The Eagles finish victorious over Lee Academy January 7 in Blue Hill. By Anne Berleant
Blue Hill—The numbers don’t tell the entire story behind the young George Stevens Academy varsity girls basketball team’s season, which wrapped up with a 46-36 win against Mattanawcook Academy for a 6-12 final record.
The Eagles opened the season losing seven of their first eight games and ended it ranked 17th among the 20 teams in Class C North, three spots below the playoff cut. But the team, which blends a strong freshman class with more seasoned high school players, not only went 5-5 for its final 10 games but when they came up on the losing side it was by a slim margin. The Eagles lost by five points in late January to Class B Ellsworth (13-5) barely a month after losing to them by over 30. An early season, 17-point loss to Central (13-5) was a tighter matchup just three weeks later when the Eagles fell in the last minutes by just four points.
“I’m proud of the way the girls improved over the season,” Coach Brandi Ensworth said. “By the end, they began to work well together and it showed on the score boards.”
While the Eagles will lose seniors Julianna Allen, Mallory Charette and Yulia Heggestad, a strong freshmen and sophomore contingent, including starters Evelyn Dagan and Luna Perry-St.Peter, can build on the groundwork laid this season.
“We will surely miss our seniors and their leadership but look forward to seeing who steps up and accepts the challenge next year,” Ensworth said. “I think this team is ready for the next step.”
She continued: “Our record did not show how great of a team we truly are and I look forward to seeing what we can do next year.”
‘Our record did not show how great of a team we truly are and I look forward to seeing what we can do next year.’
Brandi Ensworth
GSA girls varsity basketball coach