Defending state champions Ellsworth and Lisbon/St. Dom’s of Auburn captured regional championships on Saturday at the Cony Middle School in Augusta.
Regionals in three classes, A, B and C, were held but there was no Class D for the first time since the inception of competitive cheering in 1988 due to the low number of teams.
There were just eight teams in the state-wide Class D bracket a year ago and those schools were elevated to Class C.
The top eight teams from each regional will compete in the state championship meets next Saturday at the Augusta Civic Center.
Ellsworth produced a score of 83.9 points to win Class B North. The other qualifiers were John Bapst of Bangor (79.9), Hermon (79.25), Winslow (70.9), Presque Isle (67.35), Old Town (67.1), Mt. Blue of Farmington (63.6) and Lawrence of Fairfield (62.15). There were 13 teams involved.
Gray-New Gloucester cruised to a comfortable win in 12-team B South with a score of 79.55. Leavitt of Turner was a distant second (61.9) followed by Erskine Academy of South China (60.1), Poland (54.05), Morse/Wiscasset (52.8), Gardiner/Hall-Dale (45.80), Oceanside of Rockland (40) and Oak Hill of Sabattus (36.8).
Class C’s North and South divisions were rearranged to create competitive balance and to accommodate the D schools who were moving into the class.
Lisbon/St. Dom’s compiled 74.75 points to outdistance former C North schools Orono (68.7), Sumner of East Sullivan (68.55) and Bucksport (68). Mountain Valley of Rumford (66.8) was fifth followed by former C North team Central of Corinth (60.95), former D team Bangor Christian (58) and Sacopee Valley of South Hiram (52.9). There were 15 teams.
Houlton/Greater Houlton Christian Academy triumphed in the C North regional tournament with a score of 64.4. Dexter was next with 63 followed by Penquis of Milo (54.3), Central Aroostook of Mars Hill (54.7), Calais (49.2), Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln (47.4), Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft (43.25) and Woodland (42.45). There were 12 schools in C North.
Central Aroostook won its 13th state D title in 16 years last season and Penquis and Woodland were also in D.
In Class A, Lewiston outpointed state champ Oxford Hills of South Paris in the A North regional 86.9 to 83.1. The other state qualifiers from the 10-team field were Bangor (82.8), Hampden Academy (77.5), Brewer (68.75), Skowhegan (46.4), Windham (46.25) and Portland (44.75).
The A South winner was Noble of North Berwick (79.75). Bonny Eagle of Buxton (73.90) and Gorham (69.6) rounded out the top three. The other qualifiers were Thornton Academy of Saco (67.65), Sanford ( 65.25), Scarborough/Falmouth (46.4), Massabesic of Waterboro (46.26) and South Portland (44.45). There were 11 teams competing.