CUMBERLAND—Gray-New Gloucester’s girls basketball team is a veteran squad and a top contender in Class A South.
The Greely Rangers, meanwhile, have just one senior and are building for the future.
Saturday afternoon, the longtime rivals squared off and ultimately, despite a strong effort from the young Rangers, the Patriots did too much too well and rolled to a decisive victory.
Greely held an early lead, but Gray-New Gloucester closed the first period on a 14-6 run to go on top, 19-12.
The Patriots continued to shoot well in the second quarter and extended their advantage to 37-22 at the break.
Any hopes the Rangers had of rallying in the second half were dashed 16 seconds in when senior captain Molly Partridge was whistled for her fourth foul.
Gray-New Gloucester then pulled away, taking a 49-29 lead after three periods before going on to a 63-33 victory.
Senior Izzy Morelli led a balanced attack with 14 points as the Patriots improved to 13-3 on the season, dropping Greely to 6-11 in the process.
“We’re getting better and we played a good team that made a lot of shots tonight,” said Rangers coach Todd Flaherty. “I’m really pleased with our effort level and how the kids are sticking together.”
Up and down
Greely opened with losses at preseason Class A South favorite Mt. Ararat (61-15), at home to reigning Class AA South champion Gorham (57-24) and at defending Class A champion Brunswick (44-25), then turned around and rattled off victories over visiting York (41-34), visiting Gardiner in overtime (43-39), host Lewiston (41-32) and visiting Fryeburg Academy (37-26). The pendulum then swung the other way with losses at Gray-New Gloucester (46-18), at Wells (52-43), at home to Messalonskee (31-26) and at home to Mt. Ararat (54-26). The Rangers then defeated host Cape Elizabeth (47-27) and Falmouth (48-20) before losing at home to Freeport (40-33), at Sanford (54-30) and at home to Brunswick (39-24).
The Patriots, meanwhile, beat Freeport in their opener (58-43) and after a 52-37 loss to Mt. Ararat, downed Falmouth (78-21), Wells (39-23) and Brunswick (52-34). After a 59-56 loss to Marshwood, Gray-New Gloucester defeated York (59-41), Edward Little (31-28), Lake Region (52-34), Noble (64-33), Westbrook (48-38) and Greely (46-18). The Patriots lost to Mt. Ararat a second time (49-38), then beat Yarmouth twice in three days, 55-21 and 34-24.
Last year, Gray-New Gloucester was shocked by Greely in the Class A South quarterfinals, 52-31.
In the teams’ first meeting this winter, Jan. 7 in Cumberland, the Rangers managed just 10 first half points and Morelli’s 15 points paced Gray-New Gloucester’s easy win.
Saturday, Greely made it tough on the Patriots for awhile, but ultimately, Gray-New Gloucester pulled away.

Greely junior Lily Wawrzecki-Stein is stymied by Gray-New Gloucester junior Ella Kenney during the Patriots’ 63-33 victory Saturday. Hoffer photos.
Sophomore Hannah Hussey drove and banked home a shot 66 seconds into the game to put the Rangers in front, but Gray-New Gloucester hinted at a hot shooting game to come, as junior Ella Kenney knocked down a 3-pointer.
Hussey drove for another layup, but Morelli scored her first points, on a bank shot.
With 5:48 left in the opening stanza, a layup from junior Avery Bush, set up by Partridge, put Greely up for the final time, 6-5.
With 4:39 remaining, a 3 from sophomore Abbey Steele gave the Patriots the lead for good.
Morelli then converted an old-fashioned three-point play (layup, foul and free throw) and Steele followed with another 3-ball.
Partridge banked home a 3 to end Gray-New Gloucester’s 9-0 run and a 4 minute, 28 second scoring drought, but sophomore Emma Hamilton buried a long jumper and after Partridge was whistled for her second foul, Hamilton banked home a 3-ball.
With 6 seconds to go, junior Kelsey Crocker converted a three-point play and the Rangers trailed, 19-12, after eight minutes.
The Patriots then extended their advantage in the second quarter.
Steele sank another 3 to start the frame, then senior Hailey Carson drained a long jumper.
“Hailey Carson is usually our sixth man, but she made shots today,” Gray-New Gloucester coach Mike Andreasen said.
After Bush banked home a contested shot, Morelli answered with a runner on the baseline, then she hit a free throw before finishing in the lane after a pretty spin move to make it 29-14.
Bush answered with a 3, but Kenney hit a jumper.
After Bush made a layup, Carson sank another long jumper.
With 1:17 remaining before halftime, Bush set up Hussey for a 3, but Gray-New Gloucester closed in style, as Hamilton found freshman Mallory Hardiman for a layup and Carson sank a long jumper for a 37-22 advantage.
Steele had nine points and Morelli added eight in the first half for the Patriots, who forced 10 Greely turnovers.
Gray-New Gloucester didn’t let off the accelerator in the third period and got a little more separation.
Just 16 seconds in to the second half, Partridge picked up her fourth foul.
Carson then hit a long jumper and after Hussey made a free throw, Kenney banked home a shot with her left hand.
Crocker answered with a layup after a steal, but Kenney hit a free throw.
Hussey made a layup after a steal, but the Rangers couldn’t muster a run, as sophomore Ivy Ouellette knocked down a 3-ball from the corner, then Kenney went coast-to-coast for a layup and a 47-27 advantage.
In the final minute, Bush made two free throws, then Kenney set up Morelli for a layup, keeping the margin at 20 heading for the fourth period.
Where the Patriots salted away their win.
The Kenney-to-Morelli connection began the frame and produced another layup before a 3-ball from Steele made the score 54-29.
After Morelli added a free throw, freshman Amelia Katuzny made two for Greely.
Junior Hope Handley got a point back at the line, then Ouellette hit consecutive jumpers.
With 1:27 to go, junior Dani Lezana scored on a putback for the Rangers’ final points.
Six seconds later, a bank shot from junior Madelyn Humphrey brought the curtain down on Gray-New Gloucester’s 63-33 triumph.
“Greely’s improved,” said Andreasen. “We won by a lot of points, but for a half, it was anybody’s game. Back when they had Ashley Storey, Anna DeWolfe, Camille Clement and Chelsea Gravier, we just couldn’t win here. I don’t think there’s any way we can draw them (in the tournament) now. That’s good because they’re very relaxed. Last year, they were playing with house money and did their thing and we went in tight.”
Morelli had a game-high 14 points, as well as five steals and three rebounds.
Steele added 12 points, on four 3-pointers. She also had four assists and three steals.
“Our point guard (senior Laney Farrar) is our engine and she’s out,” Andreasen said. “We were worried what would happen without her. We had to put Abbey at the point. She’s a good shooting guard and she shot well tonight.”
Kenney also wound up in double figures with 10 points, to go with eight assists, five rebounds and a pair of steals.
“Ella just makes basketball plays,” Andreasen said. “She usually defends the other teams’ best players. She does good things for us.”
Ouellette had nine points and five rebounds off the bench, Carson added eight points, Hamilton had five, Hardiman and Humphrey two apiece and Handley one.
Gray-New Gloucester made seven 3-pointers to Greely’s three, enjoyed a 32-23 advantage on the glass, overcame 15 turnovers and made 6-of-10 foul shots.
The Rangers were led by Bush, who had 11 points, three steals and three rebounds.
Hussey finished with nine points, Crocker had six (to go with three rebounds, two assists and two steals), Partridge three, Katuzny and Lezana two apiece.
Greely made 6-of-9 free throws, but turned the ball over 21 times.
“We’ve had a lot of games like this one today,” Flaherty said. “We look at it like we can’t practice like that. We get better by playing a good team.”
Thinking tournament
Gray-New Gloucester (currently ranked third in the Class A South Heal Points standings) has two big games left, Tuesday at Brunswick and Thursday at home versus Fryeburg Academy.
“We play a tough schedule,” Andreasen said. “If we win those last two, it will be three years in a row with 15 wins. This might be the best Class A division top to bottom. Mt. Ararat’s at a different level. I think they’re the cream of the crop. It’s going to be fun. We’ll go in and take our shot.”
Greely’s regular season ends Tuesday at Yarmouth. The Rangers, ranked eighth in Class A South, hope to spring another upset when the tournament commences.
“I feel like we’re probably about where we should be,” said Flaherty. “We’d probably like another win or two. We want to get better and go in and play our best game our first game of the tournament. We still hope to climb into seventh, but seventh or eighth, it won’t be a picnic.
“You never know. The first game is hard over (at the Expo), especially when you’re expected to win. We’ll stay together and we’ll be fine.”
BOX SCORE
Gray-New Gloucester 63 Greely 33
GNG– 19 18 12 14- 63
G-12 10 7 4-33
GNG- Morelli 5-4-14, Steele 4-0-12, Kenney 4-1-10, Ouellette 4-0-9, Carson 4-0-8, Hamilton 2-0-5, Hardiman 1-0-2, Humphrey 1-0-2, Handley 0-1-1
G- Bush 4-2-11, Hussey 4-0-9, Crocker 2-2-6, Partridge 1-0-3, Katuzny 0-2-2, Lezana 1-0-2
3-pointers:
GNG (7) Steele 4, Hamilton, Kenney, Ouellette
G (3) Bush, Hussey, Partridge
Turnovers
GNG- 15
G- 21
Free throws
GNG: 6-10
G: 6-9
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.