BANGOR — After the first quarter of Saturday night’s Class C state championship game, all signs seemed to point in Maranacook’s favor, even the scoreboard.

But there was one harsh truth that would unfold over the next three quarters — Houlton had taken the Black Bears’ best shot, and it was still very much in the game.

The Shiretowners settled down against Maranacook’s press in the second quarter, then used its balance to take control in the second half and win their first Class C state title, 59-51, at the Cross Insurance Center.

Maranacook, playing in its first state championship game, finishes its season 18-4. Houlton, which last won a Gold Ball in 1991 in Class B, finishes 20-2, and won’t lose any seniors to graduation.

“I don’t have any words right now. I’m just so excited,” said Houlton freshman guard Kolleen Bouchard, who led her team with 18 points despite spending a good chunk of the second half on the bench with foul trouble.

Maranacook senior Christine Miller, also plagued with foul trouble, finished with a game-high 31 points and four steals while setting a new Class C final record with five 3-pointers. She fouled out with 1:05 left in the game in the midst of a 7-2 game-ending run by Houlton.

Houlton led by one at halftime but trailed by one after Bouchard drew her third personal foul on the opening possession of the second half and Miller knocked down two free throws.

The teams traded the lead until freshman Aspen Flewelling entered the game for Bouchard and scored eight straight points for the Shires. The first six came on two 3-pointers. Then came a layup off the press-breaker that gave Houlton a 37-30 lead.

“Aspen really seems to hit the right shot at the right moment,” junior forward Katie Condon said. “I mean, that girl can shoot.”

“There were moments in our press that we missed some key rotations, and if we had stepped up on those rotations, it would have been a different story,” Maranacook coach Jeannine Paradis said.

Miller hit her fourth 3-pointer to end the run then picked up her third foul, but remained in the game. She picked up her fourth on a Condon layup that made it 41-36 Houlton at the end of the third.

Houlton increased the margin to seven early in the fourth before Lauren Clough hit a 3-pointer to pull the Black Bears back within three with five minutes to go. Condon answered with a bank shot, and it remained a two-possession game until Miller hit her last 3-pointer to make it 52-49 with 1:31 remaining.

Twenty-six seconds later, Miller fouled Bouchard near midcourt for her fifth. Bouchard hit the free throws and the Black Bears didn’t score again until two Catherine Sanborn free throws with one second left.

“In the second half, we just tried to get out and run,” Houlton coach Shawn Graham said. “Maranacook’s an up-tempo team as well, but I think foul trouble really plagued them in the fourth.”

Maranacook’s fullcourt press plagued Houlton in the first quarter, forcing 10 turnovers. The Black Bears attempted 21 shots to Houlton’s nine as a result, but still only held a 15-11 lead.

“I thought that we got them a little winded and a little frazzled,” Paradis said. “Offensively, we had a couple of turnovers of our own, but I think those had more to do with nerves, being in the state game. Once we got the offense going, we had the lead for a little bit, but sometimes things don’t go your way.”

“We knew they were going to press and attack us. They have a great system,” Condon said. “Nerves were a big part of it. At halftime, coach really talked to us and said we hadn’t really played that great and we were still ahead by one point.”

Houlton grabbed that lead by getting into the paint, whether it was via its press-breaker, by getting the ball inside to Natalie Hill or having Bouchard penetrate.

“We knew that if we could break the press we’d get some transition baskets,” Graham said. “Otherwise, on the other end, they were going to get layups.”

“We knew they were going to press and attack us. They have a great system,” Condon said. “Nerves were a big part of it. At halftime, coach really talked to us and said we hadn’t really played that great and we were still ahead by one point.”

Randy Whitehouse — 621-5638

rwhitehouse@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @RAWmaterial33

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