By Ernie Clark, BDN Staff
Posted Feb. 04, 2016, at 3:02 p.m.
Last modified Feb. 04, 2016, at 4:20 p.m.
BANGOR, Maine — The Old Town and Orono boys basketball teams were adversaries on the basketball court Wednesday evening, battling for top seeds in the final Heal Point standings.
The two neighboring schools’ cheering squads were set to share the stage Thursday night, performing their competitive routines on the same court as Orono hosted Old Town in a girls basketball contest.
Consider it one final public dress rehearsal before the squads vie for state championships in their respective classes Saturday.
State cheering competition in Classes A, B, C and D will fill the air at the Cross Insurance Center beginning with Class D and Class A qualifiers during a morning session that begins at 10 a.m.
The afternoon session begins at 2 p.m. with the Class B teams followed by the Class C participants.
Old Town won its first Class B regional title in 14 years two weekends ago, edging five-time defending state champion Hermon by one point and third-place Ellsworth by 1.1 points.
The close contest continued a spirited rivalry among those three teams throughout the season, with the Old Town squad coached by Nicole Hogan and Emily Smith also scoring hard-fought victories in the Big East and Penobscot Valley Conference Class B competitions.
Old Town is seeking its first state crown since winning back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000, but Hermon is hopeful of retaining the crown. The Hawks were deducted three penalty points during the Class B North regional for touching the ground with hands while completing flips in an effort to maintain balance, and had they not received those deductions, coach Kristie Reed’s squad would have won the regional by two points.
Medomak Valley of Waldoboro also figures heavily into the Class B mix after winning the Class B South and Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B titles.
Orono won its first-ever regional title this year despite not having a senior on its roster.
Coach Leslie Tuell’s Red Riots topped Central of Corinth by six points, with Houlton, Sumner of East Sullivan, Dexter and Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln also advancing from the C North regional.
Dirigo of Dixfield won its second straight regional title at the Class C South competition, while other qualifiers from that meet include defending state champion Lisbon, which last winter ended a string of five straight Eastern Maine teams to win the gold — Central in 2012 and 2014, Dexter in 2013, Houlton in 2011 and Sumner in 2010.
Defending Class A state champion Lewiston is poised to win its fifth state championship in the last six years after coach Lysa Laverdiere’s Blue Devils won the A North regional.
Both Bangor and Brewer also hope for strong finishes after placing second and third, respectively, at the regional. Other contenders include Class A South champion Noble of North Berwick and runner-up Marshwood of South Berwick.
Central Aroostook of Mars Hill looks poised to extend its dominance of the Class D ranks after winning that division’s North-South regional qualifier.
The Panthers, coached by Sami Jo Allen, are the two-time defending Class D champs and have won seven state titles in the last eight years.
Central Aroostook leads a field of six Class D teams to qualify for states from the single regional. Also competing Saturday will be Penobscot Valley of Howland, Bangor Christian, Machias, Deer Isle-Stonington and Fort Fairfield.
