AUGUSTA – The banner at one end of the Augusta Civic Center read “Welcome to the FleteCenter.”

Waynflete took that message to heart in a Western Class D semifinal game Thursday.

Waynflete used the inside-outside attack of Khalilah Ummah and Alice Stevens, who combined for 27 points, to crush Hyde 55-18. The No. 2 Flyers, the defending Class D champions, play in their third-straight regional final Saturday afternoon against Rangeley.

The sparse crowd in the Civic Center was treated to chants from the yellow-clad Phoenix supporters, but it was Waynflete’s defense that forced the issue.

“At halftime, I told them we weren’t playing our game,” Waynflete coach Jan Veinot said. “We needed to attack, move the ball and get in to our transition game.”

Hyde (7-7) had started out playing evenly, but poor shooting and 33 turnovers was its Waterloo.

The Flyers (19-1) enjoyed a size advantage, but Stevens led the assault from the perimeter. The 5-foot-6 freshman scored 13 points and had several steals.

”Alice played a great game,” Veinot said. ”She had not played well in the quarterfinals, so she was not about to look bad today. Early on, I think it was nerves that effected our play, plus Hyde was spreading its zone and we hadn’t expected that.”

In the third quarter, Waynflete opened up its inside game with Ummah, who spent most of the first half on the bench after getting two fouls in the opening minutes of the game. Ummah (14 points, eight rebounds) sparked a 16-3 advantage in the third quarter to open up a 39-13 advantage.

Teammate Desiree Lester chipped in with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Hyde was held scoreless in the second half until Meredith Huard made a pair of free throws with two minutes left in the third quarter. The Phoenix’s leading scorer Adele Haywood was held to to five points.

Waynflete, meanwhile, shot 34 percent and made 12 of 31 free throws.

The Flyers jumped ahead behind the shooting of Stevens and Noelle Surette (nine points, seven rebounds) to lead 23-10 at halftime.

Copy the Story Link