RUMFORD — When rivals meet there is usually a tough battle.

The Mountain Valley girls most of the answers when it counted Friday night in a tussle with Dirigo.

Ashley Russell, who helped spark a pair of second-half runs and scored a game-high 18 points, helped the Falcons pull away for a 49-27 triumph and a season sweep over the Cougars at Puiia Gymnasium on Friday.

The win is the seventh in a row for Mountain Valley.

Mountain Valley started fast and refused to allow Dirigo to get in to a rhythm. The Falcons exploited its inside presence and a quick transition game produced multiple high-percentage shots.

Dirigo has also been playing well while using its high intensity and team speed, but cold shooting (the Cougars shot just 22 percent) certainly didn’t help.

”Not boxing out and not rebounding hurt us,” Dirigo coach Karen Magnusson said. ”We’ve been playing well the past two weeks. We went with what got us to be successful. Sure, we wanted to beat Mountain Valley, but my staff and I didn’t want to change what we’ve been having success at for one game. We need to be thinking about down the road.”

Dirigo (7-5), ranked fifth in Class C South, entered the game sky high after having upset Madison 51-34 on Monday. The Cougars simply couldn’t formulate a consistent attack. Emma Lueders (8 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists) and Sabrina Daoud (6 points) led the squad.

”We are friends with the Dirigo players outside, but when we get on the court we want to take it to them,” Russell said.

Liza White scored a game-high 19 points and had eight rebounds against Dirigo last month in Dixfield.

”We amp it up and play our best against Dirigo,” Whte said. “I’m so happy that we beat Dixfield twice.”

Mountain Valley (12-1), ranked No. 1 in Class B South, traded baskets with Dirigo throughout the third quarter. Things changed when Emily Laubaskas (five rebounds, three steals and Grace Briggs each made a basket and White (7 points, 12 rebounds) made a pair of free throws. Dirigo’s Brittany Greig made a three-point play to trail 34-23 after three quarters.

”We worked hard tonight,” Mountain Valley coach Ryan Casey said. ”On our transition game, the players are identifying the extension pass.”

Any thoughts of Dirigo trimming the deficit was squelched when Mountain Valley scored the first 12 points of the fourth quarter. Russell scored and White made two baskets off offensive rebounds. Laubauskas hit a baseline jumper and Karen Flaherty buried a three pointer, for a 46-23 lead.

”The lead early on was nice. But, at no time did we feel comfortable,” Casey said. ”Dirigo is a good team and they are fully capable of putting on a run. We just didn’t let them get going.”

The Falcons Sydney Petrie (8 points, 8 rebounds) and Russell each drained treys, for a 10-4 lead after one quarter. The duo each scored two baskets for a 22-10 lead at halftime.