Ryan Parent, left, looks for a passing lane during a Messalonskee boys lacrosse practice Thursday in Oakland. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

OAKLAND — A state title game loss rarely fails to be a motivating factor — but here, on two fields separated by just hundreds of feet, the feeling is magnified.

From basketball and hockey in the winter to baseball and lacrosse in the spring, Messalonskee boys athletics has enjoyed sustained success in recent years. For all of the wins, though, that state title game victory at the end of the year has remained elusive.

“These are conversations we’ve had,” said baseball coach Eric Palin. “We have guys that have lost in two or three state title games, and we’ve definitely talked about getting over that hump. … Some of our guys have switched from, ‘We want to do it,’ to, ‘We’re going to do it.’”

That’s a belief the Messalonskee baseball and boys lacrosse teams share this season. Both teams are loaded with players who are craving state crowns after deep runs last spring and both are hoping this one can be the breakthrough.

In the post-pandemic era, the Messalonskee boys lacrosse program has been a model of consistency. The Eagles, who open the season Friday at Brunswick, are 50-12 since 2021 with four consecutive Class B semifinal appearances, as well as a state runner-up finish in 2023.

State title game losses can linger. The Eagles led that 2023 state final against York 10-8 before the Wildcats rallied for a 12-10 victory.

“It’s definitely hard to come so close and not get it, being two goals away in a game we led,” Messalonskee boys lacrosse coach Tom Sheridan said. “We still have a handful of guys from that team from two years ago. The kids are hungry for it; I’ve been here a while, and we haven’t won states yet, so hopefully, we can do things this year to make it our year.”

Messalonskee should be right there at the top of the heap this year. The Eagles return of eight of 10 starters from last year’s 13-3 team, including two all-Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Large School first-teamers in Ryan Parent (61 goals, 24 assists) and Owen Kirk (45 caused turnovers, 85 ground balls).

As members of that 2023 team, those players know the bitterness of state title game defeat. That heartbreak also extends to other sports. Parent was a member of this year’s basketball team (which lost 70-60 to Falmouth in overtime in the Class A final), while Kirk and Tatum Doucette were part of the 2023 hockey team (which lost 4-3 to Cape Elizabeth in the Class B final).

Ryan Parent, right, works out with teammates during a Messalonskee boys lacrosse practice Thursday in Oakland. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

“It’s definitely motivated us and put a chip on our shoulder,” said Doucette, a junior midfielder. “We get close every year, and you always want to make it further and further. … (A state title) is the goal every year in every sport, so we’ve got to come to practice and work hard every single day.”

Messalonskee has just as much reason for excitement on the baseball diamond. The Eagles, who open the regular season Tuesday at Cony, return all but three starters in their batting order and three of four pitchers from a squad that went 16-4 and won the Class A North championship.

The Eagles will be led at the plate by Denny Martin (.419 average, 26 hits), Michael Achorn (.406, 26 hits, five home runs) and Ty Bernier (.386, team-high 27 hits). Martin (3-1, 3.88 ERA) will be joined by Sean Achorn (4-1, 1.27, 41 strikeouts) and Jamie Wheeler (2-0, 3.00) in the pitching rotation.

“We’ve got a lot of returners, and we have young guys who are ready to step up,” said Martin, a junior. “Our ultimate goal is to win a state championship this year. These seniors, going out with a bang for them would be something special that they could remember forever.”

Such a title would be extra sweet after how last season ended. After winning back-and-forth games against Mt. Ararat, Skowhegan and Bangor in the Class A North tournament to win the regional title, Messalonskee’s season ended with a 7-0 defeat to Scarborough in the state championship game.

Those baseball players, too, are motivated by previous oh-so-nears at states. Martin, like Doucette and Kirk, was on that 2023 hockey team, and Michael Achorn, Sean Achorn, Bernier, Quinn Charles and Parker Reynolds were all on the basketball team that led Falmouth by eight in the final two minutes.

“Losing the state game in basketball, even though I didn’t play, I still learned a lot,” Michael Achorn said. “Losses, you see them a lot, but winning feels a lot better. We want to win it this year.”