WALDOBORO — The “ooh” and “ahh” factor is palpable whenever the Leavitt girls’ basketball team takes the court.

At Medomak Valley, those might have been expressions of amazement. Just as likely, they were sighs of relief. Audible thanks to the hoop gods that while the teams technically are KVAC rivals, they exist on different sides of the tournament boundary.

Saturday night’s battle of the final two unbeaten teams in the league fit that description and those expectations for about a minute after the opening tap. Then the Hornets scored the first dozen points, put up 27 by quarter’s end and coasted to an 81-56 victory.

It was a far cry from the Hornets’ one other test to this point in the season, a come-from-behind victory at then-unbeaten Nokomis. Leavitt is the last KVAC team left standing with a zero in its loss column.

“We talked about being mentally prepared but not too up for the game,” Leavitt coach Tammy Anderson said. “At Nokomis, we had to battle back. Not that we can’t do that, but we’d rather come out with intensity and make some shots and get our press working.”

Leavitt sophomore Kristen Anderson elicited most of the crowd’s murmuring with eight 3-pointers, all from 1980s NBA range. She hit the last from the middle of Medomak’s mascot logo, 30 feet from the basket.

At least a half-dozen more Anderson offerings rattled in and out of the cylinder. The long-range monopoly accounted for all of her 24 points to go with 15 rebounds and seven assists.

“I think I’ve done it in AAU in the spring,” Anderson said of the snowman in the score book. “I don’t know. I was just feeling it, I guess. We were so excited to come out here and get a win and show people that we deserve to be undefeated.”

Anderson’s senior sister, University of Maine-bound Courtney, matched Kristen with a game-high 24 points, including 11 in the first period for Leavitt (12-0). Courtney chipped in eight assists and six steals.

Adrianna Newton added 12 points and four steals for the Hornets, who checked in at just above their team average of 77 points per game. On a normal night, they’ve throttled their opponent by more than 40.

That appeared possible when Leavitt lunged out to leads of 15-2 and 21-4, with both Andersons dropping rainbows from all over creation and the Hornets’ pressure giving Medomak (11-1) heartburn.

But the Panthers demonstrated why they’ll be a factor in Eastern Class B. Medomak trailed 48-30 at halftime and lurked within 16 points until midway through the third quarter, when another Kristen Anderson 3-pointer sent the Hornets on their merry way.

“I’ve seen her go 9-for-12 in a junior high game,” said Tammy Anderson, Kristen and Courtney’s mother. “It’s been a long time coming for her. She was injured at the beginning of the season, and we’ve been bringing her back slowly. We’ve talked about having her do more than just shoot 3s and drive to the rim a little more.”

Emily Christensen, a 6-foot-2 center, led Medomak with 20 points and 19 rebounds.

Her size was a point of emphasis and major area of concern for the Hornets, who tried to compensate for their lack of size with quickness and instinct.

“We did a lot of boxing out. That was the key,” Kristen Anderson said. “We had to front-and-back her a lot, because we have no height at all.”

Lindsay Ranquist scored 14 points and Alanna Vose contributed with 12 for the Panthers, who start four seniors.

Slightly younger Leavitt also made up for that disparity with varsity experience and togetherness.

“Some of the girls I’ve coached since kindergarten. Some joined us in third grade, others in fifth grade,” Tammy Anderson said. “They love each other. They know where each other is going to be all the time.”

Leavitt forced 12 Medomak turnovers in the first quarter while shooting 12-for-19 from the floor. The Hornets stayed on fire right through the half, taking a 20-for-35 (57 percent) clip into the locker room.

Kristen Anderson nailed five of her treys before intermission.

Abbey Randall chipped in nine points and Amanda Jordan seven for the Hornets, who entered the game ranked No. 2 in Western B behind reigning champion York.

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