DOVER-FOXCROFT– Getting a win over the same team three times during a season is a difficult thing to do. It was very difficult for the Foxcroft Ponies girls basketball team on Tuesday night, but they were able to rally in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Foxcroft earned a 48-46 victory over Central,as Abi Simpson scored six points in overtime, including the game winner to beat the buzzer.
“That wasnt the design, but one of the things I told her (Simpson) during that last timeout was, whatever you do make sure you get to the offensive boards for the put back,”Foxcroft coach Blake Smith said. “She got all six points in the overtime.”
Central held a 16-10 lead after the first quarter thanks to a balance scoring attack. All five of the Red Devils starters scored in the first eight minutes of play. The teams combined to score only 10 points in the second quarter. Central held a 20-16 halftime lead.
Sydney Allen scored 19 of her game high 23 points in the second half. Allen helped the Red Devils build the lead to 29-24 at the end of the third quarter.
Simpson started taking over in the fourth quarter, she scored six points, including two key free throws, and a basket late in the quarter. The Ponies went 6-6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, including Grace Bickford making two with nine seconds left to send the game to overtime.
Foxcroft defeated Central 46-43 on January 13th, and 43-25 in the regular season finale last Thursday. The Ponies (11-8) will advance to play top seeded Houlton in a Maine Principals’ Association class B north quarterfinal game on Saturday at 3 p.m.
“We knew they were a handful. The first game (against Central) was back and forth, I think last Thursday we just had them out of sorts. . I told the girls ahead of time, tnis would be a battle to the finish. I think those are two (Foxcroft and Central) pretty even teams,”Smith said. “They (Houlton) are very tough, (Kolleen) Bouchard is probably the best player in our big east conference. The big thing with Bouchard, she has a great supporting cast. That is a good team, we will need a few breaks to go our way. We will go at it.”
Simpson led the Ponies with 20 points and 15 rebounds, Bickford added 10 points, while Makenzie Beaudry added nine points. Kendra Ewer scored five points, while Abbi Bourget and Madison Chadbourne chipped in with two points each. Foxcroft shot 8-13 from the free throw line.
Allen scored 12 points in the 4th quarter and overtime for the Red Devils. Libby Cook finished in double figures with 10 points. Kaitlyn Pinkham scored six first quarter points, Emily Smith scored four points, while Emma Campbell put in two points, and Brooke Byers made one free throw in overtime, Central finishes the season with a record of 9-10.
