The 2020 Class C South girls basketball tournament bracket was already busted even before the eight teams arrived in Augusta. In the preliminary round, No. 11 Traip Academy ousted No. 6 Monmouth Academy and No. 9 Carrabec beat No. 8 Madison. When the tournament began Feb. 18, Traip continued the streak of lower seeds’ victories by overwhelming No. 3 North Yarmouth Academy, 48-27. But the bevy of upsets ended when the defending Class C State Champion took the court. Boothbay scored the game’s first seven points against No. 7 Sacopee Valley and never looked back. The Lady Seahawks routed Sacopee Valley, 55-35, in a regional quarterfinal matchup Feb. 18.

Sacopee Valley finished with a 10-8 record in the Western Maine Athletic Conference. The Hawks are an undersized, fast, aggressive full-court pressing team. Sacopee put all its hopes in continuing the wave of upsets with a 2-2-1 full-court zone press. But the Hawks’ speed and pressure didn’t phase Boothbay, as the defense caused only one turnover in the first half.

On offense, Boothbay sharp-shooter Haley Abbott scored eight of her 10 points in the second quarter. She connected on a 17-footer followed by two 3-pointers which added to Boothbay’s lead, which reached 28-9 midway in the second quarter. The first half ended with Boothbay holding an overwhelming 34-10 lead.

In the days leading up to the tournament, Boothbay studied a Sacopee Valley-Kents Hill game film. The Lady Seahawks were prepared for Sacopee’s  full- and half-court defenses. At times this season, Boothbay has struggled against a zone defense, but against Sacopee, the Seahawks found the gaps in the Hawks’ zone. Abbott, a junior, battled sickness for most of the season. As she began regaining her health, her minutes have increased as well as her confidence. She was a prime target in the Lady Seahawks’ perimeter attack.  “I’ve been going to the Y more practicing my shot,” Abbott said. “My mom has also been encouraging me to go to the Y and practice my shot more, too.” 

Besides Abbott, Boothbay lit up the scoreboard with other perimeter shooters. Glory Blethen combined inside/outside scoring for 15 points. Chloe Arsenault and Kylie Brown each had six points. Coach Blethen would shout “Hit it!” as the ball matriculated toward an open Lady Seahawk for a perimeter shot. “At times, I think our shooters need a little coaxing,” he said. “They all have the green light to shoot.”

The Boothbay inside game was also potent with sophomore Jaelyn Crocker, who scored 15 points. Crocker played a strong game in scoring and rebounding. She also enjoys playing in Augusta. “I really enjoy the atmosphere and pressure, I like all the stress, and I really think it helps my game,” she said.

Besides being healthy, Boothbay has another advantage working in its favor. In the past three years, Arsenault and Blethen have started in eight tournament games with seven played in Augusta. Senior Maddy Faulkingham and junior Kylie Brown played significant roles in last year’s state championship team. So Boothbay is well aware of tournament pressure. “I ask those four players before the game ‘How many games have you each  played here?’ So we are familiar with the surroundings which should work to our advantage this week,” Coach Blethen said. 

Other Seahawk scorers were Josie Smith with two and Emilie Crocker with one.

On Thursday, No. 2  Boothbay (17-2) plays No. 11 Traip Academy (10-10) at 2 p.m.