The Eastern Maine Class D girls basketball tournament field has a plethora of challengers for the gold ball – ranging from the St. John Valley in Aroostook County to the Moosehead Lake Region.

The challengers up north – Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook, Greater Houlton Christian Academy, Limestone/Maine School of Science and Mathematics, Ashland, Van Buren, and Washburn – are all in the mix, along with Greenville of Piscataquis County and Woodland from Washington County.

However, in any sport, to be the champ, you have to beat the champ. In this case, that champ is Lee Academy.

The Pandas, who are led by Karin Bird (16 points per game) and Amanda Gifford (12 ppg), haven’t competed against most of the top teams.

“We haven’t played any of those top five teams in ‘D,’ other than Woodland,” said Lee coach Ron Weatherbie.

The Pandas are one of the deeper teams in the field, with four players averaging more than 10 points per game (Dana Houghton at 11 and Aarika Ritchie 14, along with Bird and Gifford).

“We’ve done a good job in spreading out our offense,” Weatherbie said. “It hasn’t been just [one] person scoring, every night it’s been spread out.”

According to Woodland coach Arnie Clark, Lee is still one of the tougher teams, despite the Dragons owning two wins over the Pandas this year.

“We beat Lee twice in the regular season, but they’re the best team we’ve played,” Clark said. “They’re just fundamentally sound.”

Clark’s Dragons are led by the one-two punch of Courtney Cochran and Michelle Ferry, who stand 5-foot-9 and 5-10, respectively.

“I think we’re a defensively sound team, we have a good presence underneath with Courtney Cochran and Michelle Ferry,” Clark said. “We like a man-to-man defense, I think we match up better like that.”

Rachel Torrey runs the point for Woodland, and Clark said she has “outstanding quickness and has good offensive skills.”

Meanwhile up in Piscataquis County, the Greenville Lakers, who have only two losses – both to undefeated Valley of Bingham of Western Maine Class D – have virtually every starter back from a team that lost to Lee in the second round a year ago.

The Lakers, who have also played the likes of Rangeley and Forest Hills of Jackman, are led by 6-0 center and 1,000-point scorer Beth Bartley, who averages 14.9 points and 10 rebounds per game.

“Our big strength is our height, and we’re a fairly athletic team,” said Greenville coach Woodie Bartley, who is Beth Bartley’s father.

Hannah Breton (11 ppg) complements Bartley in providing offensive punch.

Southern Aroostook is quite possibly the most well-rounded team in Class D, with a good, solid mix of post players and quick guards.

Point guard Kaylea Collier runs the offense for the Warriors while 5-10 center Shana Martin mans the post.

“Offensively, we’ve got three strong post players,” coach Jessica Porter said. “You talk about having a balanced attack. We recognize when we need to be shooting from outside, and there’s nights where post players come up big.”

Thousand-point scorer Audrey Charette tops SAHS’s offense while sister Amanda is one of the Warriors’ top players off the bench.

Ashland is led by Ashley Nemer and Whitney Flint, who average 14 ppg apiece. Coach Bill Nemer’s Hornets aren’t the deepest team in the field, with only nine players on the roster, but Nemer and Flint are a tough one-two punch who aren’t afraid to shoot from the perimeter.

“Both Ashley and Whitney can hit 3-point shots, both of them usually get one a game,” said Bill Nemer, Ashley Nemer’s father.

Angela Belskis has also been a solid scorer for the Hornets, averaging 8.5 ppg.

Then there’s Greater Houlton Christian, which got off to a rolling start before suffering some tough losses late in the season. The Eagles, coached by Vaughn Farrar, are led by Sarah Riopel and Lacey Farrar.

“They play aggressive, they keep coming at you,” Nemer said of the Eagles, whom his Hornets fell to twice during the regular season.