SOUTH BERWICK — The Kennebunk boys basketball team made its long-awaited return to the postseason on Tuesday night, but unfortunately for the Rams, their trip to the Class A South playoffs would end abruptly.

No. 9 Kennebunk held a slim lead over No. 8 Marshwood at halftime, but the host Hawks would use a 17- 7 third-quarter run to take control and held off the Rams for a 63-54 preliminary round victory.

Kennebunk senior standout Zach MacKinnon scored seven points in the opening period as the two teams ended the first quarter tied at 16-16.

MacKinnon added four more points in the second to help Kennebunk take a slim 28-26 lead into the halftime break.

Unfortunately for the Rams, MacKinnon would pick up his fourth foul early in the third quarter and would be forced to sit the final six minutes of the period.

When MacKinnon was sent to the bench, the Rams, who were in foul trouble most of the game, held a 32-31 lead.

Marshwood would take advantage of the Kennebunk standout’s absence as the Hawks closed out the period on a 12-3 run to take a 43-35 lead into the fourth quarter.

“Having so many guys in foul trouble, Ryan Coughlan, Zach, a couple other guys, we had to change how we were defending people … and anytime you have to hold yourself back and not play 100 percent, it puts you in trouble,” said Kennebunk coach Barrett Belanger.

MacKinnon was proud of how his teammates battled as he was forced to sit.

“When I went out, I was kind of upset with myself. I thought I picked up some stupid fouls, but while I was out, I think my team did a pretty good job staying in it,” said MacKinnon.

Belanger would send MacKinnon back into the game at the start of the fourth, but with four fouls, the Kennebunk standout would have to alter his style.

“(We couldn’t) use him effectively defensively, so it changed our whole plan in the second half to have him in trouble,” said Belanger.

The Hawks pushed their lead to double digits early in the final quarter, but the Rams would continue to fight until the final buzzer.

Freshman point guard Cam Lovejoy would score nine of his 15 points in the final quarter – including scoring five straight at one point to cut the Marshwood lead to 51-48 with 3:23 left.

That would be as close as the Rams would get as Marshwood closed the game on a 12-6 run to secure the victory.

Belanger was happy with his team’s effort.

“(They) never gave up and that’s kind of been them all year. There was one thing we never questioned and that was their effort,” said Belanger. “Multiple times this year we were able to make a run on a team and make things close, and I think we got it to three and that’s a credit to them. They worked their butts off … I had nothing to do with that.”

Senior Ryan Coughlan credited Belanger and assistant coaches Paul Maguire, Jon Fulford and Scott Goldsmith with instilling that never give up mentality in the Rams.

“Honestly, all season we’ve sort of established a team effort. I think we have the best coaching staff in the league, they know how to prepare us for games, so I think the effort was expected and it wasn’t going to be a problem. We knew that we would come out with a lot of energy,” said Coughlan.

Belanger was grateful for the amount of time and effort his senior starters – MacKinnon, Coughlan and Travon Bradford – put in over the last two years.

“Since I took over last year, they have been committed all the way through. They made basketball in Kennebunk exciting again. It shows by how many people from the community came out to watch them,” said Belanger, who was happy to see this senior group get to taste the postseason. “It was just a big thank you to all of them because they have kind of set the tone of turning around what Kennebunk basketball was and where we are going.”

For MacKinnon, who led the Rams with 17 points, his time with the Rams was special.

“It’s amazing. Just to be on this team, to be a part of it, is awesome,” said MacKinnon.

Coughlan echoed MacKinnon’s sentiment.

“I’ve been with these guys my whole life. This team is the best I’ve been on, that coaching staff is the best I’ve had and I’m sad to see it go,” said Coughlan, who finished the game with five points.

Belanger, who led the Rams to nine wins and their first trip to the playoffs in nine seasons, is excited about the future of the program even though he will have to replace a ton of talent.

“I don’t see us having a down year,” said Belanger. “It’s big shoes to fill, but those seniors did a great job getting (the underclassmen) ready in practice … and of course being successful and getting to the playoffs only makes those younger kids better. We are excited.”

NOTES: Bradford finished with 11 points for the Rams, who also got two each from Tripp Bush, Dakota Ewy and Casey Pyle … Dawson Casey led Marshwood with 25 points and Ryan O’Neil finished with 16 in the win … Marshwood will face No. 1 Greely in the quarterfinals.

— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at [email protected] or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.