Mt. Blue’s Kiely Reynolds (3) guards Dirigo’s Jayce Brophy (3) as Dirigo’s Alyvia Perreault (24) calls for the ball in a basketball game in Dixfield on Saturday night. Tony Blasi/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

DIXFIELD — Coaches Zac Conlogue and Reggie Weston found it refreshing that their teams from two different classes left it all out on the basketball court on Saturday night.

It was a run-and-gun affair for Class A Mt. Blue and Class C Dirigo, with Mt. Blue grabbing a convincing 54-31 victory. It was Mt. Blue’s first win of the season.

“I thought it was kind of cool,” Mt. Blue’s Conlogue said. “We typically don’t play teams like this and it was nice to see a different opponent. It was a very competitive game. Hats off to Dirigo. They worked very hard.” 

The Cougars (1-6) held the upper hand all evening and easily constructed a 28-11 lead by halftime.

“First win of the season,” Conlogue said. “I definitely think we haven’t been in this situation before this year — and it showed. But I am really proud of the girls. It is not easy being 0-6, but they keep fighting. They come to practice. They work hard every day. It was nice to get a payoff for us tonight.” 

Mt. Blue guard Eva Stevens was in command at the point, scoring 13 of her game-high 23 points in the first half. Teammate Kiely Reynolds was just as hot from the floor, scoring 15 points. The pair also equally split the Cougars’ six 3-pointers with each other.

“Eva had a great game,” Conlogue said. “I thought the key for us was Kiely Reynolds. Any time Dirigo would go on a run, Kiely would bail us out with a big shot. So I am really impressed with the two of them. But I think every single person on this team really stepped up for us.” 

“We had really good composure. We focused. We played really well,” Stevens said. “We had a lot of assists and a lot of good rebounding.”

Dirigo also made a last impression on Stevens.

“They are a good team,” she said. “They are aggressive; they are scrappy. They are smaller than what we are used to, but they are scrappy.”

Page Lueders scored the team-high 11 points for tenacious Dirigo and teammate Jayce Brophy added nine.

“I like the pressure they had,” Weston said of Mt. Blue. “We are behind a little bit. We started late. I was happy. The girls kept working hard and not giving up.

“I love the pressure because it gave us the chance to actually work on some of our offenses. I wish we could play more teams like this — and we will.”

Mt. Blue’s Kiely Reynolds (3) moves to the basket as teammate Hannah Wilbur (15) sets up a pick against Dirigo’s Page Lueders (22) in a basketball game in Dixfield on Saturday night. Tony Blasi/Sun Journal Buy this Photo