Staff Writer

Oxford Hills threw a changeup at the Skowhegan girls basketball team in Monday's Eastern Maine quarterfinal tournament game. And the top-seeded Indians handled it well.

The No. 8 Vikings slowed the tempo and forced Skowhegan to play an uncomfortable halfcourt game. The Indians still won, though, to run their record to 19-0.

"It isn't our favorite way to play," Skowhegan coach Heath Cowan said.

In today's semifinal at the Augusta Civic Center, the Indians face No. 5 Morse, a team more like themselves. The teams did not play during the regular season.

"They like to get up and down the floor a little bit," Cowan said.

Buffalo Sabres

"We've got to handle their press, and if we take care of the basketball, I think we'll be al right."

The Shipbuilders are led by junior Tara Burr (12.3 points per game) and senior Sarah Fitzgerald (10.4 ppg). The pair also led the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference South in rebounding with Fitzgerald at 8.4 and Burr at 7.4.

"Fitzgerald will post up and be a handful," Cowan said.

The Indians have a number of weapons, making it difficult to handbags-d focus on one player.

Six of their first seven played key roles on the team that reached the Eastern Maine final a year ago.

Starters Whitney Jones, Kenzie Smith, Adrienne Davis, Jaimi Poland and Liz Noddin have all scored in double figures this season, as have reserves Amanda Johnson and Cheyenne Malloy.

"We're not a team that's going to have one kid beat you," Cowan said. "Everyone kind of accepts their role and as a group we get it done."

The Indians have the added advantage of having played on the civic center floor six times this season prior to the tournament, twice in preseason and four times at the Capital City Hoop Classic.

LV Bracelet

No. 3 Brunswick takes on No. 7 Hampden in today's other semifinal. Brunswick used an aggressive, trapping defense to down Messalonskee 65-55 in the quarterfinals while Hampden topped Edward Little 49-35. The teams didn't meet during the regular season.

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

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