DIXFIELD — Jayce Brophy drove Dirigo’s offense Monday night against Boothbay.

The senior guard exploded for a game-high 31 points to lead the Cougars to a 57-29 girls basketball victory on their home court.

“It was the pace we were (playing), it was go, go … and we were pushing up the court,” Brophy said. “It created a lot of fast-break opportunities and I took whatever I saw at that point.”

Dirigo (1-0) coach Reggie Weston said that while Brophy is careful and takes care of the ball, she also is an impulsive player.

“When she goes, she uses her instincts,” Weston said. “It’s hard to guard her because she doesn’t even know where she’s going.”

The Seahawks (0-2) are a young team with only one senior and one junior on the roster. Coach Bruce Orne said the players showed improvement from their 75-13 loss to Madison on Friday.

“Tonight, the effort was there on both ends of the floor, confidence has grown substantially from Friday,” Orne said. “I think that’s the main thing is the confidence and the experience that we don’t have.”

Both teams started the game cold from the field, neither scoring until Diana Cayer’s basket gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead about two and a half minutes into the first quarter.

Brophy soon heated up. She made a layup and-one for a 5-0 lead. She then stole the ball off Boothbay inbounds pass and scored another layup to make it 7-0. Brophy wasn’t done. She recorded another takeaway off the inbound, got fouled, and hit the two free throws for a 9-0 Cougars lead.

Weston said that run took pressure off the Cougars.

“It got the team to relax and hopefully get everybody into (a rhythm) and won’t be afraid to take a shot as it wasn’t such a tight game,” Weston said.

Grace Robbins also played well in the first quarter, scoring four of her eight points.

Weston said Robbins did a good job of being a mentor to the younger players. The Cougars have five freshmen and four sophomores on the roster.

Meg Sledge scored the Seahawks’ first points, cutting the deficit to 9-2. Dirigo scored the final eight points of the quarter to take a 17-2 lead into the second.

Orne said his message to the Seahawks was to stay confident and engaged even after the opposition starts racking up points.

“We have been harping on them pretty good about letting it go and keep shooting, (the shots) will eventually fall,” Orne said. “You don’t make any shots that you don’t take.”

When Brophy wasn’t swiping the ball and turning those steals into quick buckets, she was driving the lane and getting layups. She finished the first half with 17 points.

Brophy was expecting Boothbay to force her from driving the paint.

“It was a go-go mindset; I know if it was a defender, it would get tiring after a while, and annoying,” Brophy said.

Tatum French scored on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter for Boothbay, cutting the deficit to 25-6. French, a freshman, led the Seahawks with 12 points.

Magen Burge had the Seahawks’ next four points, a foul shot, and the game’s first 3-pointer, but the Cougars maintained control and led 29-10 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Burge hit a pair of 3-pointers to get the Seahawks within 15 points, 35-20. Burge finished with 10 points in the contest. Orne said that run provided Boothbay a boost of confidence.

“It helped. Everyone gets behind that and picks it up a little bit,” Orne said. “Magen Burge stepped up, and Tatum French, she’s a freshman, and she helped us substantially. She will continue to do that.”

Brophy settled the Cougars down by dropping in nine points in the quarter.

The fourth quarter was highlighted by foreign-exchange student Ninny Makrudthong hitting a 3-pointer for Dirigo, which brought the crowd to its feet. The three points are her first of the season.

“It was great to (get) opportunities for the teammates,” Brophy said. “It was nice.”

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