Morin scored on a runner and Beaudoin got a contested leaner to drop, but a three-point play from Anna Goodman restored order and after Morin set up Beaudoin for a layup, Cheverus closed the half with a 3 from junior Rachel Feeley and a Feeley pullup jumper to take a 38-23 advantage to intermission.

The Stags then scored 27 points in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

Cheverus senior Maddie Fitzpatrick goes up over Lewiston senior Koral Morin for two of her game-high 25 points.

The second half began with Feeley setting up Fitzpatrick for a layup and Boles making a pair of free throws.

After Legare countered with two foul shots, a Dearborn 3-ball pushed the lead to 20.

After Beaudoin hit a jumper, Fitzpatrick made a layup after a nice spin move.

Morin scored on a runner, but Dearborn (from Fitzpatrick) answered with another 3 before Fitzpatrick hit a short jumper, then Fitzpatrick made a layup after a steal to stretch the advantage to 54-29 with 4:49 remaining in the frame.

After Morin sank a 3 for the Blue Devils, Fitzpatrick converted another three-point play, Fitzpatrick made a layup after a steal, then Jordan did the same to make it 61-32.

After Beaudoin sank a pair of free throws, then hit a jumper, Boles scored on a putback and after senior Gabby Roman made a layup for Lewiston, Boles drove a layup to send the game to the final stanza with the Stags comfortably in front, 65-38.

Boles made a bank shot and Dearborn hit a long jump shot early in the fourth period before the starters came out of the game for good.

Down the stretch, Beaudoin made a 3, Beaudoin scored on a layup, Morin hit a free throw, then Morin scored on a runner.

After junior Lia Umland sank a foul shot for Cheverus’ final point, a layup from Tardif-Mockler produced the final points of the Stags’ 70-48 victory.

“Every day in practice, people are stepping out of their comfort zones and getting better and gaining more confidence and that’s been helping us,” said Fitzpatrick. “When it isn’t one girl’s night, it’s another girl’s night. That’s the environment we have. We all support each other.”

“(Lewiston) can score,” Billy Goodman said. “The key was rebounding. We’ve been working on that. Rebounding and rotating on defense were really good tonight.”

Fitzpatrick was simply sensational, scoring 25 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, producing 11 steals and if that wasn’t enough, she had five assists and was simply the most dominant and graceful player on the floor.

Again.

“I love to play defense,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think it’s really important. When offense isn’t going well, defense is something I can fall back on. I can’t take credit for those steals. Anna Goodman and Megan Dearborn and Rachel Feeley and Rachel LaSalle are back there and if (Lewiston throws) a bad pass, I just have to pick it off.”

“When you can rebound, pass and steal, it’s amazing what she can do to a team,” Goodman said. “Maddie’s unique. She fills the stat sheet like I’ve never seen. I’ve coached a bunch of years and I’ve never seen someone do so much. People love watching her because of the way she plays. She’s close to 500 (career) rebounds and she’s over 200 assists and steals. She just plays the right way. She lets the game come to her. And she’s very humble.”

Dearborn added 14 points and three rebounds and Boles had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, to go with three steals. Jordan tallied seven points and three steals off the bench, while Anna Goodman had six points (as well as three rebounds), Feeley five (to go with three assists), LaSalle two (as well as five rebounds) and Umland one.

Cheverus enjoyed a 40-30 rebounding advantage and overcame 7-of-12 foul shooting and 20 turnovers.

Lewiston’s effort was paced by Beaudoin, who had 23 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals, and Morin, who finished with 15 points, four assists and three rebounds. Legare (five rebounds, two assists) and Tardif-Mockler each added four points, while Roman had two.

The Blue Devils made 9-of-10 free throws, but turned the ball over 25 times.

Fine tuning the finish

Lewiston, currently ranked fourth in the Class AA North Heal Points standings, returns to action Thursday at home versus Bangor.

Cheverus has four games left as it looks to run the table. The Stags, who have the top spot in Class AA North locked up, go to Edward Little Thursday, then play at Windham next Tuesday before closing with home games versus Bangor and Portland.

“We can’t think about our record,” said Fitzpatrick. “We just need to keep playing. We’ll stay in the moment and keep getting better. My entire senior year, I’ve been reflecting on my time here and just how grateful I am to have chosen Cheverus. To have these coaches and teammates and teachers and friends, I’m just so grateful for what I’ve experienced. I love it here, but I’m also excited about what’s next.”

“We have a lot of young kids playing, so we have a lot to work on still,” Billy Goodman said. “Our goal wasn’t to win every game. Our goal was to get better. We’re such a new team. Every game, I see what we didn’t do well and we go out and work on it in practice. We’re a very humble team. It’s nice to have our record, but we still have to improve.”