Bre Skolfield is a special athlete who has a unique distinction. And the Central High School senior center is hoping to overcome a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee to finish her impressive high school basketball career in style.
The 6-foot Skolfield has helped lead two schools to state championships in two different sports.
When she was a freshman, Skolfield poured in 17 points, including 11 in the second half, and also grabbed eight rebounds as Central High of Corinth rallied past defending state champ Hall-Dale 40-39 in the Class C basketball state championship game.
In the fall of 2012, Skolfield backstopped Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft’s state Class C field hockey title. The goalkeeper made four saves, including one on a clean breakaway, in a 1-0 win over North Yarmouth Academy in the state championship game after she had made eight stops in a 1-0 victory over Winslow in the Eastern Maine Class C final.
Skolfield allowed just one goal all season as the Ponies went 17-0-1.
Skolfield, who spent her freshman and sophomore years at Central before transferring to Foxcroft Academy, is back at Central and hoping to lead the youthful Red Devils to a memorable season.
She knows she isn’t 100 percent healthy due to her torn ACL, which she suffered while playing AAU basketball last spring. It may require surgery although Skolfield said it’s also possible that she won’t have to go under the knife.
Skolfield, who plays with a brace on her right knee, has already had a 22-point, nine-rebound outing in a 70-29 victory over Bucksport and a 16-point, 11-rebound showing in a 60-58 double-overtime loss at Orono on Monday night. She fouled out in the fourth quarter.
She limped off the court after reinjuring her knee early in the fourth quarter against Orono but she returned three minutes later.
The Red Devils, who start two freshmen and two sophomores in addition to Skolfield, are 3-2.
Central coach Diane Rollins said although Skolfield doesn’t move quite as well as she did before the injury, she has played “quite well.”
“She is still very strong and very physical,” said Rollins. “(Opponents) still have to worry about her. She’s a presence.”
Skolfield decided to sit out the field hockey season to rehabilitate her knee.
“Basketball is my first love,” said Skolfield, a Bangor Daily News All-Maine honorable mention selection last year who would like to continue her basketball career in college.
She said she doesn’t move as well laterally “but it is getting better.”
“Right now, I’m working on my left-handed layup,” said Skolfield, who goes to physical therapy once a week and has exercises she does on her own to rehabilitate her knee.
One thing she has learned is the importance of staying active. She said she took a two-week vacation only to find that it set her back briefly.
“Staying active and staying on it helps a lot,” said Skolfield, who is closing in on 1,000 career points.
Orono coach Jessica Witham said Skolfield may not run as effortlessly as she did, “but in terms of strength and being able to go up and make a strong move (under the basket), she’s still the same, strong Bre she was before the injury. She’s still very effective.”
Witham and Riot players Hannah Clement and Katie Sypher respect Skolfield for playing through her injury.
“Some people undergo surgery as soon as they suffer the injury,” said Witham. “But she wanted to finish her high school career so more power to her for doing that.”
“She’s doing a great job,” said Sypher.
McKay plays trumpet anthem
Steve McKay, who has been a meteorologist at WLBZ-TV (Channel 2) in Bangor since 1994, played a nice rendition of the national anthem on the trumpet before Monday night’s Orono-Central girls basketball game.
McKay is a 1978 Orono High School graduate.