Maybe in the past, said Coach Rick Clark, his York High girls’ basketball players might have been rattled to see a big lead evaporate.

Not this group.

“It doesn’t faze them,” he said. “They just go on to do their thing.”

And this year, that means winning basketball games. The top-seeded Wildcats remained unbeaten Saturday night and extended Clark’s retirement season one more game.

York broke out fast and then withstood a fourth-quarter surge to beat second-seeded Greely 66-56 for the Class A South girls’ basketball championship at Cross Insurance Arena. The Wildcats opened with an 11-2 lead and held on after the Rangers cut the gap to four with just under three minutes remaining.

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York (21-0) will play defending state champion Lawrence (21-0) for the Class A state title at 1 p.m. Saturday at Cross Insurance Arena.

“It means so much, we’ve been working for this since we were freshmen,” said senior forward Shannon Todd, who was named the outstanding player of the regional. “We’re ready to push forward and keep working hard this next week.”

Greely finished 17-4, three of the losses to the Wildcats. Greely’s only other loss was to Gorham, which is undefeated and will play for the Class AA state title next week.

“The best team won,” said Greely Coach Joel Rogers. “As I told Rick, there’s nobody better to represent the Western Maine Conference in the state title game.”

Freshman phenom Anna DeWolfe scored 30 points with five assists for the Rangers, keeping them close until their 3-point shooting finally clicked in the fourth quarter.

But York countered with a balanced offense predicated on movement away from the ball. York had 15 assists on its 27 baskets, many leading to open back-door layups. The Wildcats also outrebounded Greely 29-19.

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Mia Briggs scored 21 points for York, eight coming in the final quarter. Madigan Cogger added 13 points (along with five assists), Todd scored 12 points (to go with 10 rebounds and five steals) and Chloe Smedley had 11 (plus eight rebounds).

York took a 50-37 lead into the fourth quarter and quickly made it a 16-point margin on a 3-pointer by Cogger from the top of the key. That’s when Greely’s 3-point shooters stepped up. Moira Train hit two 3s and Molly Chapin also made two – each one assisted by DeWolfe. Chapin’s second 3-pointer, with 2:45 remaining, brought the Rangers within 58-54.

“It didn’t faze me that much, where in other games it might have,” said Todd. “It was just the way we were playing together. I felt unstoppable out there with everyone out there together.”

Todd found Briggs inside for a basket. After a Greely miss, Smedley scored inside on a pass from Lily Posternak, and it was 62-54. DeWolfe answered with 1:19 left, but Briggs broke free for two layups – assisted by Smedley and Posternak – and the Wildcats had clinched it.

The victory was the 508th of Clark’s career, the last 34 years with the York girls.

“I’ve been around long enough to know this just doesn’t happen,” said Clark, who announced his retirement before the season began. “You have to have some breaks, some good luck, and kids who are willing to listen and work hard.”


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