AUGUSTA — Bangor outplayed Cony when sophomore Cordelia Stewart was dominating at both ends of the floor. Just as importantly, Bangor outplayed Cony after Stewart fouled out.

After scoring 11 points in the first quarter to lift Bangor to a 13-point lead, Stewart scored only two points the rest of the night. But Bangor pulled away after Stewart picked up her fifth foul and came away with a 64-46 Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A girls basketball victory.

Bangor (5-2) has a height advantage across the board and outrebounded Cony, 51-24. The 6-foot-2 Stewart (13 points 11 rebounds) and 6-1 Mary Butler (17 points, 17 rebounds) did most of the damage.

In the first quarter, Stewart had 11 points and four rebounds. All of those points were on layups and free throws.

Bangor coach Katie Herbine would not comment because of a blog that appeared on the Kennebec Journal website in February 2011.

Bangor led 19-6 after one quarter and 30-17 at the half. The visitors were still ahead 34-20 with about five minutes left in the third quarter. At that point, Stewart was banged around while grabbing a rebound, and then was hit with an offensive foul for throwing an elbow. Herbine and her assistants vigorously protested the call.

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Immediately, the Cony fans got into the game and Bangor started throwing the ball away and forcing shots. Emily Quirion (12 points) nailed a 3-pointer and Josie Lee (21 points, eight rebounds) began to heat up. Cony got within 38-32 with seven seconds left in the quarter.

Butler stole the momentum back, pulling up for a 27-footer and making it like it was a foul shot. The difference of six and nine points was huge heading into the fourth quarter.

“We made such a great dig into them,” Cony coach Karen Magnusson said. “To have that going in, I think, mentally, for our girls, that hurt a little bit.”

Bangor led 49-35 when Stewart fouled out with 5:10 to play, and 52-36 with 3:50 left. Cony got back within 10, but ran out of steam.

“We started working hard again in the fourth,” Magnusson said. “We just kept trying to make runs, and they weren’t long enough.”

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243

mdifilippo@mainetoday.com


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