AUGUSTA – After winning a state basketball championship in dramatic fashion two years ago and losing a heartbreaker last year, the Dirigo girls made it easier on themselves in Saturday’s Class C state title game.

Of course, it helped that the Cougars of Dixfield were playing in the Augusta Civic Center, a hoop venue that’s as comfy for them as an old sneaker.

Dirigo’s stellar defense took Eastern Maine champion Calais right out of its game, keeping the Blue Devils from getting inside while stopping the perimeter game, and junior Lyndsay Clark led a huge rebounding effort as the undefeated Cougars beat Calais 46-38 Saturday evening for their sixth Class C state championship and fourth since 1996.

It was the sixth meeting of the two teams in state-title games (three wins each). Dirigo has never lost a state final at the Augusta Civic Center.

“They beat us last year and we knew we they were an awesome team,” said 6-foot-1 center Clark, who had 10 points and 13 rebounds. “We had to come out tough, play defense, play our run-and-gun and put the baskets in, and win.”

The Cougars typically play man-to-man defense. Alyssa Burns guarded Calais star Lanna Martin, and Alexa Kaubris had to watch standout Katie Frost.

Calais was an uncharacteristic 1-for-8 from 3-point range. Dirigo played a little diamond-and-1 to stop Frost, who is a dangerous 3-point shooter.

“Katie Frost was a major focus,” Dirigo coach Gavin Kane said. “We felt if we could keep either her or Lanna Martin down offensively and make some of their other players have to score big, it would be a key for us.”

Martin led both teams with 13 points.

Dirigo’s 20-18 halftime lead indicated the game’s remainder would be a defensive struggle. Dirigo’s best defense was to come, however.

The Cougars held the Blue Devils to one basket in the third quarter (a Martin score off a pass from Katie Frost) while drawing fouls on Calais players. Forward Crystal Martin was called for her third with 4:56 left in the period.

“We didn’t execute our offense well at all and we didn’t get into a rhythm,” Calais coach Bob McShane said. “You can attribute that to Dirigo’s defense.”

Offense was hard to come by in the third quarter, but the Cougars got all they would need.

Alyssa Burns opened the quarter with a 3-pointer and Kaubris put in a layup for a 25-18 lead. After Lanna Martin scored, Brooke Weston connected on a 3-pointer with 2:04 left and Samantha Averill hit a jumper as Dirigo went up 30-20 to end the period.

“I think we had a high,” Clark said. “After halftime we came out and tried our best.”

Not only was defense huge, but Dirigo’s height was a problem for Calais, too. The Cougars’ top three rebounders (Clark, 5-9 Burns, and 5-8 Kaubris) combined for 28 rebounds. The Devils’ top three had 15 and the 5-8 Martin led Calais with seven.

“Part of our plan was to get an early lead and make them have to play to our size,” Kane said.

The Blue Devils rallied in the fourth quarter, eventually cutting the lead to 37-31 with 3:45 left when Lanna Martin scored on a put-back. But Calais kept sending Dirigo to the line.

The Blue Devils tried again to come back. Nanci Feck hit a 3-pointer with 39.3 seconds left and Morgan Drew laid up a Katie Welch steal and pass with 16.4 left to make it a four-point game.

Foul trouble struck again. Frost got her fifth and Burns made both free throws. Drew was called for her third and Clark hit her shots (she was 6-for-6 in the fourth).

The Cougars only made 13 of 25 free-throw attempts (Calais was 5-for-6), but it was enough.

“The foul line just killed us,” McShane said.

COUGARS 46, BLUE DEVILS 38

Calais (21-2) Dirigo (23-0)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

C. Martin 2 6 2 2 6 Crawford 0 0

L. Martin 6 18 1 1 13 Turbide 3 8 6

N. Feck 3 7 0 0 7 Stone 0 0 0

O’Brien 0 0 0 0 0 Clark 2 8 10

D. Feck 0 0 0 0 0 S. Weston 1 4

Welch 0 2 0 0 0 Keene 0 0 0

Frost 2 7 2 2 6 Kaubris 4 9 12

Drew 3 10 0 1 6 B. Weston 1 1 3

A. Burns 3 6 9

Hebert 0 0 0 0

D. Burns 0 0 0

Averill 1 1 0 2

Totals 16 50 5 6 38 15 37 13 25 46

Calais 10 18 20 38

Dirigo 12 20 30 46

3-pt. goals ? Calais (1-8): N. Feck 1-1, Welch 0-1, L. Martin 0-3, Frost 0-3; Dirigo (3-5): B. Weston 1-1, S. Weston 1-2, A. Burns 1-2