SCARBOROUGH – The Lady Red Storm of Scarborough High School, 10-3 after slaughtering Kennebunk 65-23 on Monday night, looked to repeat their impressive performance at home against Sanford Friday evening. The 9-3 Spartans have left some devastation in their own wake, however, and wouldn’t go quietly into defeat.
The first half saw the teams vying for dominance, but neither achieving it. In the second half, though, Scarborough’s persistence wore Sanford down, and the Red Storm slowly pried the game open. They walked away with the win, 52-41.
“I think we had 12 turnovers in the third quarter,” Sanford head coach Kristy Parent said after the game. “Stat-wise, they got 23 shots. The thing is, if we limit them to one shot and then turn the ball right over, we’re just digging ourselves a hole.”
The first quarter careened forward in a hail of baskets. Scarborough sophomore Ashley Briggs put her team on the scoreboard first with an early two, but Sanford junior Morgan Fogg quickly matched with a two of her own. Sanford senior Heather LeBlanc briefly gave the Spartans the lead before Briggs tied it up again. LeBlanc took it back, but Red Storm seniors Courtney Alofs and Mary Redmond went 3 for 4 from the free throw line, putting their team back on top. Briggs dropped in a 3-pointer to put a little distance between the Storm and the Spartans, but Sanford would continue to fight. They closed the gap, and by the end of one, were up 17-16.
The second quarter opened with six quick points from Scarborough. Seniors Taylor LeBorgne and Maria Philbrick each contributed two, while sophomore Bailey Adams went 2 for 2 from the line. Sanford junior Grace Riley nailed a three, but both teams’ offenses had slowed their production. The last two points of the quarter belonged to Storm sophomore Kaitlin Prince, who broke a tie from the line and gave Scarborough a 26-24 edge going into halftime.
Red Storm head coach Ron Cote said he told his squad in the locker room to keep the pressure on and focus on defense. He hoped his girls’ conditioning would give them the edge.
Spartans head coach Kristy Parent also complimented her team in the locker room on their first-half performance. “We broke into a point where we were scoring easy transition layups.”
The name of the third quarter was again defense. The Storm posted only nine to the scoreboard, including five by senior Mary Redmond, and the Spartans managed even fewer, just six. After three, Scarborough had opened the biggest lead of the game, 35-30. But would it last?
Seemingly not. A fast four points for the Spartans, from senior Janelle Cannon and junior Shelby Paiement, pulled the Spartans within one. However, the Storm offense blew back, Briggs and Alofs each adding four and Philbrick adding six in a surge that widened Scarborough’s lead.
“Constant pressure throughout the whole game” gave Scarborough the win, according to Cote. “We continued in the second half, and maybe they got a little tired. We played better defense in the second half. We fast-broke, tried to run, tried to get them a little tired.”
In the waning minutes, Sanford desperately needed a run, if they hoped to snatch the win or even send the game into overtime. Parent called timeout to discuss strategy, but whatever tack she instructed her girls to take, it wasn’t the counter they needed. What’s more, in the final seconds, down 52-40, Fogg suffered a knee injury. She fell to the court and lay there, clutching her leg, while Parent and a trainer examined her then helped her to the sidelines. Sophomore Laura Kirkpatrick came into the game and went 1 for 2 on what would’ve been Fogg’s free throws, but one point wasn’t nearly enough, and Scarborough left with the win.
“Pressure takes its toll, and that’s what the whole name of the game is,” Parent said.
Scarborough’s Briggs had the game’s highest total, 18, while Sanford’s LeBlanc turned in 15. The Red Storm next face 2-10 Massabesic, on Tuesday Jan. 29.
Scarborough sophomore Ashley Briggs charges around a Sanford defender.
Sanford senior Taylor Littlefield looks to sidestep the Red Storm’s Maria Philbrick in the teams’ meeting Friday night. Staff photos by Adam Birt
Spartan coach Kristy Parent and a trainer help the injured Morgan Fogg from the court Friday night.
Scarborough sophomore Ashley Briggs defends close on Sanford’s Heather LeBlanc.
Sanford head coach Kristy Parent talks strategy with her girls during a time-out versus Scarborough Friday night.
Spartan Taylor Littlefield strives for two in her team’s losing effort against Scarborough Friday night.
Scarborough senior Taylor LeBorgne lines up a shot versus Sanford Friday night.
Red Storm defenders Samantha Sparda and Katilin prince converge on Sanford junior Grace Riley
Sanford senior Heather LeBlanc blocks Red Storm Marissa O’Toole’s approach to the net.
Scarborough senior Mary Redmond fends off Sanford senior Janelle Cannon in the schools’ match-up Friday night.
The Sanford Spartans and Scarbrough Red Storm line up before the start of their game Friday night. Scarborough took the victory, 52-41.
Opening tip-off at the Sanford-Scarborough girls’ basketball game Friday night.
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