AUGUSTA — Dirigo High couldn’t miss in the first quarter, and Boothbay Region had to play catch-up the whole game.
Dirigo never surrendered the lead. But boy, did the Seahawks get close.
Boothbay closed within one and had three chances to take the lead or tie, but it never broke through. Dirigo beat the Seahawks 53-48 to win the Western Class C boys’ basketball championship Saturday night at the Augusta Civic Center.
Dirigo (19-2) will play Lee Academy (19-1) or Sumner (17-3) for the state championship at 8:45 p.m. Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium.
It will be the top-ranked Cougars’ third straight trip to the state final.
The second-seeded Seahawks (17-4) were led by Dan Dickinson (14 points) and Anthony DiMauro (12 points).
Center Cody St. Germain led the Cougars with 14 points and was named the MVP of the Western C tournament.
The teams met twice earlier, both games decided in overtime. Dirigo won the first matchup in December, 68-62, and the Seahawks avenged that loss with a double-overtime 89-88 thriller in the Mountain Valley Conference title game.
In their third meeting, it got close again.
Dirigo took a 21-8 lead, running its offense about as well as it could, penetrating and then passing out for open shots. The Cougars hit 7 of 8 field goals, including three 3-pointers (two by Spencer Ross).
Boothbay, meanwhile, was trying to find its rhythm against Dirigo’s tough man-to-man defense. The Seahawks made only 3 of 9 shots in the first quarter.
On defense, Boothbay was too aggressive, recording three fouls in the first minute (and 20 overall).
The Seahawks settled down in the second quarter. Their defense also stopped Dirigo’s open looks; the Cougars hit only one field goal in the quarter.
Boothbay began running more. Jake Simmons made an improbable tip put-back on one fast break, and Dickinson flew down the court for another transition layup.
Boothbay finally began to get close in the fourth quarter.
A Dickinson fast break made the score 45-44 with 2:49 left.
St. Germain scored a put-back, but DiMauro countered with two free throws.
Three times, Boothbay could tie or take the lead, but traveled twice and missed a jumper.
Dirigo hit its free throws to seal it. Three other Cougars were in double figures — Ben Holmes (12), Ross (11) and Josh Turbide (10).
Simmons and Ryan Murphy both scored seven for Boothbay. Jordan Caron scored six.
Dirigo has lost the past two state finals, 40-39 to Calais (2009) and 70-51 to Washington Academy (2010). The Cougars’ last state title came in 1983.
Boothbay was looking for its first state championship appearance since 2007.
Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or at:
kthomas@pressherald.com
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