AUGUSTA — When the game ended and McAuley had won its first Class A state championship since 2003 with its 39-23 victory over Hampden Academy, Rebecca Knight, Olivia Porch and Alexa Coulombe were among the Lions who brought the Gold Ball into the stands to share with Sister Edward Mary.

“She means so much to us,” said Knight, the senior heading to the University of Maine. “And not just the basketball team, but the whole McAuley community.

“Whenever something special happens, she’s the first one to congratulate us. And we brought her the Gold Ball because she’s part of us.”

Sister Edward Mary said she cried when the players approached her. The players did, too. She is retiring in June after 31 years.

“I’ve seen a lot of basketball,” she said. “I’ve been there when they were 0-18, 1-17.”

This team, she said, was special.

“I am very close to them,” she said. “In a small school, you get to know all the little personalities. And these girls were good to each other. And they really are a team. And that’s been a key to McAuley.”

Coach Amy Vachon said simply: “She has been the heart and soul of McAuley. She’s always there for us, she goes to the freshman games, the JV games, the varsity games. She is McAuley, through and through.”

AAU BASKETBALL sometimes gets a bad rap, but one thing it does foster is friendships among players from opposing high schools.

Nicole Taylor of York and the Andersons of Class B champion Leavitt — senior Courtney, sophomore Kristen and mom and coach Tammy — were all on hand to cheer for their McAuley friends that also play on the New England Crusaders out of Nashua, N.H.

McAuley senior Rebecca Knight, junior Alexa Coulombe and freshman Allie Clement play on the Crusaders with the Andersons.

ALLIE CLEMENT’S father, Brian, won a state title at the Augusta Civic Center in 1985 when he played for Lake Region, which beat Dexter 58-56 in the Class B final.

And the mother of Hampden Academy’s Michaela Stephenson, Cindy Rand Stephenson, played on the Broncos’ only state championship winner in 1976. That year, Hampden beat Mt. Blue 66-65 in overtime.

The Broncos won only two games Stephenson’s freshman year and five her sophomore season.

“We set a goal to reach the state championship,” said Stephenson. “And we achieved it.”

MCAULEY WAS naturally excited about winning the Class A state basketball title. They were so excited that when the players from the bench charged out to celebrate with the reserves who were on the court at the end, freshman Nina Davenport was knocked to the floor in the pileup.

She bounced back up, no worse for the wear, as the Lions continued their celebration. The team had a reception at the Augusta Civic Center after the game.

SEEN IN THE crowd prior to the Class A boys’ state final at the Augusta Civic Center was Ashley Cimino, the former McAuley all-stater who is a senior on the Stanford University women’s basketball team.

Cimino’s brother, Matt, is the starting center for Cheverus.

“We had senior night on Thursday and had the weekend off,” said Cimino. “I decided to fly home and surprise him. I wanted to support him. I don’t get to see him play much.”

FANS ARRIVED very early for the girls’ game, some as much as 90 minutes before tip-off. Paul Vachon, father of McAuley Coach Amy Vachon, her former coach and current athletic director at Cony, said his wife Debbie “wanted to be here at 10 a.m. I told her I didn’t show up that early for my own games.”

McAULEY AND Hampden Academy each received the sportsmanship award for their respective regionals.

THE STREAK IS over for the Thornton Academy boys’ hockey team. When Aaron Gootee scored for Marshwood/Traip at 11:52 of the second period, Thornton’s string of holding opponents scoreless was stopped at 15 periods.

The last goal allowed by the Trojans before Saturday was on Feb. 12, when Kennebunk scored with one second left in the first period.

Since then, goalie Jameson Finch recorded shutouts against South Portland, Falmouth, St. Dom’s and Scarborough.

WHEN BIDDEFORD scores a goal, figure on the Tigers’ top line being involved. Brady Fleurent and Tyler Audie scored in Biddeford’s 3-0 win over Falmouth on Saturday. Each added an assist, as did linemate Bryan Dallaire.

Through 20 games, Fleurent has 63 points (30 goals, 33 assists), Dallaire 42 points (15, 27) and Audie 31 points (17, 14).

Staff Writers Mike Lowe, Kevin Thomas and Tom Chard contributed to this report.