HERMON, Maine — The Hermon High School girls basketball team forced 22 Old Town turnovers and outrebounded the Coyotes 30-18 en route to an important 35-20 Class B North victory over the defending regional titlists at the Hermon gym Tuesday night.
Sophomore forward Becca Balmas paced the Hawks with 12 points and 10 rebounds, both game-highs, and sophomore guard Lila Ryan had seven points and three rebounds.
Hermon is now 7-8 and all eight losses have been by nine points or less including a 34-32 loss at Old Town on Jan. 3.
The Hawks’ average losing margin is just 5.75 points per game.
Guard Brooke Gallop, the Hawks’ only senior, produced four points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists; junior forward Kassidy Lebel had four points and seven rebounds, and freshman guard Madelyn Muth finished with four points and four steals.
Junior guard Taylor Madden’s six points, and junior forward Karina Dumond’s five points led 11-5 Old Town, which entered the game with a nine-game winning streak.
Dumond also hauled down five rebounds and Madden had three boards. Junior guard Taylor Loring had three points and four steals.
The Hawks forced the 22 turnovers with their swarming full-court press and held Old Town to its lowest point total of the season. They were equally good in their man-to-man half-court defense, making it difficult for Old Town to get open shots.
“Our intensity and our pressure really helped,” said Balmas. “We really connected well from the opening tip. We had a lot of energy.”
Gallop said their defense won it for them and they also showed more composure on offense as well as on defense.
“We’ve been prone to turning the ball over because we rush things. But we weren’t forcing things tonight, other than a few times,” said Gallop.
“We didn’t take care of the ball, they outhustled us and they probably dominated on the boards,” said Old Town coach Heather Richards.
The Hawks got off to a fast start and the Coyotes never recovered.
Hermon outscored Old Town 6-1 to start the game and never trailed, building a 12-3 lead at the end of the period.
Balmas had six points, seven rebounds and an assist in the period and Lebel had four points.
Balmas and Lebel got in foul trouble and Old Town outscored Hermon 10-3 in the second period to close within 15-13 at the half.
Loring had three points and an assist and Sophie Morgan hit what would be Old Town’s only 3-pointer of the game during the 10-3 flurry.
Ryan’s layup off a Madelyn Muth pass opened the third period and Gallop then stole the ball and fed Balmas for a layup to make it 19-13.
Following a Dumond free throw, the Hawks finished out the quarter on an 8-3 run to swell the lead to 27-18.
Balmas scored a pair of baskets in the paint and Ryan had a basket and two free throws.
The Hawks pulled away in the fourth quarter, holding Old Town to one basket by Madden to start the final period.
A Muth layup off a Gallop pass and Gallop’s steal of the inbounds pass and layup sealed the win with 4:11 to go as it expanded the lead to 31-20.
“I’m so excited. These girls worked so hard to get this big win against an amazing Old Town team that plays hard at everything they do,” said Hermon coach Liza Muth. “I’m really proud of our girls.”
Hermon will hit the road to take on Central of Corinth on Friday at 6:30 while Old Town will entertain B North Heal Points leader Caribou on Saturday at 1:30.
