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The Mattanawcook Academy Lynx have been a dominant force in northern Maine all season. And the girls from Lincoln brought their relentless game south on Saturday and are heading home with a Class C state championship.
The Lynx survived a strong test by the South region’s top team in Class C, as Spruce Mountain made things close in the second half. But Mattanawcook would not be denied as they fought for a 54-40 victory.
It certainly did not come easy. Mattanawcook led 29-23 at halftime, but Spruce Mountain clawed even closer in the third quarter.
Clockwise, from upper left: Aisla Armandi of Spruce Mountain High School scores a two pointer late in the second quarter of the Class C State Championship game against Mattanawcook High School at the Augusta Civic Center; Aisla Armandi of Spruce Mountain converts a turnover she forced into two points in the second quarter of the Class C State Championship game against Mattanawcook High; Alaina Kachnovich drives to the hoop after a fast break down the court in the Class C State Championship game against Mattanawcook High at the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday evening; Natalie Turner of Mattanawcook blows past two Spruce Mountain defenders to sink a two pointer in the Class C State Championship game at the Augusta Civic Center. Credit: Josh O’Donnell / BDN
Junior guard Natasha McDonald’s basket in transition for Spruce Mountain cut the Lynx lead to 35-34. But senior forward Addison Cyr was there for Mattanawcook, like she has been all year, to add a huge bucket and put the Lynx back up by three heading into the fourth quarter.
Cyr and her fellow senior teammates simply would not let the Lynx stumble late.
Forward Chloe De La Cruz hauled in an offensive rebound and extended the Mattanawcook lead to five with a bucket down low. Guard House provided her own offensive rebound and put-back to stretch the lead to seven, and another two points from Cyr gave the Lynx even more breathing room.
Even after some responses by Spruce Mountain, Mattanawcook’s two career 1,000-point scorers were there to slam the door shut. House made a timely 3-pointer and Cyr kept scoring in the paint, making sure the Lynx lead continued to hover around 10.
Cyr led the scoring for the Lynx with 25 points. House had 14.
Mattanawcook ended the season a perfect 22-0, and Spruce Mountain finished 20-2.