BANGOR – In a game of big runs, the Stearns boys from Millinocket made the last one. More importantly, they made it stand up.

A 17-4 run that capped the third quarter and opened the fourth proved to be the difference as the fourth-seeded Minutemen posted a 71-63 Eastern Maine Class C quarterfinal victory over No. 5 Calais at the Bangor Auditorium Tuesday night.

The Minutemen improve to 13-6 and will play top-ranked Washington Academy of East Machias in a 3:35 p.m. semifinal Friday. Washington Academy (17-2) defeated No. 8 Piscataquis of Guilford 68-46.

Stearns opened up a 27-10 lead early in the second quarter with an 11-0 run, but Calais answered emphatically with an 18-2 run. Stearns limped into halftime with a one-point lead.

“They came out with that 1-3-1 halfcourt trap, and we didn’t move the ball well against it,” said Stearns coach Wade Duplisea. “We just talked about where they needed to be, and they broke that up and started hitting their shots.”

Craig Jandreau (10 points) and Derek DiFrederico (28) hit a couple shots for an 8-2 run that helped Stearns grab some momentum and a 40-35 lead, but the 11-3 run that lasted into the first minute of the fourth quarter and involved five different scorers seized control for Stearns.

The Minutemen won the game by winning two key battles – rebounding and foul shots. Stearns hit 15 of 23 foul shots in the second half (23 of 34 overall) and outrebounded the Devils 40-28.

“They made their foul shots and we couldn’t get to the line. That was pretty much it,” said Calais coach Keith Ogden, who was assessed a technical foul during the 11-3 run. “It was a frustrating game … No doubt about it.”

Senior center Matt LeGassey led the Minutemen on the boards with 16 rebounds, most coming from the right block. He finished with 18 points.

“I guess that’s just my lucky side. I usually pick that side, but I’m left-handed, so that’s probably part of it,” said LeGassey, one of only six players used in the game. “I’m drained right now, but it’s fun, especially when you win.”

Matt Barnett had nine rebounds. Steve Cyr was solid all-around with eight points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Junior forward Garrett Dickerson led 13-7 Calais with 20 points on 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point range and grabbed 11 rebounds. Senior guard Scott MacDonald had 17 points, eight boards and five assists. Chris Woodside chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds.

In Tuesday’s late quarterfinal, Washington Academy outscored Piscataquis 17-4 over the final 5:41 of the first half to break open what had been a one-point game.

Senior guard Jared Gray, one of the Raiders’ two 1,000-point scorers, was a catalyst, scoring five points and dishing out three assists during the run.

Gray scored 15 of his team-high 17 points in the first half as WA moved out to a 35-21 lead.

“We wanted to come out and get off to a good start and show that we’re the No. 1 seed,” said Gray. “We shot well from the outside early, and that got us going.”

WA shot well for the entire game, making 30 of 56 attempts from the field. The Raiders also used their height advantage to outrebound the Pirates 38-26.

“They were tough,” said Piscataquis coach Jamie Russell, whose team ends its season at 11-9. “They pressed well, they shot well, they rebounded well, and their defense impressed me, too.”

Gray was one of four Raiders to score in double figures. Ryan Harmon added 13 points, Whitney Stevens 11 and James Ramsdell 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Stevens, WA’s other 1,000-point scorer, was held in check during the first half but broke loose for a pair of baskets and six assists during the third quarter as the Raiders extended their lead beyond 20 points.

Stevens scored from the lane to ignite an 8-0 run at the outset of the second half. He later fed Gray and Jarred Sternbergh for baskets before capping the run with another jumper to give the Raiders a 43-21 lead with six minutes left in the period.

“Jared [Gray] really carried us in the first half, and Whitney and Ryan put it together in the second half,” said WA coach Chad Fitzsimmons. “Whitney put on a show in the third quarter, and Ryan hit some shots.”

Piscataquis shot just 30 percent (18 of 60) from the field, as the shorter Pirates were unable to establish anything inside against a WA frontcourt led by Sternbergh and Ramsdell.

“I think I’m most proud of our defense,” said Fitzsimmons. “To give up 46 points in a game like this is a good job, and even when they scored we made them take 30 or 40 seconds off the clock.”

Josh Luellen, one of four seniors on a Piscataquis roster that also included five freshmen, scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Piscataquis. Ryan Yeo added 12 points and Joe Jardine 10 for the Pirates.

MINUTEMEN 71, BLUE DEVILS 63

Calais boys (13-7) Stearns (13-6)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Smith 3 11 0 0 7 Cyr 3 7 8

Dickerson 8 15 0 0 20 DiFrederico 9 21 10 14 28

R.McLean 3 9 1 2 9 C.Jandreau 5 10

MacDonald 6 22 4 4 17 Barnett 2 7 6

Reynolds 1 4 0 0 2 McInnis 0 0 1

Guthrie 0 0 0 0 0 LeGassey 5 11 18

Woodside 3 9 1 2 8

Blake 0 0 0 0 0

Totals 24 70 6 8 63 24 49 23 34 71

Calais 10 31 40 63

Stearns 22 32 49 71

3-pt. goals ? Calais (9-22): Dickerson 4-5, R. McLean 2-7, Woodside 1-2, Smith 1-2, MacDonald 1-6; Stearns (0-6): Cyr 0-2, DiFrederico 0-4

RAIDERS 68, PIRATES 46

Piscataquis (11-9) Washington Acad. (17-2)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Weymouth 0 0 0 0 0 Je. Gray 1 2

Wharff 1 7 0 0 2 Harmon 5 9 13

Erickson 1 8 0 0 3 Albee 0 0 0

Yeo 4 14 3 4 12 Ramsdell 5 8 10

Je. Robinson 0 0 0 0 0 Ja. Gray 7 17

Luellen 6 11 5 6 17 Hostetter 1 2

S. Tracy 0 0 0 0 0 Colbeth 0 1 0

J. Tracy 0 1 0 0 0 Wood 1 4 3

Burdin 0 0 0 0 0 Steinbergh 2 4

Jardine 5 15 0 2 10 Stevens 5 11 11

Wilson 1 3 0 0 2 Merritt 0 2 0

Ja. Robinson 0 1 0 0 0 Look 2 3 4

Jessiman 1 3 2

Von Rotz 0 0 0

Totals 18 60 8 12 46 30 56 15 68

Piscataquis 12 21 31 46

Washington Academy 16 35 56 68

3-pt. goals ? Piscataquis (2-18): Erickson 1-2, Yeo 1-4, Ja. Robinson 0-1, Luellen 0-2, Wharff 0-3, Jardine 0-6; Washington Academy (3-9): Harmon 2-4, Ja. Gray 1-2, Wood 0-1, Stevens 0-2