When the 2012-13 Boothbay Region High School boys varsity basketball season dawned in November, the team had one goal:

To go out and compete with with some of the Western Class C's toughest teams and show that Boothbay wouldn't back down.

To that end, the mission has been accomplished; the Seahawks narrowly missed becoming conference champs after losing to Dirigo at an exhibition game and they suffered only one regular season loss – against Mountain Valley.

Now, a goal has been set: Bring back Gold Ball No. 2.

The Seahawks came into the year with a mix of veteran playmakers and young talent. Head Coach I.J. Pinkham said before the season that if thing broke right and the Seahawks bought into the system good things would happen.

But competing March 2 against Milo's Penquis Valley High School Patriots is above and beyond what Pinkham had in mind for his overachieving team.

In fact, Pinkham said he didn't see his team of four seniors and eight underclassmen making it to the big game.

“No, I didn't when the season started,” Pinkham said with a chuckle. “I had no idea we'd get to the state championship game.”

The seniors, led by captains Anthony DiMauro and Lincoln Simmons, were able to fortify a team that featured five sophomores and three juniors.

Simply put, things broke right for Boothbay.

“I just know they like playing together,” Pinkham said. “I think they all like each other and they all get along really well.”

Of all the stats the team accrued during the season, Pinkham pointed to one above all else: one day of practice missed.

“We've had a kid out with an extended illness, but other than that only one other kid missed a day of practice,” he said. “These guys show up and they put in the work. They will take it easy if you let them, but if you make them work they will work.”

The team lost one regular season game January 3 against Mountain Valley, then was upset by Dirigo for the Mountain Valley crown.

The team came back with a vengeance, though, and blew threw the Western portion of Class C with little resistance.

The Seahawks entered the playoffs with a top seeding and a bye, then handled rival Wiscasset, 67-43, in the quarterfinals. The semifinals were much the same story when Boothbay handled Madison, 55-43. The finals win over Waynflete set up the meeting with Penquis in the state championship game.

The two teams have history: in 2000 the Penquis Patriots and Seahawks met with a title on the line and Penquis was able to bring a Gold Ball back to Milo. The next year Boothbay brought home a title of its own when it won over Piscataquis.

Now, expectations already exceeded, the Seahawks turn their gaze upon banner No. 2.

“Honestly, I knew we were good, but maybe not this good,” Simmons said. “(Winning a title) was always in the back of my mind, though.”

With the Patriots featuring a running, gunning playmaker in Isaiah Bess, Simmons said the Seahawks need to do just one thing: Stick to the script that brought them to the final game.

“We match up well with (Penquis),” he said. “But we're going to run the floor; we're going to work harder.”

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 207-633-4620 or bbulkeley@boothbayregister.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BBRegisterBen.