Rylee Clark is one of Valley’s unsung heroes in the Cavaliers’ run to the Class D state championship game. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

In the words of coach Gordon Hartwell, the 2024-25 Valley girls basketball team is one for the history books.

“Chemistry-wise, talent-wise, this is probably the best team I’ve ever put on the floor,” said Hartwell.

There’s no denying the Cavaliers are on a roll. Valley, the Class D South champion for the second straight season, is 21-0 this season, and 42-1 over the last two seasons. The only loss was 60-42 to Southern Aroostook in last year’s state final. Hartwell and the Cavaliers are back in the championship game and will face North champion Central Aroostook (19-2) at 1:05 p.m. Saturday at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

“They have completely got each other’s backs,” Hartwell said. “We’ve developed a lot more depth. The amount of different weapons we have (has been a key). We’ve had six different leading scorers this year in different games. We have people contributing in things that are not going to get in the paper that are critical things, like defensive stuff, diving on the floor to get the ball in one particular possession. We’ve had immense contributions from an awful lot of people.”

Two players who are among those contributors for Valley are junior forward Rylee Clark and sophomore forward Brianna Mills. Their work, along with fellow forwards Daisy Wright and Myranda Beane, has been an integral part of Valley’s success.

“A big focus (in my game) is rebounding,” Clark said. “I feel like the points will come throughout the game, but rebounding is a big thing to fully help the team.”

Added Hartwell: “My guards get a lot of the press. They’re out front, they have the basketball in their hands a lot. But my forwards have been huge as far as their rebounding, scoring. If you’re getting 20 points per game out of the forward position, as well as 20 boards and defense, you’re going to be pretty well set up. Other teams aren’t going to be able to ignore them.”

Clark and Mills usually aren’t at the top of the scoring chart, which features guards Madeline Hill (17 points per game), Kirsten Bigelow (15 ppg) and Liana Hartwell (13 ppg). As a team, Valley averages 74 points. Mills averages eight points, while Clark averages nine. Both players have had multiple double-digit outputs, but their major contribution has been on the boards – 10 rebounds per game for Mills, nine for Clark.

“The balance of the inside (play of the forwards) and outside (play of the guards has been a key),” Mills said. “That balance between the guards and the forwards has been a huge piece for us this year.”

Added Hartwell: “Bri is unbelievably strong. She’s mobile and a tiger on the rebounding. Rylee has been starting for me since eighth grade, so she’s had four years of starting (experience)… This year, from the midpoint on, (Clark has) just been getting better and better and better. Every single game, her game is growing. Form-wise, she’s probably one of the best shooters on the team.”

Pine Tree Academy’s Maddie Verrill works inside against Valley defender Brianna Mills during a Class D South semifinal. Mills averages 10 rebounds per game. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

Valley will get a test from Central Aroostook, a young and battle-tested team. The Panthers have three players who average double figures in scoring, led by juniors Harleigh Allen and Lilly Burtt (both 17 ppg).

“(Valley has) a really great offense, I think they look to run the floor,” Central Aroostook coach Cody Tompkins said. “They like to shoot a lot of (3-pointers). I think Hartwell and Hill are probably their best two players, they’ve got a good 1-2 punch, similar to us. Bigelow is a good shooter. And then Clark and Mills in the post, they do their role and commit to their role very well.”

If the state final is decided by a defensive battle or a battle of the boards, Valley is confident it has the players to get the job done.

“I’ve watched film on (Central Aroostook), they definitely seem like a strong team,” Clark said. “We’ll have to work on a lot of defense, kind of hold them down to a couple points.”

“A lot of defense, rebounding (will be key),” Mills added. “And we’re going to have to hit some shots.”