BANGOR, Maine – The Penobscot Valley girls basketball team captured the state Class C title a year ago and now they look to make it two in a row — albeit in another class.
The Howlers, with several veterans who have already won three state titles in soccer to go with last year’s basketball championship, scored the game’s first nine points en route to a 53-37 victory over the youthful Machias High School Bulldogs in the Class D North final at the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday afternoon.
Junior guard Brooklynn Raymond pumped in a game-high 19 points and senior forward Lila Cummings had 12 points for the 16-5 winners. Senior guard Rylee Moulton scored nine points and McKenna Ireland produced eight points off the bench.
Sophomore forward Loretta Richardson led the 18-3 Bulldogs with 17 points and freshman guard Aubrey Wood had nine points. Sophomores Olivia Reynolds and Leah Libby had four points each.
The Howlers led by 17 in the third period before Machias went on a 12-4 run to pull within nine.
But Penobscot Valley used a 7-2 run to restore a solid foothold in the game and Machias couldn’t get any closer than 12 the rest of the way.
The Howlers will play against Mount Abram at 2:35 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Augusta Civic Center.
