GORHAM—Last March, in the Class AA state final, Gorham’s girls’ basketball team mustered all of 24 points in a loss to Cheverus.
Saturday afternoon at Dean Evans Gymnasium, the Rams hosted the Stags in a pivotal midseason showdown and eclipsed that mark in a quarter-and-a-half.
And from there, they went on to a decisive, statement-making victory.
Gorham, coming off a painful, one-point, last-second loss two days prior, never trailed, scored the game’s first seven points and held a 16-9 advantage after one quarter.
Cheverus, coming off rare consecutive setbacks, crept back within four at 18-14, before the Rams closed the first half on a 15-3 run and enjoyed a 33-17 lead at the break, thanks in large part to 13 points from senior Julia Reed.
When junior Anna Goodman opened the second half with a 3 for the Stags, they hoped it would spark a rally, but instead, the Rams scored the next eight points to break it open and by the end of the third period, they were in command, up, 54-29.
Cheverus fought hard to the end, but never made a serious run and Gorham went on to a 62-46 victory.
Reed led the way with 19 points, three other players finished in double figures and the Rams improved to 8-1, cemented their status as a title hopeful and in the process, handed the Stags their third straight setback and dropped them to 6-3.
“It’s much more fun when we put points on the board,” said longtime Gorham coach Laughn Berthiaume. “It always means something to beat teams that have had success. We’re different teams this year, but we’ve had a rivalry and we have girls who have lost to them. We responded well coming off a loss.”
Quite a week
Cheverus and Gorham (along with Oxford Hills) have been the clear gold standard in Class AA basketball the past three seasons and the 2024-25 campaign was looking like more of the same until earlier this week.
The Rams rolled to seven straight wins to start the year, defeating Falmouth (70-15), Windham (33-25), Greely (57-24), Bonny Eagle (59-18), Scarborough (43-32), Noble (53-14) and Thornton Academy (46-38), but Thursday, at Windham, Gorham dropped a tough one late, 41-40, to fall from the unbeaten ranks.
“Anytime you lose one, you refocus and try to find that extra ounce of energy that could have been that one play last game,” Berthiaume said.
The Stags, meanwhile, opened by downing visiting Deering (59-16), then defeated host Bonny Eagle (68-29), host Portland (59-36), visiting South Portland (57-47), host Bangor (61-35) and visiting Windham (61-41). On the cusp of completing a perfect 2024 calendar year, Cheverus let a seven-point lead slip away Monday at home versus Scarborough and was stunned, 47-44, as its win streak ended at 27 games. Thursday, things went from bad to worse, as the Stags lost at home again, 45-40, to Edward Little, marking the first time the program suffered consecutive defeats on the floor in five years.
A year ago, the teams didn’t play in the regular season, but they squared off in the Class AA state final and behind the heroics of Ruth Boles, Cheverus captured its second Gold Ball in three years, 38-24.
Saturday, in the teams’ first regular season meeting since Jan. 7, 2019, the Stags looked to avoid their first three-game skid in six seasons, but instead, Gorham beat them for the first time since that aforementioned contest (55-39 at home).
And the Rams did so with shocking ease.

Gorham senior Vanessa Walker goes up over Cheverus junior Kylie Lamson in the Rams’ 62-46 victory Saturday. Photos courtesy Kneka Smith Photography
Just 48 seconds in, Reed took a pass from junior Zoe Dellinger and knocked down a 3-pointer to put Gorham in front to stay.
After junior Lauren Dunbar set up classmate Logan Doughty for a layup off an inbounds set, Reed drove for a layup after a steal with 6:16 to go in the opening stanza, the Rams held a 7-0 lead.
Twenty-seven seconds later, a putback from sophomore Addison Jordan got Cheverus on the board, but senior Vanessa Walker countered with a 3-pointer from the corner, set up by Dellinger.
The Stags then responded with seven straight points, as sophomore Abby Kelly scored on a leaner, Kelly converted an old-fashioned three-point play (putback, foul and free throw) and junior Kylie Lamson added two free throws, but Gorham reawakened and closed the frame on a 6-0 run.
After Walker made a free throw, Dellinger set up Doughty for a 3, then two Doughty free throws with 8.9 seconds on the clock made it 16-9 Rams.
Doughty had seven points to propel Gorham to a fast start.
“We had to work on coming out strong in the first half, so we wouldn’t have to dig ourselves out in the second,” Reed said. “I think because we came out hard, that made a big difference.”
Jordan started the second period with a driving layup for the visitors, Reed countered with a runner in the lane.
With 5:57 left in the half, in transition, Goodman set up junior Rachel LaSalle for a 3 to make it 18-14, but that’s as close as Cheverus would get.
That’s because in two-and-a-half minutes, the Rams erupted for nine straight points to earn a comfortable lead.
A driving layup from Doughty started the run.
Then, in transition, Dunbar took a pass from Reed and drained a 3 from the corner.
After Dunbar set up Dellinger for a layup, Doughty fed Dellinger for a breakaway layup and with 2:43 to go before halftime, the score was 27-14.
Jordan ended the run with a jumper, but Reed went coast-to-coast, eluded a defender with a pretty crossover dribble and finished with a layup, then Reed scored on a runner on the baseline.
After Goodman made a free throw, another Reed runner, which hit the rim and rolled in, gave Gorham a 33-17 advantage at the break.
Reed had 13 first half points, while Doughty added nine.
The Rams then ended all doubt in the third quarter.
Just nine seconds into the second half, Jordan fed Goodman for a 3 from the corner and the Stags hoped to have a spark, but it wasn’t to be.
Dellinger countered with a 3 at the other end, from Doughty, then Reed sank two foul shots and Reed found Doughty for a 3 to suddenly make it a 41-20 contest.
Lamson ended the 8-0 run with a 3, but again, the Rams countered with a 3 of their own, this time from Dellinger (set up by Doughty).
After Goodman made a 3, on the fastbreak, Walker took a pass from senior Lindy Moreland and made a layup, then Walker made a layup after a steal, Dunbar did the same, a Dellinger steal set up a layup by Walker and with 1:06 on the clock, a runner from junior Winni Moreland rolled in and Gorham was firmly in control, up, 54-26.
Jordan made a 3 in the final minute, but Cheverus was still down by 25 heading for the final stanza.
Lamson opened the fourth period with a free throw, but Reed set up Winni Moreland for a layup.
Kelly then scored consecutive layups, the first from Jordan and the second from Goodman, before a bank shot after a steal from Lamson and a Goodman 3 cut the deficit to 56-39 with 5:36 on the clock.
The Stags had a chance to creep even closer, but Lamson missed a pair of free throws and Reed countered by going coast-to-coast for a layup.
After Jordan drove for a layup, Reed made a layup after a steal, then with 2:36 left, senior Payton Thibodeau set up Lindy Moreland for a layup and the Rams’ final points.
Down the stretch, Jordan converted a three-point play, then Jordan made two free throws before Gorham closed the door on a most impressive 62-46 victory.
“This was fun,” said Reed. “It’s a nice win for us. We all thought coming in that it was going to be one of our toughest games. We’ve lost to them twice at states since I’ve been here, so it was in the back of our minds. Everyone just worked really well together, especially on the press-breaker. We practiced attacking hard and not passing around so much.”
“There was extra motivation tonight,” Berthiaume said. “I’m thrilled with how the girls responded. We had very good balance and I like the way we moved the ball. We knew if we kept them from scoring off turnovers, we’d be in good shape.”
Reed had a game-high 19 points and also contributed four rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocked shots.
“I thought the key for us was trying to attack the pressure,” said Berthiaume. “Julia did an excellent job trying to attack and gave us open opportunities.”
Doughty added a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds (to go with three assists) and Dellinger (four assists, four steals and two rebounds) and Walker (seven rebounds, four steals) had 10 points apiece.
Dunbar finished with five points (as well as nine rebounds, three assists and three steals), Winni Moreland had four points and Linday Moreland added two.
“We had good passing and our scoring was balanced,” Reed said. “Everyone contributed. Our quick passing helped everyone score. It’s not just one person out there doing everything. We change it up a lot. Everyone working together makes us stand out.”
The Rams enjoyed a 45-30 rebounding advantage (with 13 coming on the offensive glass), overcame 18 turnovers and hit 5-of-6 free throws.
Searching for answers
Cheverus’ effort was paced by Jordan, who had 16 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Goodman added 10 points (as well as three assists, three rebounds and two steals), Kelly had nine (to go with four rebounds), Lamson eight (as well as eight rebounds, two assists and two steals) and LaSalle three.
The Stags made 8-of-12 free throws and gave the ball away a dozen times.
“We’ve been slumping,” said Cheverus coach Billy Goodman. This year’s team doesn’t get it yet. (Gorham) moved the ball great. Everyone on the court for them is a threat to score. It’s hard to play defense when everyone can score. Hats off to them. They did a great job and hopefully, it will make us better.”
Long way to go
Gorham, which is first in the Class AA South Heal Points standings at the midway point of the regular season, sits idle until next Saturday, when it will attempt to keep the good times rolling at Massabesic.
“We just have to keep coming out hard in the first half and not waiting until the second,” said Reed.
“This gives us confidence that if we stick together, things will work out,” Berthiaume said. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I’d like to see us limit our turnovers and be more poised in pressure situations.”
Cheverus, currently ranked third in Class AA North, doesn’t play again until Friday, when it travels to Thornton Academy.
The Stags have six days to return to form and get their season back on track.
“I thought we moved the ball pretty well in the second half, so we’ll build on that,” Billy Goodman said. “We have to get back to basics on defense. We don’t move very well out there. Right now, we’re in a big slump. We’re going to try everything we can to turn it around.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
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