Katahdin Beats Van Buren 54-42, Richardson Scores 26 Points

Game four of the all-County Class S Thursday slate featured the third-seed Katahdin Cougars and the sixth-seed Van Buren Crusaders, and Katahdin’s fast start ended up being the difference.

• Katahdin beat Van Buren 54-42 in a Class S boys quarterfinal

• Calvin Richardson scored 26 points and Bryten Hartsgrove added 18 points

• Katahdin plays Easton Tuesday at 9:00 AM on 101.9 The Rock

The Cougars came out flying from the opening tip, and Calvin Richardson set the tone early with nine points in the first quarter. Katahdin opened a double-digit gap right away and led 16-6 after one.

Van Buren settled in during the second and started to make it a game. Alex Violette scored seven points in the quarter, and the Crusaders’ defense and physical play kept them within reach, but Katahdin matched the run and carried a 29-19 lead into halftime.

Katahdin pushed the margin as high as 15 in the third, but Van Buren did not go away. The Crusaders fought back late in the quarter and cut it to 38-28 heading to the fourth.

The fourth quarter was a grind, with both teams trading baskets, charges, and trips to the line, but that opening quarter burst from Katahdin held up. The Cougars closed it out for a 54-42 win and punched their ticket to the next round.

Richardson finished with 26 points to lead Katahdin, and Bryten Hartsgrove added 18 points. Van Buren was led by Violette with 21 points, and Alex Bebout scored eight points. The Crusaders finish their season 5-14.

Next up, Katahdin will face the second-seed Easton Bears on Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM, with the game live on 101.9 The Rock.

• 🏆 Athlete of the Week hub: Winter Week Nine Athlete of the Week voting is live! Nominate and vote for student-athletes across the County >> [LINK]

• County Athletes named to the McDonald's All-Star Team, read about who made the team >> [HERE]

• Read about local County schools and their past tournament results, and some records that may shock you HERE>> [HERE]

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