Brunswick coach Sam Farrell talks things over with his team prior to Tuesday’s Class A South contest against Biddeford. Sitting for the Dragons (left to right) are Mackenzie Dorr, Logan Brown, Lexi Guptill, Hannah Fortier and Morgan Foster. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
BRUNSWICK — Sam Farrell’s Brunswick High School girls basketball team entered Tuesday’s Class A South home contest against Biddeford with a more than solid 13-3 record.
But when looking at the Class A South Heal Point Standings, that mark had the Dragons sitting in sixth place in a deep region that features two defending state champions (Greely, Class A; Gray-New Gloucester, Class B).
In a couple weeks, the regional quarterfinals will begin at the Portland Expo, and Class A South looks to be one of the most competitive regions in the state.
Brunswick senior forward Lexi Guptill (44) looks to the basket in the second half of Tuesday’s Class A South girls basketball game at Brunswick High School. Guptill scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the Dragons’ 69-38 victory. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
Against the Tigers, Brunswick improved to 14-3 with a convincing 69-38 victory. For now, the Dragons have leapfrogged into fourth place, with York and Gray-New Gloucester jockeying for position in close proximity.
“There are a lot of great teams,” agreed Farrell. “Greely, it is still their league until someone knocks them off. Marshwood beat us and they are a good team. Kennebunk has one of the best players in the state. York is winning games, and Gray is the defending B champs. And, we have Mt. Ararat (Thursday, 7 p.m.) in our rivalry game. There are no walk-throughs.”
From the outset, Brunswick was in control against Biddeford, with senior Lexi Guptill scoring the game’s first four points and Morgan Foster finding her range for a 6-0 edge.
Biddeford scored on a Hannah Gosselin put-back, and immediately Farrell called timeout.
“I wanted them to do their job on defense, rotate and be active,” the Brunswick coach said. “They wanted to move on offense but not on defense. When we work together, you can see the difference. They hold themselves to high standards. They looked at it and they fixed it. It is not me.”
“Our offense was good, but it was our defense that we needed to work on,” said Foster. “We let them have shots that we shouldn’t have and he told us that. After that, we worked harder at it.”
After Farrell’s talk, Foster and Logan Brown picked up a steal each. Offensively, the
Brunswick’s Logan Brown, right, and Biddeford’s Zowie Cheetham-Wilmot battle during Tuesday’s girls basketball game in Brunswick. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
Dragons began to pull away, with Foster and Brown hitting back-to-back 3-pointers for a 16-2 lead. Foster, who scored eight points in the opening quarter, drained another trey, and Brown closed the quarter with Brunswick’s fourth made shot from beyond the arc for a 24-8 lead.
“It is a lot of teamwork for us,” said Foster. “We work as a team and that helps us in the games.”
After making 10-of-18 shots in the opening quarter, the Dragons used a 3-pointer each in the second by Brown and Hannah Fortier to extend the advantage. Inside, Guptill owned the paint, tallying 13 first-half points as the Dragons carried a 41-22 edge to the break. Brown chipped in 11 points, with Lanye Brewer coming off the bench for four points.
Brunswick shot 50% (17-of-34) in the opening 16 minutes while holding Biddeford to a 10-of-27 (37%) performance, with Gosselin leading the Tigers with six points, while Chantelle Bouchard and Charli Yoho each tallied five.
Any doubt about the outcome of this contest were put to rest in the third quarter as Brunswick made 7-of-14 from the floor and outscored the Tigers 20-8 for a 61-30 lead.
Biddeford’s Lexi Libby (15) tries to make a pass while being defended by Brunswick’s Lanye Brewer (24) and Logan Brown (25). Looking on is Biddeford’s Zowie Cheetham-Wilmot (13). The host Dragons cruised to a 69-38 win and a 14-3 record. (Bob Conn / The Times Record)
Guptill led Brunswick on her Senior Night (along with classmate Mackenzie Dorr) with a double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three steals), with Brown adding 15 points, six steals and four assists. Foster chipped in 10 points, three steals and three assists, while Brewer led the Brunswick bench with nine points. Fortier also had seven points and four helpers.
Biddeford was led by Bouchard’s 11 points and Gosselin’s 10.
For the Dragons, now comes Thursday’s regular-season finale in the latest “Battle of the Bridge” matchup. Brunswick won the first meeting with the Eagles, 53-33, on Dec. 13, but Julie Petrie’s Eagles squad has shown steady improvement this year and may pose a challenge in the final game played inside the current Mt. Ararat gymnasium.
“There will be emotions on both sides, but for us it is about getting better and playing the next game. We are not thinking of the tournament yet,” Farrell said.
“We are fired up for Thursday,” added Foster. “It will be a good game and we are excited for it. We know Mt. Ararat is tough and will also will be fired up. It will be good.”
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