While Oceanside’s undefeated boys and girls basketball teams have received heavy media attention for their paths to perfection, it’s not the only Maine high school sending two teams to state championship games this year.
Gorham High School boasts top-seeded boys (18-3) and girls (18-3) basketball teams which have both qualified for the Class AA state finals, each beating the Scarborough Red Storm in the South regional finals last weekend.
Meanwhile, Upper Kennebec Valley High School of Bingham has the No. 1 boys (17-4) and girls (21-0) hoops teams in D South and both have dates in the state finals, having defeated St. Dominic and Waynflete in the regional finals, respectively.
Since 1975, only seven schools have had their boys and girls basketball teams win state championships in the same season: Buckfield in 1980 (Class D), Lawrence in 1994 (A), Woodland in 2009 (D), Edward Little in 2018 (AA), Greely in 2018 and 2019 (A), Winthrop in 2020 (C) and Southern Aroostook in 2022 and 2023 (D).
For the Gorham Rams, the girls have served as a gold standard for Maine basketball, winning a record eight gold balls since the first schoolgirl tournament in 1975 — including back-to-back state championships in 2016 and 2017, keyed by University of Indiana forward Mackenzie Holmes.
The boys, however, haven’t won a state title since 2000, but are hungry and ready to get over the hump after losing in the regional quarterfinals the past two years.
“The knock on us was that we hadn’t had playoff success,” first-year Gorham boys basketball head coach Ryan Deschenes said. “We knew we could be a contender — we knew we had the offensive talent — we’ve just had to lock in on defense. I want our guys to play vulnerable, to play fearless, and to take it one possession at a time.”
Leading the boys are their three Maine McDonald’s All-stars: Ashton Leclerc, Gabe Michaud and Caden Smith, who also serve as the Rams’ captains. Gorham went 13-1 in Class AA South play this year, and will play No. 1 Windham at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Saturday at 8:45 p.m. They beat the Eagles 67-40 on Jan. 15.
Leading the Gorham girls team to its third consecutive state finals appearance are seniors Ellie Gay, Kalin Curtis and Summer Gammon. Two years ago, Gorham graduated six seniors, but Gay and company have been the Rams’ nucleus, and are eager to get over the hump on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Portland, against No. 1 Cheverus from the North.
“We went on a run last year with a relatively young squad, but lost to Oxford Hills in the state finals,” longtime Gorham girls basketball coach Laughn Berthiaume said. “I certainly think we’re capable of winning both the [boys and girls] state championships this year. Just gotta make sure we’re poised and execute.”
For the Valley Cavaliers, the boys have been the gold standard in Class D, winning seven state championships in 13 finals appearances — including their legendary run of six straight state titles from 1998-2003 — while the girls have never taken home a gold ball, playing in their last state final in 2009. But this year, both sides could return to Bingham victorious.
“This should be a massive, massive thing for this small town,” longtime girls basketball head coach Gordon Hartwell said. “Both teams have peaked early, quicker than we thought. It’s unusual, it’s special.”
Leading the girls to their undefeated record and 71-26 victory over Waynflete are Hartwell’s trio of granddaughters — eighth-grader Liana Hartwell, eighth-grader Delia Hill and junior Madeline Hill — plus sophomore Kirsten Bigelow, sophomore Rylee Clark and freshman Brianna Mills.
Hartwell (17 points), Madeline Hill (16), Bigelow (12) and Clark (11) each scored double figures against Waynflete, and Mills snagged 10 rebounds. Against No. 5 Greenville in the regional semifinal, Bigelow made five threes, Madeline Hill scored 18 points, and Clark logged a double-double.
“We’re extremely young, but they’ve really performed,” coach Hartwell said. “They’re good athletes, have played an awful lot of basketball and have court sense beyond their years. Southern Aroostook are the big dogs, but we’re going into it like we’re gonna win.”
The Valley girls will take on two-time defending state champion Southern Aroostook on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center.
Leading the boys to the state final against No. 2 Bangor Christian on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. in Augusta are sophomores Fisher Tewksbury and Harry Louis, who combined for 36 points in the Cavaliers’ 45-36 victory over a tall, imposing St. Dom’s squad last weekend. It was the third straight regional final appearance for the Cavaliers, and first D South crown since 2016.
Against No. 5 Wiscasset in the regional semifinals, Louis and Tewksbury combined for 47 points en route to a 76-36 victory over the Wolverines.
“Everything we do runs through defense, that’s just it,” Valley boys basketball head coach Mike Staples told Central Maine after the win. “We have to make stops; you’ve got to be tough.”