PORTLAND—Kylie Lamson’s energy was boundless and uncontainable.

Before the start of the second half of Tuesday evening’s girls basketball showdown at Keegan Gymnasium, Lamson, a junior point guard, bounced up and down, up and down, as if she was on a pogo stick.

And when play resumed, she and her Cheverus Stags teammates proved to be too much for the visiting South Portland Red Riots in an early-season showdown between undefeated squads.

Lamson, who came to Cheverus after spending two years at Thornton Academy, scored seven first quarter points, which, along with eight points from junior Anna Goodman, helped the Stags open up a 23-12 lead.

The Red Riots then countered in the second period, making their move after Lamson was sidelined with her second foul to pull within five points, 34-29, at the break.

Lamson then made her return to start the second half and scored nine straight points before having to sit with her third foul, as Cheverus clung to a 45-38 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.

Advertisement

There, Lamson scored seven more points and the Stags did enough to hold on for a statement-making 57-47 victory.

Led by Lamson’s 26 points, combined with stellar contributions from everyone else who took the floor, Cheverus improved to 4-0 on the season, extended its two-year win streak to 25 games and in the process, handed South Portland its first setback in four outings.

“This was a really big win,” said Lamson. “It was definitely a test. It was probably one of our biggest games of the season. South Portland’s a good team and we knew we had to come out and beat them. We had a lot of energy to start. In the second half, we came out even harder. It was all confidence from there.”

Biggest test

Cheverus rolled to a state title last year with a perfect record, but graduation hit hard, as Miss Maine Basketball winner Maddie Fitzpatrick, along with Ruth Boles and Megan Dearborn departed.

Regardless, the Stags have gotten off to a fast start this winter, downing visiting Deering (59-16), host Bonny Eagle (68-29) and host Portland (59-36).

Advertisement

South Portland, meanwhile, under new coach Brianne Maloney, also started fast by downing host Noble (51-19) and Lewiston (63-29), then defeating visiting Scarborough in a playoff rematch (51-32).

The teams met in the season opener last winter, won by visiting Cheverus, 48-28.

Tuesday, the Red Riots sought their first win over the Stags since Jan. 14, 2020 (56-37 in Portland), but instead, Cheverus made it four straight in the series.

South Portland struck first, 20 seconds in, as sophomore sharpshooter Maya Lawrence took a pass from sophomore Annie Whitmore and drained a 3-pointer.

The Stags quickly answered, as senior Rachel Feeley set up junior Rachel LaSalle for a layup, then Lamson went coast-to-coast for a layup.

With 6:13 left in the opening stanza, a short jumper from junior Caleigh Corcoran gave the Red Riots what proved to be their last lead, 5-4.

Advertisement

Fifteen seconds later, Feeley found Goodman wide open underneath and Goodman’s layup put Cheverus on top for good.

“We got caught a couple times on backdoor cuts, just not having our heads on a swivel,” lamented Maloney.

Goodman then showed off her long-range shooting skills, taking a pass from Feeley on the right wing and draining a 3-ball and the next time down, she got the ball from Feeley on the left side and sank another 3-ball to make it 12-5.

“I love assists,” said Feeley. “That causes the defense to come at you more and it opens up other people.”

South Portland countered, as senior Emma Travis hit a 3 and junior Destiny Peter made a layup, off a pass from junior Stella Henderson, but Lamson answered with a 3 and after Henderson set up Peter for another layup, sophomore super sub Emilie Umland drained a 3 off an assist from sophomore Abby Kelly, then Lamson scored on a runner in the lane, sophomore Addison Jordan drove for a layup, then an Umland foul shot with 3.2 seconds remaining stretched the Stags’ advantage to 23-12.

Goodman had eight points and Lamson added seven in the first quarter, as Cheverus started fast and gained plenty of confidence.

Advertisement

“The way Anna started the game was awesome, then, Kylie went off a little bit,” said Stags coach Billy Goodman. “They gave her a lot of attention and we learned how to deal with that on the fly.”

Cheverus was on the brink of running away and hiding, but the Red Riots would battle back.

Off the inbounds pass to start the second quarter, Travis stole the ball and raced in for a layup to end the Stags’ 8-0 run, but Feeley fed LaSalle for a backdoor layup, then Jordan added a free throw for a 26-14 advantage.

After Corcoran countered with a bank shot, Kelly stole the ball, then set up Lamson for a 3.

With 4:14 remaining in the half, Lamson picked up her second foul and she’d have to sit most of the remainder of the period and South Portland took advantage.

After freshman Mady Lovejoy banked home a 3, Jordan hit one for the home team, but Lawrence fed Corcoran for a layup, Corcoran scored on a putback, then Whitmore was fouled after a steal and made one free throw to cut the deficit to 32-24.

Advertisement

Kelly scored on a putback for the Stags, but Lovejoy found Lawrence for a layup, then Whitmore converted an old-fashioned three-point play (runner, foul, free throw) with just 18.9 seconds to go, pulling the Red Riots within just five, 34-29, at the break.

Lamson led all scorers in first half points with 10 and she was just getting warmed up.

Lamson came out amped for the start of the second half and she would put on a show, scoring nine straight points for her team, as Cheverus beat back South Portland’s bid to take the lead.

Lamson started the third period by making one of two free throws, then she stole the ball and pulled up for a jumper before taking a pass from Goodman and making a layup to make it a double-digit lead again, 39-29.

Peter countered with a driving layup, but Lamson pulled up and sank another jumper.

After Whitmore fed Travis for a 3, Lamson drove for a layup.

Advertisement

“Starting the second half, I had to come from a different approach than just being a point guard,” said Lamson. “I was getting face-guarded the whole time. I had to get screens, get the ball, be more aggressive, take open layups.”

With 3:08 on the clock, Lamson was called for her third foul and had to sit again and after Umland scored on a putback to push the lead to 11, Travis sank two free throws and Whitmore made a layup after a steal.

Lovejoy had a chance to make things very interesting just before the horn, but her 3-point bid was off target and the Stags took a 45-38 advantage to the fourth period.

And there, they salted away their victory.

After Whitmore missed a 3 to start the frame, Lamson drove and banked home a contested shot.

Travis then set up Whitmore for a 3, but Lamson drove for a layup, then somehow banked home another shot in traffic, with her left hand no less, for a 51-41 lead with 5:18 to go.

Advertisement

Goodman provided further separation 28 seconds later, again hitting a 3 off an assist from Feely, but the visitors had one last charge.

First, Peter scored on a putback.

Then, Henderson set up Peter for a bank shot to make it a nine-point contest with 3:45 still to play.

Corcoran had a chance to pull South Portland closer when she was fouled, but she missed both attempts.

Jordan then effectively ended it with a driving layup with 2:43 on the clock.

Travis made a layup for the Red Riots’ final points before a Lamson free throw with 55.5 seconds remaining, fittingly, produced the final margin and the Stags were able to celebrate a 57-47 victory.

Advertisement

“It was very exciting,” Feeley said. “This was the best team we’ve played, our biggest challenge. At halftime, we talked about having to step up and keep the intensity up and not give them an opening.”

“It’s encouraging,” said Billy Goodman. “(South Portland’s) a great team. For my young team to do what they did tonight, I’m so proud of them. I’ve been putting the pressure on the girls. I told them, ‘This is a playoff game. I want to see how you girls handle this.’ This is a big deal. I’m not big on regular season things, but for our confidence and experience, this is huge. It was a great team win. I can’t buy this for them. This year’s team learned tonight how to battle. The win’s a bonus. What I saw tonight is that the girls have the championship DNA.”

Lamson, despite being closely defended by Travis, was close to unstoppable with 26 points.

“It’s been really good coming (to Cheverus),” Lamson said. “The energy and coaching have been great. It’s a big change I needed to happen. We’re always a school that teams want to beat. Our first seven are great and we have huge depth on our bench.”

“(Kylie’s) amazing,” Feeley said. “She has amazing court IQ and has an amazing shot. She helps calm us down on offense. She’s a very good point guard.”

“Kylie’s been a great teammate,” added Billy Goodman. “She’s so coachable. She really wants to learn. Her hustle, her attitude. She’s been great.”

Advertisement

The Red Riots concurred.

“(Lamson’s) a great player,” Maloney said. “I thought Emma guarded her as tough as she could. As a team, we could be better in help-side (defense) and having Emma’s back. I couldn’t have asked for anything more from Emma when it came to guarding her. I hope Kylie felt tired at the end of the game.”

Anna Goodman also finished in double figures with 11 points and had three rebounds.

Jordan added eight points (three rebounds and three steals), Umland six (to go with six rebounds), La Salle four and Kelly two (as well as four rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks).

Feeley didn’t score, but wound up with six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

“It was just about boxing out and getting rebounds in case shots didn’t go in to set up my teammates,” Feeley said.

Advertisement

“There were so many unsung heroes tonight,” said Billy Goodman. “Emilie Umland, Rachel Feeley, Abby Kelly. Every girl out there did something. Addison Jordan and Abby Kelly grew up last year as freshmen. Rachel LaSalle does a lot of little things too. ”

Cheverus had a 33-30 edge on the glass, only turned the ball over 10 times and made 4-of-8 free throws.

For South Portland, Travis had her usual solid effort, leading the team with 12 points. She also had five rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocked shots. Peter added 10 points and seven rebounds, Whitmore had nine points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, Corcoran eight points (as well as four rebounds and three steals), Lawrence five points (three rebounds and two assists) and Lovejoy three points.

The Red Riots made 4-of-7 foul shots, but gave the ball away 17 times.

“A lot of it was turning the ball over after finally breaking the press, giving the ball right back,” said Maloney. “It’s our fourth game of the season, very early on. I like that we’re matched up early in the season. It gives us time to learn what we need to get better at and what we need to improve on. We see them twice, so it gives us more of a chance to prepare and fix our mistakes.

“I think the biggest thing is we didn’t fold. We battled back. Even when they knocked down shots, or when we turned the ball over, we never quit. There was never a time where I felt like we let up. We stayed aggressive and battled when things weren’t going our way.”

Advertisement

Not the last time

The teams will play again Jan. 31 in South Portland, but both squads have an abundance of tests first.

The Red Riots hope to bounce back Friday, but it won’t be easy, as highly-touted Sanford pays a visit.

“I think we’ll go into Friday hungry for sure,” Maloney said.

The Stags travel to Bangor Friday and still have many key games to come, but it’s clear that this proud defending champion has the pieces in place to make March memories once more.

“We just have to try and take one game at a time, it doesn’t matter the opponent,” said Feeley. “We have to treat each team as if they’re the best and will give us a game no matter what.”

“We just have to have good chemistry and move the ball and be the team we know we can be,” Lamson said.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.

Comments are not available on this story.