Several southern Maine high schools won one-act play regional championships this weekend in the Maine Drama Festival.

Regional competitions took place over the weekend at nine locations across the state, according to Rick Ash, the drama festival’s coordinator.

Class A winners advancing to the state finals in Camden on March 19 and 20 include Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth and Scarborough high schools and Fryeburg Academy, Lincoln Academy in Newcastle and Thornton Academy in Saco.

Class B state finals will be held the same weekend in Yarmouth. Among the nine regional winners advancing will be: Rockland, Yarmouth and Kittery high schools, and Traip Academy in Kittery.

Ash said the state champions will represent Maine in the New England competition, which will be held in Falmouth, April 15-17.

The drama festival, now in its 79th year, is sanctioned by the Maine Principals’ Association.

A panel of three judges adjudicates the competition at each of the regional sites.

Nearly 3,000 students from 79 high schools competed in this year’s festival, Ash said.