The defending two-time state Class C champion Calais High School Blue Devils spotted the ninth-seeded Dexter High School Tigers a 6-0 lead in their Eastern Maine Class C quarterfinal at the Bangor Auditorium Tuesday night.

Then they parlayed their exceptional athleticism and throttling man-to-man defense into a 35-5 run that carried them to their 61st consecutive triumph, 59-32.

Top seed Calais is now 17-0 and will face No. 5 Houlton, 10-9, in Friday’s 3:35 p.m. semifinal. Dexter finished at 15-5.

“Whenever we get down like we did, it gives us more incentive to play better defense,” said Calais senior forward Rod Tirrell, who paced the Blue Devils with a game-high 22 points, including all 11 of his team’s points in the third quarter. “Our motto is defense and pride. We never give up.”

Dexter opened the game with 3-pointers from Ethan Woodman and Rick Stewart but they missed its final six field goals of the quarter as Calais reeled off 15 unanswered points to close out the quarter.

Calais ran full-court and half-court man-to- man presses with exemplary precision, double- and triple-teaming the ball and forcing the Tigers into numerous turnovers and rushed shots.

“And we limited them to one shot,” said Calais coach Ed Leeman, referring to his team’s thorough defensive rebounding.

Cal Shorey had six points and brother Cam Shorey had four in the first period.

The 6-foot-4 Tirrell broke the game open with consecutive 3-pointers and a layup off a steal in the midst of an 18-0 second-quarter run that built the lead to 35-11.

Tirrell said he got into a zone “once I hit my first three, 3-pointers.”

“They are, easily, the best team we’ve played this season,” said Dexter senior guard Stewart. “They can all handle the ball and even their big kids can shoot [outside].”

Tirrell had four rebounds to go with his 22 points. Freshman Cam Shorey had 11 points off the bench and grabbed seven rebounds.

Junior Cal Shorey had 10 rebounds to go with six points and Sam Bell scored nine points.

Gavin Cote capped an outstanding season and career with a team-high eight points and nine rebounds for Dexter.

Woodman and Stewart combined for 11 points.

Dexter was limited to 30.9 percent shooting from the floor (13-for-42).

Calais shot 46.6 percent from the floor (26-for-56).

lmahoney@bangordailynews.net

990-8231

BLUE DEVILS 59, TIGERS 32

Dexter (15-5) Calais (17-0)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Woodman 2 7 1 2 6 Cal Shry 3 6

Stewart 2 8 0 0 5 Bell 4 10 9

Peirce 1 3 0 0 3 O’Neill 1 3 2

Eastman 0 1 0 0 0 Leeman 0 1 1

Cote 4 11 0 0 8 Tirrell 9 15 1 22

Mountain 1 3 0 0 3 S. Cvngh 1 2

Jewett 0 1 0 0 0 Cam Shry 5 14 1 1 11

Lary 0 3 0 0 0 Carr 1 1 0 2

Clark 1 3 0 0 2 Blake 1 1 2

Chambers 0 0 0 0 0 Ross 1 1 2

Clukey 0 0 0 0 0 Rogers 0 0 0

Grant 0 0 0 0 0 R. Cvngh 0 0

Giles 1 1 0 1 2 Oliver 0 1 0

Trivette 1 1 0 0 3

Totals 13 42 1 3 32 Totals 26 56 59

Dexter 6 13 17 32

Calais 15 35 46 59

3-pt. goals – Dexter (5-12): Woodman 1-2, Stewart 1-2, Peirce 1-2, Mountain 1-1, Lary 0-2, Trivette 1-1, Cote 0-1, Jewett 0-1, Mountain 1-; Calais (3-7): Tirrell 3-4, Leeman 0-1, Bell 0-1, Cam. Shorey 0-1