BRUNSWICK — Saturday was not the result that our area basketball teams wanted.

Both the Freeport and Brunswick high school girls teams fell in regional finals at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland on Saturday, with the Falcons dropping a 42-31 decision to top-ranked Gray-New Gloucester and the Dragons suffering a 54-33 setback against No. 1 Greely.

It was difficult, with similar slow starts the main culprit on this day.

But, as Brunswick coach Sam Farrell said after his team was done in by 32 points from the state’s best girls basketball player, Anna DeWolfe, one game doesn’t tell the tale.

“The first thing I told the girls is you don’t measure a season by one game,” said Farrell after his Dragons finished the 2018/19 season with a 19-2 record, both losses coming at the hands of the Rangers.

Brunswick

Magical. Special. Memorable.

Those three words describe what Brunswick seniors Charlotte MacMillan, Marley Groat, Rosalie White, Emily Larochelle and Rian Sachs brought their community during

their basketball careers.

Over the last three years, the Dragons advanced to three straight Class A South regional finals, made it to the State Class A title game (2016/17) season, finished the 2017/18 season regular undefeated, and had just one loss this year before facing Greely on Saturday.

MacMillan, who stunningly is not among the final 12 for the Maine Miss Basketball Award this year, was the all-around leader of the Dragons.

Looking back, it was around mid-season last year that MacMillan began appearing atop the Brunswick scoresheet on many nights, though Farrell will be the first one to accurately explain that on any given night, anyone wearing Brunswick orange and black might be the leading scorer.

MacMillan did it all — rebounding, passing, defending, scoring — and she left her mark on Brunswick basketball.

Groat came to Brunswick last season and immediately assumed the role of the team’s point guard. She was the very definition of point guard, often making her teammates shine with pinpoint passing and deft handling of the ball.

White played all 32 minutes in Brunswick’s 51-46 semifinal win over Marshwood, the first and only time she did that in her stellar varsity career. In the paint, she was tough, almost always winning the 1-on-1 battles for a loose ball.

Larochelle was the perfect compliment to MacMillan, with the ability to drive inside for two tough points, then coolly step outside for a 3-point dart. Larochelle was also stellar during her exceptional soccer career as well.

And last, but certainly not least, is Sachs. Here is a young lady that expected to have a big role on the court this year. But, a freak soccer knee injury in a game against Mt. Ararat caused the senior to become a spectator this year.

Sachs never wavered, always there rooting on her team with a smile on her face, even though inside she was surely frustrated that she wasn’t out there helping her team. I will take 10 Rian Sachs on my team and feel pretty good about my chances. She is someone who by her very nature is unselfish, a team player and a solid teammate.

Farrell will be challenged next season, having to replace these five quality seniors. However, those who remain witnessed the way it is done. This fabulous five will go down as one of the best groups of Dragons to play the game of basketball at BHS.

Freeport

When head coach Mike Hart departed after last season, I was worried.

When four of the five starters — and the first two players off the bench — graduated, I was worried.

But, the Falcons took the worry away, as first-year coach Seth Farrington stepped in and guided Freeport back to the Class B South regional final for the second straight season.

It was easy on most nights to see who led this team. Caroline Smith put her team on her shoulders, often taking over a game with scoring, defense and passing. When Farrington needed a big basket, it was Smith. When the Falcons needed someone to stop an opponent’s run, it was Smith to the rescue.

On Saturday, the junior scored 24 points in defeat and was awarded the Mike DiRenzo Award as the B South girls tournament’s top player. It was certainly well-deserved.

Smith is surrounded by talent. Forwards Rachel Wall, Hannah Groves, Mason Baker-Schlendering have the size to contend with all the teams in the Western Maine Conference, and players like Abigail Brier, Catriona Gould, Lindsay Routhier, Hannah Spaulding and Annika Thomas played big minutes this season.

Here is food for thought — Freeport had exactly ZERO seniors. That’s right! All of the Falcons are set to return next season, and with many of the top teams, including Gray-New Gloucester, losing standout players to graduation, Freeport might just be the team to beat in the WMC, and beyond, next year.

Here at The Times Record, we still have some work to do for the winter season, with the boys hockey playoffs set to open tonight. And, we still have the Bowdoin College women’s basketball team in NCAA Division III tournament action, with the Polar Bears looking to take one more step and bring home the program’s first Division III national title after falling one game short last year.

In closing, following the Dragons and Falcons was nothing short of amazing. To see these young players give their hearts and souls every single night was something that makes covering high school sports memorable. Thank you Dragons and Falcons. See you next year!

BOB CONN is The Times Record sports editor. He can be reached at bconn@timesrecord.com

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