Alyssa Burns‘ quest to lead the Maine Maritime Academy women’s basketball program to its third consecutive NCAA Division III tournament berth is off to a scorching start.

Burns, a six-foot forward/guard from Dixfield and Dirigo High School, scored her 1,000th career point in season-opening tournament action last weekend.

Maine Maritime didn’t need milestones or much other help in dismantling New York Maritime, 113-16. The Mariners cruised to a 67-43 victory over California Maritime in the final.

Colby College should provide Burns and Maine Maritime a significant in-state test when the White Mules visit Castine next Wednesday.

Burns averaged 18 points per game last season, when the Mariners lost to eventual national runner-up Southern Maine in the NCAA opening round for the second year in a row.

Senior point guard Rebecca Moore of Winthrop and freshman Amanda Laney of West Farmington (Mt. Blue) are also in the mix for Maine Maritime.

Simpson sets UMF mark

The second-ranked University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team reaped most of the attention at its USM Tip-Off Classic last weekend, but two area players asserted themselves for the opposition.

Kari Simpson of Wells became the all-time leading scorer in the history of the University of Maine at Farmington women’s program. Simpson scored 16 points in a 75-66 UMF semifinal victory over Bridgewater State. She entered the game tied with Dawn Ann Higgins at 1,328 points.

After a loss to USM in the tournament championship game and a one-sided win at Saint Joseph’s College on Tuesday night, Simpson’s total is 1,364 and climbing.

Husson College senior Annie McIntosh of New Gloucester (Eastgate Christian Academy) was a bright spot in the Eagles’ 76-54 opening-round loss to Southern Maine. McIntosh finished with team highs of 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Pool party

Two local athletes have sparked the Wheaton College swimming and diving teams to a quick getaway in 2006-07.

Joe Fowler of Farmington is back for his third season with the program in Norton, Mass., where he already holds school records in the 400-yard individual medley and 800 freestyle relay.

Fowler recently finished second in the 200 IM in a dual meet against Springfield. Earlier this month, Fowler won three events – 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke – to lead the Lyons past Roger Williams University.

Auburn’s Laura Fleck (Hebron Academy) has joined the Wheaton diving team after two seasons on the school’s synchronized swimming squad, where she was an Academic All-America selection in 2005.

Fleck, also a junior, finished second in the 1-meter dive against New York University.

Both Wheaton teams are 3-1.

Smith on ice

Edward Little High School product Kyle Smith of Auburn is already on the board for the USM hockey team this winter.

Smith assisted a power-play goal Saturday in Southern Maine’s 4-2 loss at Norwich. It wasn’t a bad loss for the Huskies. Norwich entered the game ranked No. 5 in the most prominent NCAA Division III poll.

Wrestlemania

Fryeburg resident Mike Morin has made an impact in his first season of wrestling competition at Southern Maine.

Morin, a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Dover, N.H., finished fourth in the 149-pound class in each of USM’s first two meets against Roger Williams and Oneonta State. He battled back through the consolation bracket after losing his first-round match in both events.

Joining Morin on the Southern Maine roster as first-year competitors are Josh Ronan of Dixfield (Dirigo) and Dan McLean of Norway (Oxford Hills).

Marichal in NCAAs

Sheena Marichal of Lewiston recently completed her field hockey career by pushing New England College of Henniker, N.H., into the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament.

New England College captured the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship for the fifth straight year and won 20 games. In the NCAAs, the Pilgrims set a tournament record with 10 goals against Springfield before falling 4-1 to sixth-ranked Lebanon Valley College.

Marichal scored two goals and notched one assist in 21 appearances.

Spring fever for Roop

Demonstrating that it’s never too early to think spring, the University of Hartford has named Steve Roop of Lewiston (St. Dom’s) a co-captain for the spring men’s lacrosse season.

That’s a significant show of respect for any player. Now consider that Roop is a junior, and that he hasn’t even suited up for the Hawks yet.

Roop is a transfer from Elmira (N.Y.) College, where he played lacrosse and hockey during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.