BANGOR, Maine — The defending state Class AA Cheverus High School Stags from Portland lost two-time Maine Schoolgirl Gatorade Player of the Year Maddie Fitzpatrick to graduation last spring, but there’s no reason to feel sorry for the Stags.
That’s because they now have Thornton Academy of Saco transfer Kylie Lamson.
The talented junior guard lit up the Red Barry Gym on Friday night, pouring in a game-high 33 points in leading the Stags to a 61-35 victory over the cold-shooting Bangor High School Rams.
Cheverus, which has won two state titles in three seasons, improved to 5-0 while Bangor fell to 3-2.
The 5-foot-7 Lamson put on an impressive shooting exhibition, going 11-for-15 from the floor and a blistering 7-for-10 from beyond the 3-point arc.
After being held scoreless in the first quarter, Lamson scored 13 points in the second quarter, 10 in the third and 10 more in the fourth.
“Once I hit one, two, three, then I kept going from there. Most of it is just confidence,” said Lamson, who entered the game as AA North’s second-leading scorer averaging 21.3 points per game, two fewer than Oxford Hills of South Paris’ Ella Pelletier.
“She is a pure shooter. She’s a really talented player,” said Bangor coach Jay Kemble.
“She has been a great addition,” said Cheverus coach Bill Goodman. “For a girl who just joined the team at the beginning of the season in November, I’m just very impressed.”
Lamson and the Stags broke the game open with a 21-0 run spanning the second and third quarters to build a 42-12 lead.
Bangor went 10:26 without scoring until junior guard Avery Clark broke the drought with a basket with 1:35 remaining in the third period.
Bangor shot a dismal 13 percent from the floor (6-for-46) through the first three periods against a variety of defenses employed by the Stags including a 3-2 zone and a full-court trap.
“We wanted to keep them off-kilter,” explained Goodman.
“You can’t win many games shooting 6-for-46 can you?,” posed Kemble. “Sometimes those shots were a little hurried. The ability to play composed and poised is a big part of that learning process for us.
“It’s something we have to get better at. And (Cheverus) is a good club,” Kemble added.
Cheverus used an 18-2 run spanning the first and second quarters to take a 21-9 lead it would never relinquish.
Lamson had seven of those points with sophomore Emilie Umland providing four points off the bench and junior Anna Goodman hitting a three.
After Clark nailed a three for Bangor, Cheverus scored the final 10 points of the half on a pair of Lamson threes and a pair of Rachel LaSalle baskets in the paint off her offensive rebounds.
The 11-0 run by Cheverus to open the third period featured seven points by Lamson.
Lamson also had five rebounds and two steals to go with her 33 points.
LaSalle came off the bench and produced six points, four rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots. Goodman had six points and four rebounds and hard-working sophomore forward Addison Jordan grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to go with four assists and five points.
“I was happy with Jordan’s rebounding and toughness. She’s a champion,” said Goodman.
“We had to make sure we got out on their shooters and got defensive rebounds,” said Jordan.
Sophomore Abby Kelly had five points and six rebounds.
Clark’s 15 points, seven rebounds and two steals paced the Rams. Junior forward Ava Syphers had six points off the bench and senior Emily Adams had seven rebounds and two steals to go with two points.
Lucy O’Connell had four points.
“All the girls knew their jobs and they did them well. I’m very happy with them,” said Cheverus coach Goodman.
Both teams will return to action next Friday.
Bangor will visit Deering of Portland for a 12:30 game while Cheverus will entertain Windham at 5:30.
