Waynflete’s bench exults during Monday’s 58-16 victory over Islesboro in a Class D South quarterfinal. Photos courtesy Brian Beard.
AUGUSTA—Any concern that Waynflete’s second-seeded girls’ basketball team wouldn’t play well or shoot well at the Augusta Civic Center went by the wayside almost immediately Monday morning in Class D South quarterfinal versus seventh-ranked Islesboro.
The Flyers set the tone just 19 seconds in when junior Lauren McNutt-Girouard buried a 3 pointer.
By the end of the first quarter, Waynflete was firmly in control, up, 19-2, as McNutt-Girouard hit a pair of 3s and had 12 points, while senior standout Lucy Hart added seven points, including a 3 of her own.
The onslaught continued in the second period, as Hart hit three 3s and the Flyers closed the half on a 22-0 burst for a 41-5 lead.
The scoring pace slowed in the second half and Waynflete extended its advantage to 53-7 after three quarters before closing out a most emphatic and impressive 58-16 victory.
McNutt-Girouard erupted for 29 points and Hart had a double-double of 19 points and 13 steals as the Flyers continued their best season in a decade, improved to 14-5, ended Islesboro’s season at 8-11 and advanced to take on No. 3 Forest Hills (14-5) in the Class D South semifinals Thursday at 10 a.m., in Augusta.
“It was an incredible experience,” said Waynflete coach Andrew Leach. “We talked all week about managing our emotions. I was afraid that shooting at the Augusta Civic Center can be so difficult, especially for a team that hadn’t been there, but it turns out I was wrong.”
Return to glory
Between 2001 and 2015, Waynflete averaged 15 wins per season, reached the regional final on seven occasions and captured state titles in 2003 (in Class D) and 2013 (Class C).
The Flyers then averaged just five wins per season over the next nine years, but this winter has been a different story.
Waynflete started with six straight victories and ultimately won 13 of 18 games to earn the No. 2 seed in Class D South (see sidebar for links to previous stories).
Islesboro, meanwhile, began the year 4-1, then cooled dramatically and finished seventh in the region.
The teams didn’t meet this winter and had no prior playoff history.
Monday, the Flyers came out and dominated from the start en route to their first quarterfinal round win in 11 years.
Waynflete senior Lucy Hart races up the floor as Islesboro junior Alma Bewsher gives chase.
On Waynflete’s first possession, Hart set up McNutt-Girouard for a 3 and the Flyers were on their way.
Hart’s first points came on a layup after a steal, then McNutt-Girouard sank a pair of foul shots to make it 7-0 two minutes in.
After Eagles coach Jesse Burns called timeout, Hart stole ball and set up McNutt-Girouard for layup, then Islesboro got on the board with 5:25 left in the quarter, as sophomore forward Grace Burns hit a jumper.
Waynflete then closed strong, as Hart made a 3, McNutt-Girouard drained two free throws, McNutt-Girouard hit a 3, then McNutt-Girouard set up Hart for a layup and a 19-2 advantage.
Waynflete junior Lauren McNutt-Girouard lines up a 3-pointer. McNutt-Girouard hit four 3s and had a game-high 29 points.
The second period was even more decisive.
The Eagles started the frame with a 3-pointer from junior Alma Bewsher, ending a 6 minute, 57 second scoring drought, but the final 22 points of the half belonged to the Flyers.
Hart started the surge with back-to-back 3-pointers.
“I was a little worried about the different (background), but once I hit one, I was fine,” Hart said.
Hart then set up more offense with a steal before passing to McNutt-Girouard for another layup.
“We really pride ourselves on our defense,” Hart said. “Defense is a super-important part of the game. We used that to help transition to offense.”
“Lucy averages eight steals per game and only averages one foul per game,” Leach said. “She plays physically, but very clean. She pressures every pass.”
After Hart drained yet another 3, sophomore Ayla Stutzman became the first Flyer other than Hart or McNutt-Girouard to score, as she hit a free throw.
McNutt-Girouard added a foul shot, then took a pass from senior Morgan Earls and drained a 3.
“I like shooting here,” said McNutt-Girouard. “I was just feeling it. In warmups, I was kind of off, but once I hit that first shot, I found my rhythm and kept shooting.”
Fittingly, Flyers legend Martha Veroneau (Class of 2013) was in attendance Monday. Veroneau holds the regional tournament record for made 3s in a game (nine) and joked after the contest that for a moment, she felt her record was in jeopardy.
After Hart made one of two free throws, she took a pass from McNutt-Girouard after a steal, then McNutt-Girouard sank another 3 for a 41-5 lead at the half.
In the first 16 minutes, Hart had a double-double of 19 points and 10 steals, as well as four assists and four rebounds, while McNutt-Girouard added 21 points.
“Lucy and Lauren handled it so well,” Leach said. “Seeing Lucy and Lauren score all our first half points, with Ayla making the one free throw, was amazing. They’ve worked hard for it.”
Waynflete senior Jojo Moriba corrals a loose ball.
Waynflete’s dynamic duo started the second half the same way they did the first, as Hart stole the ball and fed McNutt-Girouard for a layup, then McNutt-Girouard made a layup after a steal.
With 3:36 to go in the frame, senior Maeve Mectenberg got in on the fun, hitting a jumper, then McNutt-Girouard scored on a baseline runner to make it 49-5.
With 2:35 left in the quarter, Islesboro ended the Flyers’ 30-0 run and a 11:53 drought, as senior Anna Zlotkowski made two free throws.
Late in the frame, senior Sara Levenson banked home a shot, then senior JoJo Moriba’s putback extended the lead to 53-7 heading to the final stanza.
There, after Stutzman and Eagles junior Rosie Brimley traded free throws, McNutt-Girouard drove for a layup and her final points.
Stutzman then sank two free throws to conclude Waynflete’s scoring.
Down the stretch, Islesboro got a free throw from Zlotkowski, a layup from Zlotkowski, a 3-pointer from Bewsher and a driving layup from Brimley, but the Flyers were able to run out the clock from there and advance, 58-16.
“It’s so exciting,” said Hart. “I’ve been waiting to play here a long time, so it felt good. It’s so fun having everyone here and it was a great team win today.”
“Our schedule definitely helped us today,” McNutt-Girouard said. “Facing teams like NYA prepared us for playing at a fast pace on a bigger floor.”
McNutt-Girouard’s first game in Augusta was superb, as she scored 29 points and had four assists and two steals.
“Every shot Lauren took looked like it was going in,” said Leach. “She’s just a killer on the 3-point line. She also drew fouls and knocked down free throws. She’s turned into a complete player.”
Hart had a game for the ages, scoring 19 points, while also registering 13 steals, eight rebounds and five assists.
“Lucy’s stat line was stunning,” Leach said. “I haven’t seen many kids do that. She’s incredible on the soccer field and we’re lucky to have her in basketball. She’s a pass-first point guard. She has incredible vision. What a performance. I remember coaching Henry Hart and watching little Lucy Hart shooting after games. Seeing her now as a senior gets me a little emotional.”
Stutzman added four points (and five rebounds), while Levenson, Mechtenberg and Moriba (seven rebounds, four steals, three assists) all wound up with two.
The Flyers made eight 3-pointers to the Eagles’ one, had a 32-27 advantage on the glass, made 10-of-14 free throws and overcame 18 turnovers.
Islesboro was paced by Bewsher, who had six points, three rebounds and two steals. Zlotkowski finished with five points and eight rebounds, while Brimley added three points, four rebounds and three steals and Burns had two points.
The Eagles made 4-of-6 foul shots, but were doomed by 40 turnovers, with 16 coming in the first quarter alone.
“I have deep roots in Islesboro, so it was tough today,” said Leach, who grew up, played and started coaching on the island. “I called off the press in the second half, so hopefully they’ll let me get on the boat to go back there.”
Rarified air
Waynflete didn’t face Forest Hills this winter.
The Flyers lost both prior playoff meetings, but the last came 27 years ago, a 38-33 setback in the Western D Final.
Waynflete is viewed by many as the favorite in the region, but figure to get a tougher test Thursday.
“We just have to stay together as a team,” said McNutt-Girouard. “We’ve done that throughout the season and now it’s most important.”
“We’re going to be focused in practice, give 100 percent and get ready for Thursday,” Hart said. “We’re very excited. It would be so amazing to win basketball as well as soccer.”
“Forest Hills is a very good, guard-heavy team. They can shoot 3s and they’re dangerous. Augusta is a second home for them. They’ll raise their game and we’ll have to raise ours. We have to guard the 3-point line and force turnovers. We also have to go Ayla more touches on offense,” added Leach, who has already won multiple boys’ lacrosse state titles at Waynflete.
“It’s incredible to have this team and this moment. Winning lacrosse championships at Fitzpatrick Stadium is special, but basketball has the whole state’s attention. To win with these seniors, who stuck through tough times and to have them enjoy success, that’s what I wanted for this team. I’m excited to see how far we can go. I think we can get to that final game.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. For game updates and links to game stories, follow him on Threads: @foresports2023
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