BANGOR- Chance Mercier scored 25 of his game-high 38 points in the first half alone on Wednesday afternoon, as the top seeded Ellsworth Eagles withstood a furious comeback by the Old Town Coyotes to take a 60-55 Maine Principals’ Association Class B semifinal win at the Cross Insurance Center.
Mercier was unstoppable in the first half, as he scored the first nine points of the game. He had 11 in the first quarter, and then 14 more in the second and a last second three-pointer by Dawson Curtis had Ellsworth up comfortably at the halftime break 33-17. Old Town would fall behind by as many as 19 in the third quarter, but then came storming back thanks to seven points in the third quarter and nine more in the fourth from Brayden Brown. The Coyotes cut it to three twice in the final minute of action, including the second time on a three-pointer by Brown with 5.9 seconds left. Miles Palmer sealed the win for the Eagles with two from the free throw line.
Mercier added six rebounds and two assists to his point total. He made 16 field goals from the floor (three 3-pointers) and shot 3-4 from the foul line in the victory. Palmer chipped in 10 points. Also scoring for the now 20-0 Ellsworth Eagles was Peter Keblinsky and Curtis with four points a piece, Kaleb Connors had two, and Michael Harris along with Eamon MacDonald both contributed one foul shot for one point a piece. Ellsworth for the second consecutive season will meet Orono in the regional final. That is scheduled for Saturday at 3:45 p.m. Braydon Brown finished with a team high 19 points and five rebounds in the loss for Old Town. Grayson Thibeault had 16 points and four rebounds. Also chipping in was Brendan Mahaney with eight points and 10 rebounds, Gabe Gifford with four points, Emmitt Byther with three points and seven rebounds, Alex Fernandes along with Carson Ellis with two points each, and Logan Brown had one free throw for one point. The Coyotes end their season with a record of 17-3.
Recap by Chris Lessner/Photos by Lisa Prescott/Videos by Zach White and Marc Calnan
