The Madawaska boys made a spirited run in last year’s postseason tournament, reaching the North regional final for the first time ever in Class C. They electrified their community, and the Cross Insurance Center, along the way.
Now the Owls are back in Bangor on a mission, but they have a much bigger target on their back.
Last year, they were an upstart team with an unlikely leader in eighth-grader Quinn Pelletier. This year, they’re a tourney favorite and technically playing down a class in Class D after a statewide reshuffling.
But Class D is packed full of quality teams, and people know they have to take both Madawaska and now-freshman phenom Pelletier seriously.
“We talked about that all year. We talked about going from the hunter to the hunted, where everybody is going to give us their best game,” Madawaska coach Shawn Pelletier, dad to Quinn and Owls’ senior Brayden Pelletier, said Saturday morning after a 53-37 quarterfinal win over Penobscot Valley of Howland.
The coach credited Penobscot Valley for their effort, especially keeping the game close in the first half.
“They held us pretty much in check for a half. So they did a great job,” Pelletier said. “Kudos to them and their coaching and their team. They played real well.”
Quinn Pelletier led all scorers with 15 points and also had a game-high 5 assists. Brayden Pelletier and Isaac Beaulieu each had 10 points for the Owls.
“Every game we see, Quinn’s usually got at least two or three defenders on him,” Shawn Pelletier said. “Everybody else steps up and hits their shots. They know that they’re going to get open shots.”
Penobscot Valley coach Jeremy Durost credited both the younger Pelletier and his Owls teammates.
“He obviously has a bright future. He’s already had a bright past at the varsity level, at the tournament level,” Durost said about the dominant freshman. “But it’s not just him.”
Durost said it would be easier to gameplan against the Owls if it was just a bunch of average players around Pelletier. But that’s not the case.
“They’ve got size, they’ve got shooting,” the Penobscot Valley coach said. They’re going to be a tough out.”
Penobscot Valley senior Noah Austin led the way for the Howlers with 13 points and 6 rebounds. Penobscot Valley ends the season at 11-8 after an impressive run down the stretch to make the tournament.
Madawaska moves to 16-3 on the season, and the No. 2 seed in Class D North will now take on No. 3 Fort Fairfield. The teams split their two games against each other during the regular season.
