AUGUSTA – For Winslow guard Amanda Byrne, Saturday night’s Class B girls basketball state championship game against Yarmouth was a major challenge, yet simple in scope.

“We knew if we got into a half-court game it would turn out ugly for us, because our size couldn’t match up with their size,” said Byrne. “We knew if we got into a fast-paced game that we’d win. I think we did get into a fast-paced game.”

Thanks to Byrne and backcourt mate Brittany Morin, it was fast enough, as the Black Raiders took the lead midway through the first quarter and stymied several Yarmouth comeback bids for a 45-34 victory at the Augusta Civic Center.

The win gives 19-3 Winslow the program’s first gold ball, while Yarmouth ended its quest for similar first-time glory with a 20-2 record.

“All the credit goes to the kids and how hard they played,” said Black Raiders’ coach J.R. Richards. “I’m not sure I had much to do with it because I couldn’t hear myself think or talk out there, and there’s no way they heard me so they did a good job.”

Byrne scored 12 points, 10 in the first half as Winslow asserted its quick-strike capabilities against a Yarmouth team led by the formidable front line combo of 6-foot-3 senior Aylie Baker and 6-2 junior Meredith Shaw.

Three times Byrne struck from 3-point range to help the Black Raiders build a double-digit advantage midway through the second quarter.

“We helped down off Byrne twice and gave her two of her 3s uncontested,” said Yarmouth coach John Martin. “We worked on that all week. We knew what was going to happen, but we didn’t do what we practiced and that hasn’t happened to us much this year.”

When Byrne wasn’t striking from the perimeter, Winslow was able to generate some inside offense of its own, as 6-2 junior Stephanie Bossie scored eight first-half points to help Winslow to a 24-16 lead at the break.

And when Yarmouth tried to pressure the Black Raiders, Morin and Byrne handled it with relative ease – Winslow committed just 10 turnovers.

But Yarmouth battled back, closing to within 27-22 on a 3-pointer by senior guard Lexi Brunelle midway through the third quarter and staying within six with 3:07 left in the game after a three-point play by Colleen Tarpy.

Winslow found a decisive response in its youth, as freshman Lin Richards – the coach’s daughter – struck the game’s pivotal basket, a short baseline jumper off a feed from the penetrating Byrne. Richards was fouled on the play, and the subsequent free throw gave the Black Raiders a 39-30 lead with 2:28 remaining.

“I wasn’t sure if I should shoot it or not, but I could see them coming and I was just hoping I could get the shot off before they came,” said Richards. “I just shot it and it happened to go in and that was good.”

Shaw and Baker did combine for 22 points and 21 rebounds for Yarmouth, but the duo made just 8 of 29 shots from the field against the defense of Bossie and 6-foot junior Ashley Carter.

“We knew we had to stay in back of them and put our hands up,” said Bossie. “The way we saw it was if they got the basket over us, they earned their points.”

The Clippers also outrebounded Winslow 34-20, but couldn’t capitalize at the offensive end as Winslow harassed Yarmouth into 27 percent (12 of 44) shooting.

Bossie added 11 points for Winslow, while Shaw paced Yarmouth with 16 points and 11 boards.

“[Winslow was] everything we thought they’d be,” said Martin. “They’re a very good team, they play very good defense. We’re definitely their equal, I think, but tonight we didn’t show it. They’re a very good basketball team and they deserve it. They outplayed us tonight.”

BLACK RAIDERS 45, CLIPPERS 34

Winslow (19-3) Yarmouth (20-2)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Byrne 4 9 1 2 12 Saucier 0 1 0

L. Richards 1 2 2 3 4 Moylan 0 3 0

Morin 1 5 5 7 7 Lowell 0 1 0

Peters 0 0 1 2 1 McAllister 0 0

S. Pelletier 0 0 0 0 0 Tarpy 1 2 3

Lapointe 2 7 2 4 6 Brunelle 3 8

Carter 0 2 3 4 3 Attura 0 3 1

Bossie 3 6 5 7 11 Shaw 5 13 16

E. Richards 0 1 1 3 1 Taylor 0 0 0

Boutin 0 0 0 0 0 Glennon 0 0 0

McClarie 0 0 0 0 0 Baker 3 16 6

Totals 11 32 20 32 45 Totals 12 45 19 34

Winslow 14 24 30 45

Yarmouth 7 16 23 34

3-pt. goals – Winslow (3-6): Byrne 3-4, Lapointe 0-1, E. Richards 0-1; Yarmouth (2-9): Brunelle 2-5, Moylan 0-1, Saucier 0-1, Baker 0-1, Lowell 0-1