Strong 'D' leads CAHS by Hodgdon for 12th win
Panthers' Bryan Grew scores 1,000th career point

MARS HILL - The Central Aroostook Panthers have a well-earned reputation for being one of the highest-scoring teams in Eastern Maine schoolboy basketball.But as they carry an unbeaten record into the final three weeks of the Class D regular season, they've shown themselves to be nearly as impressive on the defensive end.

Central Aroostook forced 31 Hodgdon turnovers and guard Bryan Grew scored his 1,000th career point Saturday night as the Panthers wore down the visiting Hawks 83-47.

Central Aroostook (12-0) used man-to-man defense and trapping pressure to attack Hodgdon's offense before it could get started. Many times that resulted in turnovers, and subsequent fast breaks on the offensive end.

''We've got a fairly deep bench, so I like to put the pressure on and try to wear the other team down," said CAHS coach Tim Brewer, whose team outscored Hodgdon 31-6 in the fourth quarter. ''I felt [Hodgdon] got tired tonight, and that's what's happened in most of the games so far."

The Panthers also asserted themselves on the backboards, outrebounding Hodgdon 41-30 and scoring 14 points as the result of offensive rebounds. Grew, meanwhile, proved an efficient source of offense, scoring a game-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field and a perfect effort on five free-throw attempts. He also grabbed 10 rebounds.

''Bryan doesn't force things, he lets things come to him," said Brewer. ''We've got lots of guys who can score, so we don't necessarily go to him unless we have to, but he's pretty much our go-to guy when we need some hoops."

Sophomore forward Andrew York added 17 points for Central Aroostook, while Brandon Hallett scored nine points in the game's final minute, and Patrick Walsh and freshman Tim Carlson added eight points each. Jason Woodworth chipped in with seven rebounds and six assists.

''This was a really big game for us," said Grew. ''We're in second place in points and Calvary [Chapel of Orrington] is ahead of us and Hodgdon's fourth. We're battling for first place right now and we want first place so we can get a [playoff] bye."

Jimmy Griffin led 8-4 Hodgdon with 11 points, while Jeff Condon scored 10 despite drawing his fourth foul midway through the second quarter. Freshman Kirby Sanford added nine points and seven rebounds.

Hodgdon was within 52-41 through three quarters, but Grew scored twice in the first 45 seconds of the fourth period, the second basket a layup with 7:15 left that gave the 6-foot senior career points 1,000 and 1,001. The game was stopped momentarily to recognize Grew's milestone, but the Panthers' momentum wasn't to be slowed.

Griffin countered for Hodgdon after grabbing an offensive rebound, but Central Aroostook scored the next nine points - eight by York - to take a 65-43 cushion into the game's final four minutes.