Mavs defeat Fusion, but fall to Broncs

The North Country Mavericks split games last weekend against strong opponents.

Last Saturday, the Mavericks lost a close one to the Melstone Broncs in Melstone. The score was 47-43. The Mavericks bounced back against the Richey-Lambert Fusion in Saco, defeating them 43-37.

In the Mavericks win over Richey-Lambert, the team was led by Loden Idler, who scored 11 points. Jon Rey Taylor, Beau Simonson, and Randy Gairrett each scored seven points. Jesse Lee added six points and Trey Johnson had five.

"They definitely had us scouted pretty well," Simonson said. "They knew that they needed to try to shut the paint down."

The Mavs and Fusion were locked in a fast-paced, defensive battle early on. The first field goal came with less than a minute to go in the first quarter by Idler.

"They were just rushing us and we talked about that coming into the second quarter at half time," Taylor told the PCN.

Gairrett provided an offensive and defensive boost for North Country as a starter this week, though he typically comes in as the team's sixth man.

"He stepped up into a big role," Idler said. "Trey went down on Thursday with a sprained ankle, so Randy got the start today and stepped up big for us today."

The game against Richey-Lambert was scheduled due to cancelation by Tri-Cities. Though the season has been more difficult than in past years due to COVID-19, the Mavericks have a good attitude towards it.

"It's been pretty good," Lee said. "We are just thankful that we can still come out here and play."

Lee, a Glasgow Scottie who signed to play football at the Montana State University-Northern in Havre admitted that basketball was his secondary sport, but he enjoys competing; As does Simonson, who shined on the field for the Malta Mustangs football team.

Simonson led the charge in North Country's loss to Melstone with 17 points. Idler had 14 points. Lee had five points, Johnson had four points and Taylor had three points.

"We just kind of panicked at the end of it," Gairrett said. "We had too many fouls and turnovers and that was pretty much it."

Previously, the North Country Mavericks held their senior night in Whitewater during their 44-30 win over Lustre Christian on Friday, January 15.

The Mavericks are scheduled to play the Circle Wildcats on Thursday, January 28, at 7 p.m. and then Nashua on Friday, January 29, in Hinsdale at 7:30 p.m.