BANGOR– Many people forget that the Machias Bulldogs are the defending class D boys basketball state champions. The Bulldogs were at the Cross Insurance Center on Monday morning to remind everyone,
Alex Marotta recorded 23 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals to lead the sixth seeded Bulldogs to a 56-47 win over third seeded Katahdin in a Maine Principals’ Association quarterfinal game. Marotta had to step up his inside game with the loss of a lot of size from last year’s title winning team.
“It (rebound) is something I usually do, last year I didn’t really do it, because we had so much size,”Marotta said. “This year I have to rebound the ball or it isn’t going to be good.”
Machias Coach James Getchell added, “He (Marotta) never had to rebound until this year, he has done a great. He gives up a lot of size, he has a great vertical leap.”
Katahdin jumped out to a 9-2, the Bulldogs went on a 8-1 run to even the score at 10. The Cougars held a 12-10 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Machias scored the first nine points of the second take a 19-12 lead. Katahdin scored the next seven to even the score at 19. Jordan Grant gave the Bulldogs a lead they wouldn’t give back.
Machias shot 20-30 from the free throw line, including 11-14 in the fourth quarter. Grant shot 6-8 from the line in the final quarter.
“We practice a lot of free throws,”Grant said. “If you make your free throws down the stretch, you will probably end up winning.”
The Bulldogs lost a lot of talent from last year. This group wasn’t given much of a chance to get back to the Cross Center. They are now going to play a semifinal game on Thursday night.
“We lost a lot of players and Jake Godfrey transferred (Hermon) and all that,”Grant said. “No one expected us to even make it here. We wanted to prove so many people wrong and we aren’t done yet.”
Marotta added. “We have been proven people wrong, we are defending state champs for a reason.”
Grant had 16 points and three steals for the Bulldogs, Alex Wentzell recorded seven points, four rebounds, and four assists, Tyler Wentzell added six points (6-10 FT) and seven rebounds.
Brady Guiggey led the Cougars with 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals, Rig Otero added 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Katahdin finishes the season with a 13-6 record.
Machias (12-8) will play Jonesport-Beals or Southern Aroostook at 7 PM on Thursday.
