BANGOR – Undefeated Cony of Augusta got one of its stiffer tests of the regular season from an upstart Messalonskee of Oakland team that featured four sophomore starters.

But that was the regular season.

Cony dominated Messalonskee in their rematch Thursday night, using stifling defense and dominant inside play – along with a 29-0 second-half run – to whip the Eagles 62-30 in an Eastern Maine Class A girls basketball semifinal at the Bangor Auditorium.

The top-ranked and defending regional champions (20-0) will face No. 2 Skowhegan (18-2) in Saturday afternoon’s Eastern A final.

Messalonskee ended its season with a 16-5 record.

Cony limited Messalonskee to 31 percent shooting (13 of 42) from the field, including 21 percent (7 of 34) over the first three quarters. The Rams also held the Eagles to just three 3-point goals – a weapon that had served Messalonskee well in a 57-48 loss to Cony on Jan. 11.

“Our defensive intensity was up, and what we had worked on in practice came out perfect,” said Cony coach Paul Vachon. “I couldn’t ask for more.

“We’ve really worked hard on defense the last two weeks, and it’s paying off.”

Cony shook off nine first-half turnovers to grab a 30-15 lead at the break, then spotted Messalonskee the first basket of the third quarter before running off 29 unanswered points over an 11-minute, 12-second span that lasted until midway through the final period.

Sophomore Cassie Cooper scored the first six points of the run, the first 15 points of which gave the Rams a 45-17 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Senior center Katie Rollins scored six of Cony’s last eight points during the blitz, which finally ended on a layup by the Eagles’ Amanda Barker with 4:19 left in the game.

By that time, Cony had a 59-19 lead over a Messalonskee team that hadn’t lost a regular-season game by more than 12 points.

“The last game against us they played unbelievably well, they shot the lights out,” said Cooper. “This time we had a hard week of practice, and we had all the momentum going for us.

“We played awesome. Everything clicked that we’ve been working on for a week.”

Cooper, a 6-foot-2 forward, finished 17 points, 15 rebounds, three steals, and two blocked shots in leading a Cony front line that often featured three 6-footers in Cooper, the 6-2 Rollins, and 6-foot freshman Rachael Mack.

“Cassie’s a great sophomore, and she’s going to be a great player, she’s only starting to come into her own,” Vachon said. “I think she likes playing here. She’s had some great games here the last two years.”

Cooper, Rollins, and Mack combined for 45 points and 25 rebounds against a Messalonskee lineup with no one taller than its lone starting senior, 5-8 Jenna Lettenberger.

Rollins scored a game-high 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting and grabbed five rebounds, while Mack came off the bench to add 10 points and five boards.

Cony outrebounded Messalonskee 35-16.

“We just couldn’t match their size,” said Messalonskee coach John Donato. “I didn’t have any answer for that. We tried everything.”

Lettenberger led Messalonskee with nine points and six rebounds – with six of her points coming in the fourth quarter.

RAMS 62, EAGLES 30

Messalonskee (16-5) Cony (20-0)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

C. Barker 2 11 0 0 4 White 0 0 0

Busque 1 6 0 0 3 Mason 2 3 5

A. Barker 3 9 0 0 7 Rende 3 5 6

Stuart 1 1 0 0 3 Tyler 0 1 0

Oliver 0 0 0 0 0 Albert 0 0 0

Bridges 0 0 0 0 0 Doak 0 1 0

Perry 0 0 0 0 0 Nimon 1 4 3

Lettenberger 4 8 1 2 9 Cheever 0 0 1

Duren 0 0 0 0 0 Cooper 5 9 17

Roderigue 2 7 0 0 4 Cloutier 0 0

Mack 3 5 4 10

Henderson 1 2 2

Rollins 9 12 0 18

Pratt 0 1 0 0

Pelkey 0 2 0 0

Totals 13 42 1 2 30 24 45 11 17 62

Messalonskee 8 15 17 30

Cony 15 30 45 62

3-pt. goals – Messalonskee (3-12): Stuart 1-1, A. Barker 1-3, Busque 1-4, C. Barker 0-1, Roderigue 0-3; Cony (3-8): Cooper 1-1, Mason 1-2, Nimon 1-3, Rende 0-1, Henderson 0-1