From The Lewiston Sun-Journal, 3/98
WATERVILLE, Maine -- The Maine Hurricanes, a team of 14 and under girls from across the state, won the right to represent the state of Maine in the Amateur Athletic Union's National Girl's Basketball Championships in Lafayette, Louisiana from July 17-25.

In the championship game the Hurricanes were challenged by a team from the Waterville/Winslow area, as the eventual champions led by a slim 35-23 halftime margin. The second half was all Hurricanes as they scored 58 points while holding Natanis to 24, for the final margin of 93-47. Morse High School's, Katie Stailing led the way with 20 points and 9 rebounds, followed by Lewiston's Chantal St. Laurent with 16 points and 6 steals. Amber Alexander of Mt. Blue also reached double figures with 10 points. All eleven Hurricane players reached the scoring column. Mt. Valley's Natalie Dupill grabbed 13 rebounds while Lewiston's Sarah Methvin came in with 8. Val Dumais, also of Lewiston, worked the defense for 6 steals and led the team with 4 assists. Natanis was led by Fairfield's Jen Nickerson with 14 points.

In earlier tournament action the Hurricanes started the tournament out with a 97-34 rout of Generation Next. Lewiston's Jodi Auger led the way with 16 points, including three 3-pointers. Stailing connected with 15 points and 10 rebounds followed by St.Laurent and Winslow's Bethany Roderigue with 12 and 11 points respectively. St. Laurent also finished with 9 assists, 4 steals and 4 rebounds. Castine's Michala Bunten a 6'6" eighth grader grabbed 10 rebounds and registered 9 points. Generation Next was led by Leavitt's Katie King with 14 points.

The second game of the tournament saw the Hurricanes face the Kennebunk Crusaders. This game was over early as the favorites jumped out to a 20-0 lead and led at the half 70-7. Despite playing defense inside the three point line and passing the ball 6-8 times before a shot they managed to score 131 points to the Crusaders 20. Eight players reached double figures for the Hurricanes led by Stailing's 18. St. Laurent, Auger and Roderigue each added 15, while Bunten, Kandace Jones of Livermore Falls, Jay's Kelly Leclerc and Methvin rounded out the double figures with 14, 13, 11 and 10 points respectively. St.Laurent also led the team with 9 steals and 5 assists, while Dumais managed 5 steals and 4 assists. Dupill grabbed a game high 8 rebounds.

In the first game of the medal round, the Hurricanes played the Skowhegan Champions and came out on top again by a score of 110-31. Methvin and Stailing led the offensive attack pouring in 25 points apiece, while Bunten followed with 18. St. Laurent again led the team with assists and steals with 10 and 6, followed closely by Jones with 5 assists and 4 steals. Stailing led the team with 12 rebounds, while Dupill and Bunten grabbed 8 each.

The semi-final matchup proved to be the toughest game of the weekend as the Blizzard from Aroostook County came to play. The Blizzard held the Hurricanes to their lowest point total of the weekend as the Hurricanes finished with a 78-52 win. This win secured the third straight championship game for the Hurricanes, who finished in the Sweet Sixteen of the AAU's National Championship in 1997, a first for any team from Maine. Alexander, Auger and Bunten led the offense with 11 points apiece followed by Stailing with 10. Alexander also led the team in rebounding as she muscled her way to 12 caroms.