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BANGOR, Maine — The Mount Abram High boys’ basketball team saved one of its best defensive efforts for its biggest game of the season.
And the reward for the Roadrunners from Salem Township was the ultimate prize.
The Class C South champs limited the powerful Mattanawcook Academy offense to 1-of-12 shooting in the first quarter while Brennan Mitchell and Bryce Wilcox combined for 17 second-quarter points as the Roadrunners won their first gold ball with a 74-48 win over the Lynx of Lincoln at the Cross Insurance Center.
Mattanawcook was just 1 of its first 19 from the floor as the Roadrunners built a 34-16 halftime lead that was never threatened as coach Jeff Pillsbury’s team capped a 21-1 season in its first state championship-game appearance.
The Lynx, playing in the gold ball game for the first time since 1956, finished 21-1.
The Roadrunners capped the first quarter on a 9-2 run to seize control of the contest, and that continued into the second as the duo of Wilcox (15 points) and Mitchell (19 points, eight rebounds) took over.
Wilcox was a torrid 3-for-4 from 3-point range in the second while Mitchell was a force in the post at both ends of the floor, hitting four of his five field-goal attempts.
Mount Abram would score the first 12 points of the second quarter, a stretch that included a pair of perimeter bombs from Wilcox. Chase Ross’ driving layup sent the Roadrunners into the locker room up 34-16.
The Roadrunners kept the pedal to the floor throughout the second half, squashing any dreams of a Lynx comeback with a 14-4 run to start the third quarter.
Mount Abram’s physicality on both ends of the floor wore down the Lynx throughout the game, and Mattanawcook could not get the deficit under 21 points.
Reagan Lockaby was the other Roadrunner in double figures with 15 points.
Kooper McCarthy’s 13 points led the Lynx while Andrew Oliver had 10 and True Weatherbee nine.
