The Mattanawcook Academy boys basketball team hasn’t won a regional title since Dwight Eisenhower was president. And it appears that the girls team has never won one, based on available records and their coach.
Both teams will keep working to rewrite that history on Saturday as they compete in the Class C North finals at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. The girls will play Penobscot Valley at 6 p.m. and the boys will play Madawaska at 7:45 p.m.
The boys team isn’t just trying to add to its school’s history, it’s also reconnected with it.
“One of the cool things that we were able to do was we were actually able to make a connection with the 55-56 team, which was the last group that got to a state game for Mattanawcook,” boys coach Adam Mahaney said after his team’s 83-51 semifinal win on Thursday night. “And we brought a couple of their players to the gym one night when we were playing.”
He described it as an exciting experience for everyone involved.
“To see them and the excitement that they had for our kids — and our kids kind of relished meeting them and just getting to see, hey, this is a team that you’re chasing — it was pretty cool,” Mahaney added.
He and girls coach Pat House appreciated the Lincoln community’s support.
“I think it’s a great thing that’s happening right now. With both programs having success throughout the year, and now both heading into a regional final, the community is really coming together,” House said.
Community members held a brunch for both teams, have supported them on the streets as they’ve left town to play in Bangor, and have brought a sizable crowd to those Cross Center games, Mahaney said.
The teams have been supporting each other as well. Both had strong regular seasons with the girls going 16-2 and the boys a perfect 18-0.
“We support them, they support us like crazy,” said House. “It’s not like Lincoln is a huge community. Everybody knows everybody, and has got somebody that they’re connected to that is part of one of our rosters.”
He highlighted how there are some families with sons and daughters on both teams, as just one example of those connections.
“So that makes it really fun and unique that, you don’t walk down the street or go into a convenience store without somebody saying, ‘Hey, go Lynx,” House said. “And that’s what Maine high school basketball should be about.”
Both of the Mattanawcook girls’ losses this year came at the hands of Penobscot Valley from Howland, who enter the regional final with a perfect 18-0 record after scoring at least 80 points in each of their first two tournament games. The Howland girls set multiple 3-point shooting tournament records in their Thursday win over Calais.
“We’ve got to play our best game,” House said about the matchup. “We know exactly what [Penobscot Valley] can do, how talented they are, how well-coached they are, how stifling their defense can be and how chaotic their defensive pressure can be. We’re going to have to go into that game with an understanding of what we need to do well, and then execute that to the highest level.”
“We’re excited to be in a regional final, and we’re going to give it our best shot, and the girls are excited,” House added.
Asked about the Mattanawcook girls’ history in the tournament, House said he “did some digging last season” into results going back through the early 1980s.
“I think that the only two regional final appearances were in the 2001 season and the 2007-2008 season. They both lost in those regional finals. But those are the only two appearances on the girls side. So again, we’re pretty excited.”
The Mattanawcook girls beat Dexter 35-32 on Thursday afternoon to advance to the C North regional final. The boys team won later that night over Fort Kent.
The boys fell behind early in both of their two tournament games so far, but battled back to get the win each time.
To Sophomore guard Kooper McCarthy, the team’s success has meant a lot to Lincoln.
“We had a police escort this morning, and it felt like the whole town was honking at us, waving at us,” McCarthy said. “I think it’s just bringing the community together, so to speak.”
Mahaney said that the school’s gym had already been “fairly packed” to start the season, but noted that the crowds have gotten bigger and louder as the season has progressed.
“I’ve told the kids every time, when we’re here, just embrace the moment, appreciate it, the community is here supporting you,” Mahaney said. “And they’re not going to give up on you guys. And this group, they don’t give up.”