PORTLAND—Nothing gets Lexi Morin excited quite like playing at the Portland Exposition Building.

Monday afternoon, Morin and her Brunswick girls basketball teammates made their return to the big stage and began what they hope will be another title run with an impressive performance against the Freeport Falcons.

The Dragons, the No. 5 seed in Class A South after a .500 regular season, set the tone quickly, racing to a 15-7 lead after one quarter, thanks in large part to eight points from Morin.

The fourth-ranked Falcons, playing without two of their top players, injured seniors Maddie Cormier and Izzy Orlando, got as close as six points in the second period, but Brunswick closed the first half on an 8-0 run, good for a 25-10 lead.

Morin tallied 12 points in the first 16 minutes, outscoring Freeport by herself.

In the third period, the Falcons tried to make a run, but never got closer than 14 and a late 3-pointer from senior Eva Harvie produced a 38-17 advantage.

The Dragons slammed the door from there and went on to a 45-26 victory.

Morin led the way with a game-high 16 points as Brunswick improved to 10-9, ended Freeport’s campaign at 11-8 and in the process, advanced to battle No. 1 Mt. Ararat (17-2) in the Class A South semifinals Wednesday at 2:45 p.m, at the Expo.

“I absolutely love this gym,” Morin said. “Out of all the gyms I’ve played in, definitely this one is my favorite.”

Home cooking

The Falcons, under new coach Joel Rogers, struggled early this season, starting with losses to visiting Gray-New Gloucester (58-43) and at reigning Class A champion Brunswick (34-25). After beating visiting Lewiston (47-21) and Cape Elizabeth (55-16), Freeport fell to 2-5 with setbacks at Mt. Ararat (65-45), at home to Cony (59-42) and to Biddeford, in a game played in Portland (47-28). The Falcons then flipped the switch and went on a run, downing visiting Wells (49-47), host Massabesic (50-35), host Fryeburg Academy (62-36), visiting York (50-29) and visiting Gardiner (56-52). The streak ended with a surprising 35-34 loss at Yarmouth, but Freeport then embarked on another four-game surge, defeating visiting Brunswick (50-41), host Greely (40-33), host Falmouth (83-27) and host Lake Region (52-45). The Falcons were no match for visiting Mt. Ararat in the regular season finale, falling, 59-39.

Brunswick, meanwhile, was up-and-down in its title defense, starting with four straight wins and six victories in eight games before dropping six of seven and closing with two wins in three contests.

The teams split during the regular season, with the Dragons winning at home (34-25) and Freeport doing the same (50-41).

A year ago, in the teams’ lone prior playoff encounter, Brunswick rolled in the quarterfinals, 59-16.

Monday, the Dragons took care of business again in impressive fashion.

Falcons junior Emily Groves had a chance to put her team on top 21 seconds in when she was fouled, but she missed both free throws.

At the other end, 14 seconds later, Morin took a pass from senior Kyra Fortier and made a layup to break the ice.

Freeport pulled even on a driving bank shot from senior Sydney Gelhar, but with 6:05 to go, a contested leaner by Morin gave Brunswick the lead for good.

Morin added a fastbreak layup off a feed from her sophomore sister, Julianna Morin, then Lexi Morin set up Harvie for a 3-pointer and a quick 9-2 advantage.

“We wanted to put the game away pretty early,” said Lexi Morin. “We got our momentum going and we didn’t stop and we pushed through. It’s playoff time and anything can happen, so we wanted to come out as strong as possible.”

“We’ve had issues with playing down to the competition and letting other teams dictate the flow, but I thought we really dictated the flow early, running our sets,” said Dragons coach Sam Farrell. “That’s how we have to play.”

Groves got two points back with a reverse layup after grabbing an offensive rebound, but after Julianna Morin kept possession alive with an offensive rebound, she set up Fortier for a short jumper, forcing Rogers to call timeout.

It didn’t help, as Lexi Morin made a layup after a steal.

Sophomore Abby Giroux knocked down a 3 for the Falcons, but inside the final minute, a putback from senior Maya Koerber-Marx made it 15-7 Dragons.

Lexi Morin’s eight points were the difference as Brunswick put Freeport in an early hole.

A hole the Falcons couldn’t extricate themselves from.

Gelhar started the second quarter with a leaner, but Fortier hit a jumper and after Groves made a free throw, Lexi Morin banked home a shot in traffic, Lexi Morin made a jump shot, Koerber-Marx scored on a putback, then Julianna Morin did the same and the score was 25-10 at the break.

Lexi Morin had 12 points and six rebounds, while Julianna Morin grabbed 12 rebounds in the first half alone.

The Dragons kept the pressure on in the third period.

Harvie got things started with a 3 and after freshman Ky Kennedy drove for a basket to end an 11-0 Brunswick run and a 7 minute, 35 second scoring drought, Julianna Morin made one free throw.

Giroux drained a 3 to pull Freeport within 29-15, but Julianna Morin scored on a putback and Lexi Morin set up Fortier for a 3.

After Groves set up freshman Mari Ambila for a layup, Julianna hit one free throw, then Harvie’s late 3 made it 38-17.

Neither team generated much offense in the final stanza, as Brunswick put the finishing touches on its victory.

After Kennedy began the fourth quarter with a 3, Harvie countered with her fourth 3-ball of the game.

Gelhart drove for a layup, but Lexi Morin made a jumper for her first points of the second half.

After Gelhar made another layup, good for the final points of her career, Lexi Morin made a layup for the Dragons’ final points.

Kennedy hit a jumper inside the final minute, but it was far too little, too late and the Dragons advanced, 45-26.

“My seniors have played 13 games here included Christmas tournaments and you can see it,” Farrell said. “That was a point of emphasis. We made ourselves at home because it looked like we were at home.”

Lexi Morin nearly produced a double-double, finishing with 16 points and nine rebounds.

“It wouldn’t matter if Lexi was playing ping-pong, she’ll do anything to win,” Farrell said. “She doesn’t have to score. She can find her teammates.”

“Lexi is the best player I’ve coached against all year,” said Rogers. “Syd could guard her on the perimeter, but if she went inside, she overpowered her. She’s just a wonderful player.”

Harvie also wound up in double figures with 12 points (to go with five steals).

Fortier had seven points, Julianna Morin had six points and a game-high 19 rebounds, as well as six assists, and Koerber-Marx tallied four points and 14 rebounds.

Brunswick dominated on the glass, 47-23, only turned the ball over six times and made 2-of-5 free throws.

Brunswick, which downed Mt. Ararat in a memorable regional final a year ago, 39-30, lost twice this season to the Eagles, 47-41 at home and 56-37 in Topsham.

“We’ve had sickness on top of injury this year,” Lexi Morin said. “Our last Mt. Ararat game was the first game we had everyone back. It’s a different energy in the playoffs and we’re playing together. We just need to bring the energy and give it 110 percent on the court. I feel like Brunswick always seems to be the underdog. Last year, we were second and came out on top. This year, we’re fifth, but that’s OK. People like an underdog.”

“The goal is to make a run,” said Farrell. “We don’t try to adjust a lot to what other teams are doing because we’re focused on ourselves. I went from Dec. 19 until two weeks ago without my top four players playing together. When they’re on the floor together, you can see the chemistry. Lexi and Eva and Kyra have played together since they were six or seven.”

The first step

Freeport got a team-high eight points from Gelhar, who also had four rebounds and blocked three shots in her swan song.

Kennedy had seven points and six rebounds, Giroux added six points, Groves had three (to go with nine blocked shots and eight rebounds) and Ambila had two (to go with three blocked shots and three rebounds).

The Falcons made just 1-of-4 free throws and committed 15 turnovers.

“We had enough to go with, but it was simple, whoever was going to win the battle of rebounding would win this game,” Rogers said. “We got beaten badly on the boards in the first half. You could tell the difference between kids who are used to being on this floor and those who haven’t. I told the girls not to get down on themselves, just keep playing. We just didn’t have enough.

“When I took over, we had nine kids in the program. We ended up with well over 20 kids and everyone stayed the whole year. To me, that was the most important thing. I had to figure the kids out. I think our basketball IQ got better. I think the girls understood just how good Jackie (Storey) and Haley (Felkel) are as assistant coaches.

“We have to find the next gear. There’s a reason Mt. Ararat, Brunswick, Gray-New Gloucester and Greely get here. They have that extra gear and we need to find it. Abby Giroux will be a much better player next year when she can take over as shooting guard with Ky playing point guard. Emily will be back in the post. Mari will only get better. We feel really good.”

BOX SCORE

Brunswick 45 Freeport 26

B- 15 10 13 7- 45
F- 7 3 7 9- 26

B- L. Morin 8-0-16, Harvie 4-0-12, Fortier 3-0-7, J. Morin 2-2-6, Koerber-Marx 2-0-4

F- Gelhar 4-0-8, Kennedy 3-0-7, Giroux 2-0-6, Groves 1-1-3, Ambila 1-0-2

3-pointers:
B (5) Harvie 4, Fortier
F (3) Giroux 2, Kennedy

Turnovers:
B- 6
F- 15

Free throws
B: 2-5
F: 1-4