Penquis, the team in Boothbay's sights for this Saturday, March 2, is no stranger to the big stage.

In 1949 when the school was known as Milo High School, the team lost to Farmington in the state final, 54-35. In 1950 Milo returned and flipped the script on Farmington with a 49-48 victory. A year later Milo was again in the state final, where the school lost, 46-35, against Livermore Falls. In 1952 Milo returned to the state championship game for the fourth time in four years and notched its second state title with a 63-29 drubbing of Falmouth.

Milo wouldn't stay out of the hunt for long; in 1963 Milo returned but lost to Greely, 45-42. It would be another 36 years before a school from Milo would place a team in the state finals.

Milo, reborn as Penquis Valley High School, returned in 1999 to the state championship against old rival Falmouth. But, the Patriots lost, 58-36, in their return to state game. The next year Penquis brought back a golden ball to Milo for the first time in 37 years.

The team that lost in 2000 would go on to win the state title in 2001.

That team was Boothbay Region High School.