The top-seeded and defending state champion Ellsworth girls were tested in the first half by eighth-seeded Presque Isle but outscored the Wildcats 35-8 in the second half to cruise to a 76-35 victory in their Class B North quarterfinal at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on Saturday afternoon.
Thn 19-0 Eagles will take on fourth seed Caribou, 13-6, in Wednesday’s 3:30 semifinal.
Ellsworth set a schoolgirl tourney record for all classes by nailing 14 3-pointers. Sophomore guard Lizzie Boles hit six of them. She finished with a game-high 22 points.
Ellsworth had beaten Presque Isle by an average of 43.5 points in their two regular season meetings but the youthful Wildcats, behind sisters Georganna and Lenora Curtis, were within 14 at the half.
Ellsworth outscored Presque Isle 21-2 in the third period and forced 13 turnovers with its smothering full-court zone trap.
“We came out ready and with more fire in the second half,” said Boles. “We wanted to show them why we’re the number one seed and why we’re undefeated. Our on-the-ball defense is strong.”
“We had a little case of the nerves in the first half and sped ourselves up,” said Ellsworth head coach Andy Pooler. “But we took a breath in the second half and, after a stop and full-court layup, we settled in and got down to business.”
Boles had four rebounds and two steals to go with her 22 points. Junior forward Grace Jaffray, the Big East’s second-leading scorer (22.4 points per game), contributed 18 points, six steals and five rebounds. Junior point guard Abby Radel had 14 points and two steals and junior guard Elise Sargent came off the bench and delivered 10 points and six rebounds.
Junior forward Addison Atherton contributed five points, five rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.
Sophomore guard-forward Georganna Curtis paced the 10-10 Wildcats with 11 points and seven rebounds and freshman sister Lenora had eight points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Jorja Maynard had nine points and four rebounds and sophomore forward Marion Young, the Big East’s second-leading rebounder (8.9 rpg), grabbed six rebounds to go with four points.
Young was in foul trouble.
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Lizzie Boles had tied a record for 3-pointers in a Class B tourney game.