Sports

Penquis sweeps Greenville on the court

MILO — Penquis Valley High School would earn wins in both games in an interclass boys/girls basketball doubleheader on the afternoon of Saturday, Dec. 28. The Class C North Patriots boys won the opener 67-33 over the Class D South Lakers, while the Penquis girls capped off the day with a 53-25 victory over Greenville.

The boys took to the court first and the Patriots (the team improved to 3-4 behind a season-high in points nearing the halfway point of the 2024-25 season) never trailed. The score was 4-4 early in the first period following a layup by Greenville senior Liam Mason, who led his team with 22 points for exactly two-thirds of the Lakers’ offensive output. The team fell to 2-4.

From there Penquis went on an 11-2 run to lead 15-6 at quarter’s end. Senior Caiden Fowles would sink a 3-pointer from well beyond the halfcourt line just before the buzzer to put an exclamation point on the 11-2 run as senior Brenan Grant had four points and freshman Jake Haffenreffer had the other four off the bench.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
28-POINT PERFORMANCE — Penquis freshman Jake Haffenreffer goes up for two points during the fourth quarter of a Dec. 28 game vs. Greenville. Haffenreffer led all players with 28 points as the Patriot boys won 67-33. The Penquis girls followed with a 53-25 victory over the Lakers.

Haffenreffer was just getting started as the 6-foot-4 forward scored 14 points in the second quarter, including five shots from the low post, to help the Patriots outscore the Lakers 17-7 and lead 32-13 at the half. Haffenreffer led all players with 28 points.

Fowles, Grant, and senior Antonio Woodard — who picked up eight in the fourth quarter — all had 10 points for Penquis who outscored the opposition 35-20 in the second half. 

The Penquis girls jumped out to an early 11-0 lead and would also never trail against Greenville, improving to 3-2 with the team’s second consecutive victory. The Lakers, the team roster features just seven players including a pair of eighth-graders, dropped to 1-6.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
MORE THAN THE OPPOSITION — Penquis junior Brooklyn Decker shoots over Greenville seniors Lakely St. Jean (10) and Haley Ferland (20) in the third quarter of a Dec. 28 game in Milo. Decker scored 28 points to outscore the Lakers’ total output in the 53-25 victory.

Patriot Brooklyn Decker outscored Greenville on her own with 28 points. She picked up eight of the first 11 Penquis points, junior Lauren Veino also connected from beyond the 3-point line, on three field goals from down low as well as sinking a jumper. 

The Lakers got on the scoreboard late in the opening quarter on a layup by senior Lakely St. Jean and a pair of St. Jean free throws to make the score 11-4. St. Jean had a team-high 12 points.

Greenville and Penquis had a more even second quarter with the home school leading 14-12 on the scoreboard in the second 8-minute duration. St. Jean had seven points, including five made foul shots, while four Patriots combined for the team’s 14 to lead 25-16 heading into the locker room.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
THREE FOR NO. 33 — Greenville freshman Michael Nystrom connects from behind the 3-point line over the reach of Penquis freshman Jake Haffenreffer in the second quarter of a Dec. 28 game in Milo.

Penquis put the Lakers away in the second half with a 28-9 scoring advantage including 16-2 in the fourth. Decker picked up 16 for more than half of her point total after the half.

Veino was second for the team with nine points and senior Naima Ali was right behind with eight points.

Freshman Katie Hanson recorded eight points for the Lakers as she and St. Jean combined for 18 of 23 points. Senior Haley Ferland picked up the other five points.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
FLYING FISH — Laker senior Lakely St. Jean goes for a layup at Penquis over Patriot junior Brooklyn Decker. St. Jean scored a team-high 12 points.

The four teams are scheduled to play in Greenville on Monday, Jan. 27 with the girls tipping off at 5 p.m. and the boys contest to follow.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Penquis 67, Greenville 33

GRV 6 7 13 7 — 33

PEN 15 17 15 20 — 67

Greenville (2-4): Mason 22, Turner 8, Nystrom 3

Penquis (3-4): Haffenreffer 28, Fowles 10, Grant 10, Woodard 10, Hobbs 5, Hagar 2, Lovejoy 2

Penquis 53, Greenville 25

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
THROUGH A CROWD — Penquis senior Antonio Woodard jumps through the defense on his way to the hoop. Woodard reached double figures with 10 points.

GRV 4 12 7 2 — 25

PEN 11 14 12 16 — 53 

Greenville (1-6): St. Jean 12, Hanson 8, Ferland 5

Penquis (3-2): Decker 28, Veino 9, Ali 8, Gahagan 4, Heal 2, Ladd 2

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
PASSING HER BY — Freshman Katie Hanson dribbles around Penquis junior Brooklyn Decker during the fourth quarter on Dec. 28, with Penquis senior Kalea Gahagan in the background.

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