AUGUSTA — Emily Strachan led the Central Maine Community College offense in a 66-53 win over University of Maine at Augusta in both team’s Yankee Small College Conference women’s basketball opener Wednesday at Augusta Civic Center.

Strachan, a Lewiston High School grad, scored a team-high 19 points for the Mustangs, including going 13 of 15 from the free-throw line. Kalie Thompson (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Destiny Mora Lopez (10 points, 11 rebounds) each notched double-doubles.

The Mustangs led 13-6 after one quarter and continued to stretch the advantage to 52-37 by the end of the third. Both teams endured cold shooting, with CMCC hitting just 23.1% of its shots and UMA just 22.6%. The Mustangs muscled their way to a 66-32 edge in rebounds and scored 21 points off turnovers, compared to 10 points for the Moose.

Among other area high school grads playing for CMCC, former Oxford Hills standout Jade Smedberg pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds and scored five points, Lewiston grad Myah Nicolas scored three points, Rangeley grad Winnie LaRochelle scored one point and grabbed two rebounds, and Mountain Valley grad Kierstyn Lyons collected two rebounds.

Alisyn Alley scored a game-high 21 points for the Moose, while Monmouth grad Kaeti Butterfield added eight points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Mountain Valley grad Autumn Freeman notched two rebounds and one assist while starting for the Moose, Oak Hill grad Desirae Dumais filled out the stat book with two points, four rebounds, one steal and one block, and younger sister Briana played seven minutes off the bench.

MEN’S BASKETBALL
CMCC 97, UMA 91, OT: Wyatt Hathaway sent the game to overtime with a last-second shot, then scored six points in the extra frame to help the Mustangs top the Moose in Augusta.

Hathaway, a Leavitt grad, finished with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists. DeMarco McKissic led the Mustangs, who are now 2-0 in YSCC play, with 31 points and 16 rebounds. Jaeden Henderson also starred with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

Among area grads, former Mountain Valley standout Keagan Pitcher amassed five points, two assists and one steal off the bench. Lewiston grads Malik Foster and Donovan Jackson also played reserve roles for CMCC, with Foster totaling four points, four rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes and Jackson getting limited playing time.

Elijah Smith paced University of Maine at Augusta with 29 points.

COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
CUMMINGS NAMED LEC DPOY: Edward Little grad Jordan Cummings was named the Little East Conference Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday.

Cummings, a junior on the University of Southern Maine squad, started in all 23 games and made a team-high eight defensive saves. She helped the Huskies hold opponents 2.04 goals per game, including 1.25 per game in conference matchups.

Additionally, Cummings was selected to the all-conference first team. Classmate and Oxford Hills grad Brooke Carson was named to the All-LEC third team.

BATES’ COTE EARNS NESCAC HONOR: St. Dom’s grad and Bates College junior Paige Cote was named a first-team all-conference selection by the New England Small College Athletic Conference this week.

Cote led the NESCAC in assists this season, with 13, which was tied for sixth-most in all of Division III as of Tuesday. Cote also scored six goals, three of which were game-winning tallies.

SPRUCE GRAD DALTON GARNERS ACCLAIM: Spruce Mountain grad Morgan Dalton, a senior on the St. Joseph’s College squad, received Great Northeast Athletic Conference all-conference honors this week.

Dalton was selected to the All-GNAC first team after leading the conference with nine defensive saves, to go along with four goals. She ended her college career with 71 games played and 14 defensive saves, which are second-most in program history.