BARRE — Getting to the Barre Municipal Auditorium (“The Aud”) is an accomplishment for any basketball team. It's also a much tougher task to win at this historic venue as well. The third-seeded Leland & Gray Rebels girls' basketball team got a case of the Aud jitters on March 1, and the result was a tough semifinal loss to the second-seeded Blue Mountain Bucks, 65-43.
According to Leland & Gray Head Coach Terry Merrow, it was the first time since 2017 when the Rebels played at The Aud, back when Leland & Gray was still in Division III. They lost that year in the semifinals to the eventual champions, Thetford Academy.
“We're a young team,” Merrow said. “This group really didn't know what the Barre Auditorium experience was about. They got to experience it, but it's a bigger stage.”
Leland & Gray's offense got off to a good start, matching the Bucks basket-for-basket. Blue Mountain led 17-11 after the first quarter, but the score was much closer than it looked. At one point, Leland & Gray missed four straight shots, pulled down four straight offensive rebounds, and the ball would still not go in.
“We probably missed about eight or 10 baskets,” said Merrow. “If we hit five of them, we'd be down by three (at halftime).”
The Rebels also got into early foul trouble. Abigail Emerson, Mary Sanderson, Maggie Parker, and Abby Towle had two fouls each.
Blue Mountain's Jordan Alley scored 14 points (19 total) and the Bucks led at halftime, 34-21. Merrow went to a Box-and-1 defensive strategy to contain Alley. It worked but the Bucks went to their other star player, Kyra Nelson. She got eight points (15 points total) and they led Leland & Gray, 53-33, going into the fourth quarter.
The Rebels would get into more foul trouble (10 more fouls in the second half). They were also inconsistent at the free throw line: 7-for-15 (or 47 percent). Blue Mountain went into cruise control and they outscored the Rebels in the final eight minutes, 12-10.
Parker was the top scorer for Leland & Gray with 14 points. Samantha Morse scored 11 and Towle and Emerson had seven points apiece. The Rebels finished the season with a 17-7 record and will graduate only two seniors, Towle and Hannah Greenwood.
Blue Mountain advanced to the girls' Division IV championship on March 4 at the Aud, where they lost to undefeated top-seed West Rutland, 50-44. It was West Rutland's second straight state title.
“We didn't get the results we were hoping for, I also told them I didn't need a trophy to tell them who is the best team in the state,” Merrow said. “This group of girls came together all season long. We did things people thought we wouldn't be able to do.”