Penquis boys hold off Schenck for seventh victory
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
MILO — During the regular season opener on Dec. 6 the Penquis Valley High School boys needed overtime to defeat Class D Schenck High School, 62-53, on the road in East Millinocket. The rematch on the Patriots’ home court Jan. 10 was also close in the late stages, but the second time Penquis was ahead at the end of the regulation for a win by the nearly identical score of 61-53.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
LAYING IT UP — Penquis senior Trevor Lyford scores two of his game-high 22 points in the Patriots’ 61-53 victory vs. Schenck of East Millinocket on Jan. 10. Looking on are senior teammates Cody Cobb (40) and Colton Larrabee (24). Larrabee scored 19 points as he and Lyford combined for 41, with the Penquis defense allowing only two Schenck players to get up to 10 points.
Early in the fourth quarter Penquis (who won for the fourth consecutive game to move to 7-3 in 2013-14) had a 45-42 lead. With just over five and a half minutes to go junior Justin Larry was fouled away from the basket. The foul was the seventh of the second half for the Wolverines (2-7), to only three for the Patriots, and Larry was awarded a one-and-one.
He then sank both free throw attempts to put Penquis ahead 47-42. On the ensuing possession senior Trevor Lyford stole the ball in the backcourt and he went the other way for the layup, giving him two of his game-high 22 points and putting the Patriots ahead at 49-42.
Both squads added to the respective point totals before Schenck, who by this time was also in the bonus, chipped away to make the deficit three at 53-50 with about two minutes to play.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FOUR THREES — Senior Colton Larrabee, being guarded by Schenck senior Adam Vienneau, connected on four shots from behind the 3-point line during the Jan. 10 contest. One came in both the first and second quarters with the other two in the third as Larrabee accumulated 19 total points.
The Penquis five, Lyford, seniors Cody Cobb, Colton Larrabee, Clayton Tarnoczy and sophomore Noah Allen, then brought the ball up court and spread around the perimeter to carefully pass the basketball and run off clock. At point Schenck was able to deflect a pass, but Larrabee quickly got to the loose ball at the 1:24 mark.
With 50.5 seconds remaining Allen was fouled on a reach in. He then was awarded a trip to the foul line for a one-and-one situation on the ninth Wolverine foul. The first shot was no good as Schenck got the rebound trailing by three. The team’s shot missed its mark as Larrabee snagged the rebound by the right block.
Soon after getting the ball Lyford was fouled to put Penquis in the double-bonus. Wolverine head coach Ron Weatherbee chose the wrong words to express his frustration with the call to the official as he was given a technical foul.
His counterpart, Penquis’ Jason Mills, opted to have Lyford shoot the two technical foul free throws. The first missed but the second fell right into the rim as the Patriots led by two possessions at 54-50. The senior then sank both shots for the foul on the floor as his team led 56-50.
With the ensuing in-bounds taking place by center court, nearly everyone gathered by the line with Larrabee given the ball by the official. Tarnoczy quickly cut toward the basket as Larrabee threw the ball in to him. Tarnoczy got ahead of the defender and drove in for the layup and eight-point advantage.
Schenck had the nearly the best result the team could hope for on the ensuing possession with a three-point shot to make the score 58-53. The Wolverines then pressed the in-bounds, but Tarnoczy successfully passed to Larrabee who was quickly fouled to stop the clock.
Larrabee sank both free throws, for the final two of his 19 points which included four shots made from behind the 3-point line, for a 60-53 Patriot lead.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
LOOKING FOR AN ALLEN-OOP — Eyeing the post, Penquis sophomore Noah Allen looks to pass over the reach of Schenck freshman Justin Thompson.
The Wolverines then missed a 3-point try, and Lyford ended up getting fouled after the rebound. He made his first shot to conclude the evening’s scoring but missed the second. Despite having all four of his teammates back on defense, Lyford got to the offensive rebound ahead of four Schenck players to then run out the game’s final seconds.
Next on the schedule for Penquis is a trip to Howland to face Class D Penobscot Valley High School (0-9) as of presstime) on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The two teams played in Milo on Dec. 28 with the Patriots winning 74-25.