York High’s defense of its Class B girls’ basketball state championship ended Saturday with a 58-55 overtime loss to Leavitt. But the Wildcats have had an amazing three-year stretch.

Since the start of the 2008-09 season, York is 63-2. And since seniors Nicole Taylor and Stephanie Gallagher joined the team as freshmen, York has a 79-6 record.

“We had a great run,” said Gallagher, who will play at USM next year. “I’m so glad I had (Rick Clark) as my coach, and Mr. (Steve) Freeman and the other assistants. They were great, supporting us all these years. And the group of girls I had a chance to play with was incredible and I wouldn’t want anyone else. It was a fun group.”

Clark, in his 29th season as York coach, said the girls should remember what they’ve done.

“What they’ve brought the town of York and the high school just great memories,” he said. “And it was a great group of kids.”

“We were very dedicated when it comes to game time,” said Taylor, who finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer. “We worked hard and we worked as a team.” 

COURTNEY ANDERSON, a senior guard for Leavitt, was presented the Mike DiRenzo Award as the Western Class B tournament outstanding player/sportsman, completing a rare family feat. Tammy Anderson, the Hornets’ coach and Courtney’s mother, won the Robin Colcord Award, which is given to the outstanding player/sportsman in Western Class C, in 1981. She was known as Tammy Anair and played for Winthrop.

“She told me she has nothing on me anymore,” said Courtney Anderson. 

WITH LEAVITT leading by seven midway through the fourth quarter, the Hornets went into a stall — something they never do. Leavitt plays at a fast pace all the time.

York responded with a 9-0 run to go ahead 40-38.

“We’ve never tried to stall before in our life,” said Courtney Anderson. “And I don’t think we were supposed to try to stall. But we did. We tried it. It didn’t work out the way we wanted to. But we started over and got back where we needed to be.” 

HOW EXHAUSTING was the pace of Leavitt’s win over York?

Well, Courtney Anderson said afterward, “I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired in my life running up and down the basketball court. I didn’t think they were going to be able to run with us but they did. I mean it. They ran well.” 

AFTER WINNING its third regional title since 2008, the Cape Elizabeth boys will head into the state final Friday as an underdog again.

In 2008, the Capers lost to Maranacook and hot-shooting Ryan Martin at the Bangor Auditorium. Two years ago it was a talented Camden Hills team that pulled away in the second half at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

“Whenever we win (Western Class B), it seems we’re facing an undefeated team,” said Cape Elizabeth Coach Jim Ray.

The state final against Camden Hills or Ellsworth (both unbeaten heading to the Eastern Maine final) will be at 8 p.m. Friday at the Civic Center. “I imagine we’ll be the underdogs but we’ll try to put something together,” said Ray. 

YARMOUTH WAS playing in its first regional final since 1973, when the Clippers won the Western Class C title but lost to Sumner in the state final.

The Clippers knocked off top-ranked Greely in the semifinals but couldn’t sustain that momentum against Cape Elizabeth, which is familiar with the Civic Center court and playing in previous regional finals.

 

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