BANGOR-Gilleyanne Davis-Oakes scored 17 of her game high 28 points in the first half leading Vinalhaven girls basketball team to th first state championship victory in school history.
The Vikings went on an 11-0 third quarter run and rolled to a 55-44 victory over Shead in a Maine Principals Association Class D state championship game at the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday afternoon,
The Tigerettes took a 3-2 lead on a Katelyn Mitchell three pointer. That would be the last lead of the game for Shead. Vinalhaven had a 13-9 lead after the first quarter. The Vikings went on an 9-1 run to start the second quarter and expand the lead to 24-14. The Tigerettes ended the first half on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to four.
Cheyenne Bickford scored six points in the first three minutes of the second half as a Vinalhaven took control. Bickford didn’t score any points in the first half. The Tigerettes couldn’t get any closer than eight in the fourth quarter,
“We knew that we had to pick it up,”Bickford said. “I am short so they don’t think I am that much of a threat.”
Vinalhaven coach Sandy Nelson added, “she (Bickford) is not a very big, but she doesn’t mind being down here.”
Davis-Oakes dominated play near the basket. She also grabbed nine rebounds and blocked two shots to go along with her game high in points. The Vikings were in Bangor last night, so they got a chance to practice at the Cross Insurance Center on Friday night. That helped calm the nerves of a team that ended up bringing the first championship in any sport back to Vinalhaven.
“I think practicing last night, helped a lot,”Davis-Oakes said. “When we walked in (last night) we were wide eyed and really jittery, after practicing, it calmed us down. We are going to be remembered.”
Nelson added, “this is amazing, first gold ball. Amazing,”
Bickford, Deja Doughty, and Paige Dennison scored six points each for the Vikings. Ashlyn Littlefield recorded five points, five assists, Rosenna Morel is the inky senior on coach Nelson’s roster of state champions that finished with a record of 18-4.
Holly Preston led the Tigerettes with 23 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Cassidy Wilder added 11 points, nine rebounds, and two steals. Shead finished with a record of 19-3 record.
Thank you to the following businesses for sponsoring Eastern Maine Sports coverage of Tourney 2017.
