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A repeat almost didn’t seem possible for the Penobscot Valley girls of Howland earlier in the season.
The Howlers won a Class C state title last year, but after dropping down to Class D, they somehow became a bit of an underdog. After losing three games during the regular season to top-seeded Bangor Christian, there was a question whether the Howlers would even make it out of the regional tournament.
But they put those questions to rest again and again.
The Howlers upset Bangor Christian during the regional semifinals, and they put an exclamation point on another magical season by beating Mt. Abram 42-35 in the Class D state championship game.
The usual suspects were there once again for the Howlers as they secured their second-straight title.
Junior guard Brooklynn Raymond, who was named Class D North girls MVP earlier in the week, was big once again with the Howlers. Her flurry of 3-pointers kept Penobscot Valley in the game after a strong Mt. Abram start. Another three to start the second quarter put the Howlers up 24-22 and helped them take control in the final half.
Senior forward Lila Cummings patrolled the paint for Penobscot Valley and provided a critical string of offensive rebounds and buckets down low for the Howlers.
Cummings added what may have been the two most important plays of the game with a pair of late blocks on the defensive end. The first preserved a three-point lead for her team as Mt. Abram seemed to be building momentum, and the second did the same to maintain a four-point lead.
The senior forward added a free-throw at the other end to stretch her team’s favorable margin to five, and that provided just enough breathing room for the Howlers.
Cummings led the team in both scoring and rebounding, earning a 15-point, 16-rebound double-double. Raymond had 13 points for the Howlers.
Junior forward Abby Farley added two consequential 3-pointers in the second half to help the Howlers take control of the game and bring home a second-straight state championship.