Vinalhaven girls snap 34 year championship drought with win over Forest Hills

AUGUSTA  – The No. 2 Vinalhaven girls basketball team hosted No. 5 Forest Hills Saturday afternoon in a Class D South Regional Championship matchup with the Vikings taking a 61-45 win, thus punching their ticket to the State Class D Championship game against Class D North Shead, Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

Vinal Haven coach Sandy Nelson and assistants watching the girls cut down the nets after their 61-45 Class D South regional championship game over Forrest Hills. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

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Today, the girls did what no other girls team has done from the island in 34 years, win a regional championship. Next Saturday when they go to Bangor they will be trying to capture the first gold ball in the school's history. The boys played last in a state championship in 1994 losing 71-43 to Central Aroostook. The last time the girls played for the gold ball was in 1983 losing to East Grand 72-43.

Gilleyanne Davis-Oakes won the Patricia Gallagher Award for the Class D South girls. The award is for the outstanding player-sportsman in the tournament. Two other Vinalhaven players have won the award, in 1981 Sherry Crouse and in 1983 Kris Davidson.

Vinalhaven was on a mission out of the gate in this contest taking a 14-2 first quarter lead they would not look back on. At the halftime break, they were up 27-13 and 46-20 at the end of the third quarter before cruising to the win.

Vinalhaven's Deja Doughty, left, plays some tough defense early in the game. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

Scoring for Vinalhaven was Ashlyn Littlefield with a team-high 18 points; Davis-Oakes had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds; Paige Dennison 10; Cheyenne Bickford nine; Deja Doughty eight points, 11 assists and seven rebounds; and Hannah Newton had one.

The Vikings were 15-of-23 (65 percent) from the foul line and the had four 3-pointers, three from Dennison and one from Doughty.

For Forest Hills, Caitlin Logston had a game-high 24 points; Patricia Lessard 10; Alexandra Lessard seven; Madison Cuddy three; and Hannah Harmon one.

Forest Hills were 5-of-8 (63 percent) from the charity stripe and they had eight 3-pointers, four from Logston, two from P. Lessard and one each from A. Lessard and Cuddy.

Some young Vinalhaven fans!! (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

Ashlyn Littlefield, left, goes up with a shot for two points in front of Forest Hills Demi Giroux. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)

Vinalhaven's Deja Doughty looks over the floor as she advances the ball. (Photo by Ron Hawkes) 

Vinalhaven's Cheyenne Bickford, left, waves the net as teammate Gilleyanne Davis-Oakes cheers her on. (Photo by Ron Hawkes)