Rare is the schoolboy basketball star who twice is named a recipient of the William C. Warner Award as most valuable player of his Eastern Maine tournament.

Even rarer is the player honored in back-to-back years while playing for two different schools.

In fact, Josh Madden of Calvary Chapel Christian School is the first member of that latter category. The 6-foot-1 forward was recognized a year ago while leading Bangor Christian to the Eastern Maine Class D championship. Now a student at Calvary Chapel, a second-year school based in Orrington, Madden capped off the Sabers’ run to similar championship glory with a 31-point, 18-rebound effort in the regional final – and for that effort has been named tourney MVP for the second straight year.

Madden is only the second player since the inception of the Warner award in 1994 to win two straight MVP titles at any school. Sam Henderson of Hodgdon won the honor in both 1995 and 1996.

Joining Madden as 2004 Eastern Maine tournament MVPs are sophomore forward Mark Socoby of Houlton in Class C and senior guard Matt Donar of Erskine Academy of South China in Class B. Like Madden, both Socoby and Donar used the versatility within their games to lead their teams to EM titles.

The Warner Award was established in 1994 in honor of the late Bill Warner, who served as Bangor Daily News sports editor for 17 years.

The Eastern Maine tournament MVPs and NEWS All-Tournament Team members are selected by a vote of tournament officials, Maine Principals’ Association members, and members of the media.

CLASS B – Donar led Erskine to its first regional title in boys basketball since the school opened in 1883, and for his contribution was named to the NEWS All-Tournament Team for the second straight year. The 6-foot Donar averaged 17.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists, including 15 points and seven assists as the Eagles defeated defending state champion Winslow in the EM final.

Donar is joined on the Class B squad by Erskine teammates Darrell Haskell and Josh Jones. Haskell, a 6-3 junior point guard, averaged 12 points and six assists during tourney play. He had 18 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in a quarterfinal win over Maranacook of Readfield and 16 points and five assists in the title game.

Jones, a 6-4 junior forward, was named to the team for the second straight year. He averaged 14.7 points and six rebounds per game and shot an astounding 81 percent (18 of 22) from the field despite battling periodic foul trouble.

Adam Duplisea, a 6-3 senior forward, led Hermon to its berth in the regional final by blending a strong perimeter game with timely work near the basket. Duplisea averaged 20 points and seven rebounds for the Hawks, highlighted by a 27-point, nine-rebound effort in a quarterfinal win over Ellsworth.

Junior Matt Carey led Foxcroft Academy to its second straight semifinal appearance. The son of Foxcroft coach David Carey, Matt averaged 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in two tourney games for the top-ranked Ponies. The 6-3 forward scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds in Foxcroft’s quarterfinal victory over Presque Isle.

CLASS C – Socoby averaged 18.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, five assists, and three blocked shots per game while showing his ability to play virtually every position on the court. Those skills were perhaps most noticeable during the fourth quarter of Houlton’s championship-game victory over Washington Academy, when the 6-6 sophomore amassed four points, three assists, two steals, and a blocked shot. For the game, he had 27 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks.

Teammate Dustin Edwards was the Shiretowners’ top complementary scorer, particularly from the perimeter where he made nine of 19 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. The 6-2 senior had five 3-pointers in the regional final and finished the tournament with averages of 16.7 points and five rebounds.

Washington Academy of East Machias was led to its berth in the EM final by the tandem of guard Jared Gray and forward James Ramsdell. Gray, a 5-11 senior who averaged 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds, scored 17 points in the final, including eight over the first 3:39 of the second half to rally the Raiders to a six-point lead.

Ramsdell worked the interior for top-seeded Washington Academy, averaging 12.3 points and eight rebounds. He had 16 points and 12 boards in a semifinal win over Stearns of Millinocket, including two key offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter that he converted into baskets to give the Raiders the lead for good.

Derek DiFrederico, a lightning-quick senior guard, led Stearns to its semifinal berth with a 28-point effort in a quarterfinal victory over Calais. He followed that up with a 13-point, six-assist performance in the semifinals against Washington Academy.

CLASS D – Madden was the primary offensive threat for an undefeated Calvary Chapel team that averaged 86 points in three tournament games. The 6-1 senior averaged 30 points and 12.3 rebounds, and set Eastern D records for most 3-point goals in a game (seven) and tournament (13). Madden, who made 13 of 25 tries from long range overall, helped the Sabers set team marks of 13 3-pointers in a game and 30 in a tournament.

Madden was aided in that long-distance assault by teammate Kyle Bradford, a 6-foot senior guard who made 12 3-pointers during the tournament, including six in a semifinal win over East Grand of Danforth. Bradford, an honorable mention all-tourney pick as a sophomore playing for Bangor Christian, averaged 17.7 points and five rebounds for the tournament.

Bradford’s younger brother, sophomore point guard Brock Bradford, was the architect of Calvary Chapel’s high-scoring attack, as well as the Sabers’ top perimeter defender. Brock Bradford averaged 14 points, 9.3 assists, and five rebounds per game, with 20 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds in a quarterfinal victory over Van Buren.

Bryan Grew returns to the All-Tournament Team for the second straight year after leading Central Aroostook of Mars Hill to the brink of an Eastern Maine championship. The 6-foot senior forward had 21 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists in the Panthers’ overtime loss to Calvary Chapel in the regional final. For the tournament, he averaged 22 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.

Teammate Andrew York, a 6-1 sophomore guard, scored a team-high 22 points for Central Aroostook against Calvary Chapel. He also had 20 points in the Panthers’ semifinal win over Katahdin of Stacyville, and averaged 20.0 points and six rebounds for the tournament.

All-Tourney Teams

Class B

Pos. Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

G Matt Donar* Erskine Academy Sr. 6-0 17.3 4.7

F Adam Duplisea Hermon Sr. 6-3 20.0 7.0

G Darrell Haskell Erskine Academy Jr. 6-3 12.0 4.0

F Josh Jones Erskine Academy Jr. 6-4 14.7 6.0

F Matt Carey Foxcroft Academy Jr. 6-3 14.5 8.5

Honorable Mention: Jesse Keith (Hermon), Erik Lopez (Winslow), Brandon Hall (Foxcroft), Adam Haskell (Winslow), Steve Childs (Erskine)

Class C

Pos. Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

F Mark Socoby* Houlton So. 6-6 18.3 12.7

G Jared Gray Washington Acad. Sr. 5-11 16.3 6.7

F Dustin Edwards Houlton Sr. 6-2 16.7 5.0

F James Ramsdell Washington Acad. Jr. 6-2 12.3 8.0

G Derek DiFrederico Stearns Sr. 5-10 20.5 4.0

Honorable Mention: Whitney Stevens (Washington Academy), Matt LeGassey (Stearns), Mark Hanington (Schenck), Jordan Allen (Penquis), Brett Miles (Houlton)

Class D

Pos. Name School Yr. Ht. PPG RPG

F Josh Madden* Calvary Chapel Sr. 6-1 30.0 12.3

F Kyle Bradford Calvary Chapel Sr. 6-0 17.7 5.0

G Brock Bradford Calvary Chapel So. 6-0 14.0 5.0

F Bryan Grew Central Aroostook Sr. 6-0 22.0 10.7

G Andrew York Central Aroostook So. 6-1 20.0 6.0

Honorable Mention: Darius Parker (East Grand), Jason Woodworth (Central Aroostook), Patrick Willett (Katahdin), Jimmy Griffin (Hodgdon), Tyler Gans (Calvary Chapel)

*?William C. Warner Award winner