The starting times for the Class B state championship games Friday at the Cumberland County Civic Center have been changed and are now 7 and 9 p.m.

Gerry Durgin, the tournament director at the Civic Center, said the reason for the time change was a request by Civic Center administration. The games had originally been scheduled for 6 and 8 p.m.

Leavitt (21-0) and Nokomis (19-2) will play for the girls’ championship at 7 p.m., followed by the boys’ game between Cape Elizabeth (17-4) and Camden Hills (21-0).

MONDAY’S STORM dropped rain in southern Maine but snow and sleet elsewhere, prompting the Maine Principals’ Association to once again postpone championship games in Eastern Class A (Augusta) and Eastern Class C (Bangor).

The Eastern Class A finals will be played today at the Augusta Civic Center. The girls’ game between Messalonskee and Hampden Academy will start at 6 p.m.; the boys’ game between Edward Little and Bangor at 7:45 p.m.

The Eastern Class C finals were moved to Alfond Arena at the University of Maine. The girls’ game between Orono and Washington Academy will start at 5 p.m. today; the boys’ game between Lee Academy and Sumner will start at 6:45 p.m.

MCAULEY HIGH came into the season regarded as the team to beat, not only in Western Class A, but in the state.

But first-year coach Amy Vachon said the Lions never felt the pressure.

“Other people said that, but I don’t think our team felt it,” she said. “We didn’t feel that we were, we had never won it before. I know we have talented players, but there are a lot of talented teams out there that don’t win.

“It’s about a lot of hard work off the court. The team is really close. That’s why I wanted it so badly for them. We became a family.”

DEERING’S 6-FOOT-3 sophomore center Marissa MacMillan displayed her potential with her best game of the season in the Western Class A final. She scored 11 points, including a couple of nice cuts to the basket on passes from Kayla Burchill, and grabbed 10 rebounds.

“She’s had some nice games, but to do it on this stage,” said Mike Murphy, coach of the Rams. “She did a great job.”

MCAULEY’S REBECCA KNIGHT scored only 10 points, but said that was all right.

“I have my wing man, Alexa,” she said of junior center Alexa Coulombe. “She really stepped up.”

Coulombe scored 17 for the Lions to earn the Edward “Red” McMann Award as the tournament’s outstanding player/sportperson.

WHENEVER FRESHMAN standout Dustin Cole does something noteworthy, such as score a fancy basket or dribble through the defense, the Bonny Eagle student section, chants “He’s a freshman, he’s a freshman.”

Cole, listed at 5-foot-7, has become a fan favorite in his first season. And for good reason: He’s exciting to watch.

TALKING BEFORE the Western Class A boys’ final in front of the scorer’s table as SMAA coaches always do, Bob Brown of Cheverus and Phil Bourassa of Bonny Eagle offered an interesting contrast. Brown has been coaching more years than Bourassa, 25, has been alive. Brown won two Class A state titles before Bourassa was born.

IF THERE’S one coach who isn’t sad to see center Nicole Taylor and forward Stephanie Gallagher graduate from York, it’s Greely’s Bill Goodman.

In his three years as coach of the Rangers, Goodman’s teams are 51-11 but have lost nine times to York. The Wildcats eliminated Greely from the playoffs each year, twice in the regional finals, this year in the semifinals.

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:
mlowe@pressherald.com

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at:
tchard@pressherald.com