Dexter’s Peach earns Class C tourney MVP honors

By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff

Senior guard Madison Russell, who led her Southern Aroostook High School girls basketball team to its fifth straight Class D North championship, has repeated as the Owen Osborne Most Valuable Player for her performance in the D North tournament.

Dexter junior center Mazie Peach was the Class C MVP and Ellsworth sophomore guard Abby Radel was the Osborne recipient in Class B.

All three will be playing for a state championship this weekend.

The award was established in 1994 in memory of the late Osborne, a former Bangor Daily News columnist and sports editor.

Russell is joined on the D team by junior teammate Cami Shields, Wisdom of St. Agatha junior Lilly Roy and senior Olivia Ouellette, and Deer Isle-Stonington senior Macey Brown.

Peach is accompanied on the C team by teammates Abby Corson and Cally Gudroe, Penobscot Valley of Howland’s Ellie Austin, and Central High of Corinth’s Izzy Allen. Gudroe and Allen are juniors and Corson is a sophomore. 

Radel headed up the B team that also included teammate Grace Jaffray, Old Town’s Saige Evans and Taylor Loring, and Caribou’s Madelynn Deprey. Evans is a junior, Jaffray and Deprey are sophomores, and Loring is a freshman.

This year’s Class B all-tourney team is rare in that it doesn’t include a senior.

The teams were selected by media members and various tournament officials.

Class D

Russell nosed out Roy for the MVP Award.

The point guard averaged 15.3 points per game and had 16 points and seven rebounds in the thrilling 53-49 win over Wisdom in the title game after scoring 20 in the semifinal win over Deer Isle-Stonington. 

She grabbed a defensive rebound to seal the win in the championship game after Ally Shields’ basket with 15 seconds left broke a 49-49 tie.

Russell was also a stellar defender and distributor of the ball from her point guard slot.

Russell and Roy were often matched up against each other in the title game.

Shields, a guard, averaged 15 points per game and had 11 points and five rebounds in the final after netting 16 against Deer Isle-Stonington and 18 in the quarterfinal win over Ashland.

She also made the long pass to sister Ally for the game-winning layup.

Roy had a monster tournament with 80 points for an average of 26.7 points per game.

The guard pulled down nine rebounds to go with 17 points against Southern Aroostook after scoring 24 points against East Grand of Danforth and 29 against Jonesport-Beals. She was also a tireless defender and had a bunch of assists.

Ouellette dominated the paint in her three tourney games, finishing with 12.7 points per game. She had 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the final against Southern Aroostook. She was also an effective rim protector.

Brown had a terrific tournament for the Mariners, scoring 22 of their 26 points in the semifinal loss to Southern Aroostook after leading them to a quarterfinal win over Katahdin of Stacyville with 17 points, eight rebounds, eight steals and four assists.

Russell, Shields, Roy and Ouellette are all 1,000-point scorers and were on the all-tourney team last season.

Class C

The 6-foot-2 Peach was a force who controlled the paint for the Tigers.

She averaged 13 points and 15.3 rebounds per game and also anchored Dexter’s stauch defensive showing by intimidating shooters.

She had 16 points and 16 rebounds against Fort Kent, 17 and 15 against Central, and six points and 15 rebounds in the title game victory over Penobscot Valley.

Gudroe was a clutch performer for Dexter, especially in the semifinal when she pumped in 18 points and corralled six rebounds in the win over Central. She had 11 points and five rebounds in the quarterfinal victory over Fort Kent.

Corson saved her best performance for last, scoring 11 points in the victory over Penobscot Valley. She hit all three of her 3-point attempts. She had seven points, three rebounds and three steals in the quarterfinal triumph over Fort Kent and five points against Central.

Gudroe and Corson were also effective defenders and reliable ball-handlers.

Allen had an exemplary tournament, averaging 22.5 points per game despite dealing with double-teams and being the focal point of opposing defenses. She had 24 points and six rebounds in the semifinal loss to Dexter following a 21-point, four-rebound, two-steal outing in the quarterfinal win over Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln.

Austin helped lead the Howlers to a berth in the championship game, where they were unable to overcome the loss of point guard Kaya Loring, who suffered an upper-body injury diving for a loose ball in the fourth quarter of their semifinal win over Hodgdon.

Austin averaged 11.3 points per game and was a stout defender with her height, long arms and athleticism. She also handled the ball well and helped run the offense. 

Austin was a first-team selection a year ago.

Class B

Point guard Radel played key roles in all three victories for Ellsworth, including a team-high 21 points in the 59-52 victory over previously undefeated Old Town in the B North final.

It was Ellsworth’s first regional championship since 1992.

Radel had 14 of her 21 points in the second half and was also a dependable ball-handler and a solid defender.

Jaffray was Ellsworth’s catalyst underneath but she also displayed the ability to score from the outside as well. Jaffray averaged 13.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. She had 24 points and 10 rebounds in the semifinal victory over Caribou and 11 points and 12 rebounds in the quarterfinal win over Mount Desert Island.

Evans and Deprey had outstanding tournaments.

Evans came two rebounds shy of rattling off three double-doubles.

The talented forward had 26 points and eight rebounds in the title game loss to Ellsworth after producing 16 points and 17 rebounds against Houlton in the semifinals and 12 and 15 against Presque Isle in the quarterfinals.

Deprey registered double-doubles in both of her games with 24 points and 10 rebounds in the semifinal loss to Ellsworth after notching 27 points and 10 rebounds in the quarterfinal win over Foxcroft Academy.

She also had three steals, two assists and two blocked shots against Ellsworth.

Loring, a guard, had an impressive first tournament.

She scored 19 points against Presque Isle and her five 3-pointers were just one shy of tying the Class B schoolgirl record. She had six points, four rebounds and three steals against Houlton and scored 11 points in the final against Ellsworth.

She was also a tenacious defender.

2023 girls all-tourney teams

Class B

*Abby Radel, So., G, Ellsworth

Grace Jaffray, So., F, Ellsworth

Saige Evans, Jr., F, Old Town

Madelynn Deprey, So., G, Caribou

Taylor Loring, Fr., G, Old Town

Honorable mentions: Lizzie Boles (Ellsworth), Gabrielle Cody (Old Town), Annie Raynes (Foxcroft Academy)

Class C

*Mazie Peach, Jr., F, Dexter, junior

Abby Corson, So., G, Dexter

Cally Gudroe, Jr., G, Dexter

Ellie Austin, So., G, Penobscot Valley

Izzy Allen, Jr., G, Central

Honorable mentions: Holly Loring (PVHS), Mary Allen (Central), Kaya Loring (PVHS)

Class D

*Madison Russell, Sr., G, Southern Aroostook

Cami Shields, Jr., G, Southern Aroostook

Lilly Roy, Jr., G, Wisdom

Olivia Ouellette, Sr., F, Wisdom

Macey Brown, Sr., G, Deer Isle-Stonington

Honorable mentions: Maddie Shields (Southern Aroostook), Abbie Lerman (Wisdom), Emmalee Landry (Southern Aroostook)

*denotes most valuable player selection