Lady Vikings Silence Cony

By Chris Marston
     
     SOUTH PARIS- Six weeks ago the Oxford Hills girls’ varsity basketball team had a 1-4 record. The Lady Vikings have just one returning starter from last years’ team that lost in the Eastern Maine Class A semifinals to Messalonskee; who also is the only remaining contributing member of the Eastern Maine championship team of two seasons ago. With a cornucopia of inexperience and such a slow start, six weeks ago the playoffs seemed like a far-fetched fantasy to this squad.
     
     Legendary University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt once said “when you understand yourself and those around you, you are better able to minimize weaknesses and maximize strengths.”
     
     Since that slow start, the Lady Vikings have “gotten to know each other.” Oxford Hills defeated Cony for the second time in six days, 41 to 28 on Thursday night, in a crucial KVAC regular season clash. The Lady Vikings have won nine of their last 11 games, and extended their winning streak to
     six in a row.
     
     “Everybody is doing their job. Whether it’s Brooke (Ladd) shooting threes, Abbie (Eastman) handling the ball or Ali (Nolan) rebounding, everybody knows what their role is on this team and they are doing it well,” Lady Vikings head coach Nate Pelletier pointed out.
     
     Fox and company jumped out to a 10 to two lead to open the first quarter and never trailed in this contest. Senior Brooke Ladd went three for three from behind the three point line in the first half to drop in nine points for the Lady Vikings, while freshman Abbie Eastman also contributed with nine points and three assists.
     
     Senior Ali Nolan poured in 12 of her game-high 16 points in the fourth quarter, and ripped down nine rebounds in the contest to lead the Lady Vikings to victory. Oxford Hills (10-6) eliminated Cony (6-10) from playoff contention and assured themselves a spot in the eight team Eastern Maine Class A playoffs with the win. The Lady Vikings play at Lewiston on Tuesday night, following the Advertiser Democrats deadline, and host Mt. Ararat on Thursday to close the regular season.
     Fox honored
     The lone starter from last year, Lady Vikings senior Lindsay Fox was honored prior to the game for being nominated for the McDonald’s All-America game. One-thousand girls from across the United States are nominated and 24 are picked for the two teams that will square off, East versus West, on March 31 in Columbus, Ohio. The final rosters will be announced on February 11, on ESPNU. Fox was one of just seven girls nominated from Maine.