RUMFORD – Rich Allen had high hopes for his Mountain Valley girls’ basketball team a year ago. The only problem for the Falcons was that their experience didn’t quite measure up to the lofty aspirations.

That’s not the case this year.

After going 7-12 last season and losing in the Western B preliminaries, the Falcons return much of that team, and the proof is in the win column.

Mountain Valley won its seventh straight game Thursday with a 35-20 win over Lisbon. The 9-2 Falcons are currently sixth in the Western B standings.

“I had high expectations for them last year, but the youth was a little too much,” said Allen. “I didn’t have that senior leadership that would carry them in tight games. They would rattle a lot more easily. They weren’t ready.”

This year’s Falcons show poise and an ability to remain patient and work their offense. While its defense stymied Lisbon over the final three quarters, Mountain Valley used its balance and post game to open up the lead.

Vanessa Cayer led the Falcons with 12 points while Meagan Maifeld added 11. Taylor Smith, Lauren LePage, Tanya Martin and Christie Volkernick all chipped into the offense that broke open a 10-8 lead after the first quarter.

“The lesson learned at Monmouth was that we try, in what appears to be a difficult battle, to be patient and make plays to the basket,” said Allen. “Then, as the flow and the game comes, the outside shots tend to go. If you go outside first and miss a few, you tighten up.”

Lisbon (7-5) got 10 points from Christy McAuliffe. Emily Moore and Renee Moore accounted for the rest of the Greyhounds scoring with six and four points respectively. Lisbon managed just three field goals over the final three quarters and shot 3-for-16 during that stretch.

“Their defense, that’s the best defense I’ve seen them play in a while,” said Lisbon coach Jake Gentle, whose club is seventh in Western B. “They really took us out of our game tonight.”

Lisbon had the early lead on baskets by McAuliffe and Renee Moore, but six straight points on scores by LePage, Maifeld and Cayer put the Falcons ahead 10-8.

After a drive by McAuliffe to start the second quarter tied it, Lisbon didn’t get another field goal the rest of the half and went over 10 minutes without a field goal. A jumper by Maifeld, a rebound by Martin and a jumper by Cayer had the lead up to 18-11 by halftime.

“We tried to get it inside and tried to attack the basket,” said Gentle, whose club went 6-for-15 from the foul line. “We tried getting to the foul line. It just didn’t go well for us tonight.”

A basket by McAuliffe early in the third cut the deficit to 20-13, but a 3-pointer by Maifeld ended comeback hopes. Back-to-back hoops by Smith pushed the lead to double digits and the Falcons didn’t look back.

“I think it is doing wonders,” said Allen of his teams success. “Winning is always good. It builds that confidence. They’re just more mature and taking care of the ball and making decent decisions. They’re playing defense the way I want.”