Falcons fly to the finals

by Matthew Wilson

BARRE — The North Country Union High School Falcons soared into the Barre Auditorium Wednesday night with only one thing on their minds — earning the right to play for the Division 2 championship.

Facing off against the Middlebury Union High School Tigers, the Falcons achieved their goal with a fierce defense and a blitzing offense.  The Falcons overcame their earthbound opponents by a 40 to 22 margin in the season’s semifinal matchup.

Senior guard Sabine Brueck is met by Middlebury’s most staunch defender, guard Solstice Binder.  Binder had the lightning speed her adversary is often known for, but Brueck often broke by her or passed the ball away from the fiercest Tiger

The opening two minutes saw players racing up and down the court but only the Falcons found an edge in the high-speed movements.  Forward McKenna Rowell struck first, scoring four points for North Country.  The fast-paced offense and demanding defense, each team deployed, made it hard for the players to dial in on the net, a challenge that the Falcons were to overcome.

The Tigers tried to put Falcon guard Sabine Brueck under heavy pressure, trying to keep her from getting good looks at the basket.  The fleet footed Falcon simply turned her attention to defense and moving the ball while on the offense.  Her court awareness allowed her to see which teammate had the best odds of scoring and dishing the ball to her.

Brueck, as court leader, generally brought the ball down court, passing adeptly to start plays that put numbers up for North Country.

About halfway through the first quarter, the Falcons began a string of successful attempts that brought them 17 points.  The Tigers couldn’t find a similar path through the Falcons’ defenses, and they managed only five.

The scoreboard didn’t discourage the Tigers, they seemed charged with an objective of their own, an upset of first-seed North Country.  Middlebury stiffened its defense and focused on holding the Falcons back in the second quarter.  That effort slowed North Country’s momentum but did nothing to affect the 12-point lead that the Falcons established and held.  Stepping off the court at halftime, the score sat at 24 to 12.

In the second half of the game the Falcons maintained a death-grip on the lead they built in the first quarter.  Though the Tigers tried to hold back North Country, the formations that had held the birds at bay earlier began to break.

The Falcons furthered their lead in the third quarter, though only by two points.

Heading into the final quarter, with a 14-point Falcon lead, Middlebury tried to mount a final push to keep the raptors from flying off with the game in their talons.

But it was too late.  In the fourth quarter North Country scored ten points and the Tigers six.  When the buzzer sounded North Country finished 18 points ahead of Middlebury with a score of 40-22.  The Falcons meet the girls of Fair Haven Union High School on Saturday, March 15, at 3:45 p.m.

Where?  At the Aud, of course.