Our Communities. Our Teams. Our Future.
We’re proud to make high school sports coverage free for everyone—because these moments matter. At Maine State Credit Union, we’re here for the people and places that make Maine strong. Let’s Go! Learn more at mainestatecu.org. 

View 6 photos

ROCKPORT — For the Camden Hills High boys basketball team, the history is everywhere. It’s the collection of Gold Balls that fill the trophy case outside their gym. It’s the banner hanging in that gym, a success checklist of regional and state championships.

It’s running their practices and orchestrating things on the sideline during games. It’s their athletic director. It’s their community.

The Windjammers (20-1) play in their first state championship game in 15 years, and their first since jumping up to Class A, when they take on Portland (16-6) on Saturday night at Cross Insurance Arena. History is coming along.

Between 1994 and 2011, the Windjammers won 10 regional titles and six Class B state crowns.

“We’d be the first to do it in Class A,” said senior Nolan Ames, a finalist for Mr. Maine Basketball. “It’s not pressure, but we want to win that state championship. That’s the standard around here.”

Joel Gabriele, the Windjammers’ head coach, was the team’s point guard when it defeated Cape Elizabeth for the Class B state title in 2011. He knows the hard work that went into that run as a player. As a coach, he realizes it’s even harder than he thought when he was playing.

The players have that confidence. Does he? Did they go over every inbounds play enough? Are they ready for every situation when it comes to time and score? Should he call a timeout or let them play on? Now, Gabriele has a greater appreciation for everything his coach, Jeff Hart, did. Hart is now Camden Hills athletic director, and a resource Gabriele does not take for granted.

“I certainly talk to Coach Hart after our games,” Gabriele said.

He’s trying to think of all the little things. Like the multiple 3-point lines on the Cross Insurance Arena floor. He doesn’t want his players spotting up for a 3-point try from the pro or even college lines. So those lines have been taped to the floor in Camden Hills’ gym in different colors. The high school 3-point line at Cross Insurance is black, like ours, he told the Windjammers. Look for that.

Before a home game late in the regular season against Lewiston, Gabriele invited his former teammate Tyler McFarland, to talk to the Windjammers. While the freshmen game played out, McFarland, who was Mr. Maine Basketball in 2011, talked to the team about what it takes to reach their championship goal. He congratulated Ames for becoming the school’s all-time scorer.

Ames said he watched the 2011 Class B state championship game Tuesday night. He watched Coach Gabriele run the show at the point, watched McFarland score 24 points to cap an undefeated season.

“They were big. They played fast. Like us,” Ames said.

Gabriele had the team watch the 2002 state championship game win over Gorham. Senior Hollis Schwalm came away impressed.

“The point of him showing us that was, defense leads everything, and defense is going to lead us,” Schwalm said.

As much as he takes pride in winning that state title in 2011, Gabriele thinks about the one that got away. The Windjammers also won the Class B crown in 2009. In between those two state championships was a loss to Falmouth in the 2010 state game.

“It felt like we were this close to a three-peat,” Gabriele said, holding his thumb and forefinger as close together as possible without them touching. An idea couldn’t squeeze through the space he left.

In Portland, the Class A North champion Windjammers have a formidable opponent, a team that caught fire at the right time and sprang from the No. 6 seed in the South tournament to win the region. A team that has plenty of its own basketball history.

History is what you make it. If you embrace it, you can make it something special.