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Lila Cummings and Rylee Moulton have had high school careers youngsters can only dream about.
The two seniors from Penobscot Valley High School in Howland have helped lead the Howlers to five state championships during their impressive careers: three in Class D soccer and two in basketball, with one in Class C and the other in Class D.
Now they can conclude their careers with a sixth state title and their first in softball when the Howlers face North Yarmouth Academy in the Class D championship game at 4 p.m. at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.
It will be Penobscot Valley’s third straight state championship game appearance. The Howlers lost to Buckfield 5-0 a year ago and 2-1 to NYA two years ago.
First baseman Cummings said it would mean a “lot to us” to claim the softball title.
“A lot of our players are three-sport athletes and to complete that, especially for the seniors, who have tried and tried to get all three, would be great,” Cummings said.
Moulton agreed it would be special to win it.
“It would definitely mean a lot to us, especially us seniors, to be able to end our high school careers on a good note,” Moulton said, noting that the last Howlers to win a state softball title were in 2019, and some of those players are now the team’s coaches.
“It would be awesome,” Moulton added. “I have heard that the third time is a charm.”
Moulton didn’t play softball her sophomore and junior seasons, but said she’s glad to be back this year.
“It’s a great environment. I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” she said.
The 17-0 Howlers, who also won state titles in 2012 and 2017, will be facing a 17-1 NYA team that dethroned defending state champ Buckfield 5-0 in the D South final.
In the other state softball games, 18-1 Bucksport will be seeking a 10th overall state title and sixth in Class C against a Dirigo team from Dixfield that is 16-3. First pitch will be at 1 p.m. at Coffin Field in Brewer.
Bucksport beat Central of Corinth 11-3 in the North final while Dirigo topped Monmouth Academy 3-2 in the C game.
The Class B matchup will pit 16-3 North titlist Gardiner, a 4-3 winner over Old Town in the regional final, against defending state champ Medomak Valley of Waldoboro, 18-1, in a 12:30 p.m. game at St. Joseph’s. Medomak Valley blanked Lake Region of Naples 5-0 in the B South final.
The A championship game will take place at the Central Maine Community College field in Auburn between Hampden Academy, 13-6, and 19-0 Cheverus of Portland. The game will start at 1 p.m.
Hampden Academy edged Lewiston 1-0 in the regional final and Cheverus blanked Bonny Eagle of Buxton 5-0.
In the state baseball championship games, Bangor High coach David Morris will seek to go into his Florida retirement with a state title when his 16-3 Rams take on 18-1 Gorham at Morton Field in Augusta beginning at 1 p.m.
Bangor rallied to beat Oxford Hills of South Paris 5-2 in the A North title game for Morris’ fifth regional championship in his nine seasons. He guided the Rams to state championships in his first two seasons, in 2017 and 2018. That concluded a string of five straight state titles for the Rams with Morris serving as Jeff Fahey’s assistant the previous three years.
Bangor’s last state game win came at the expense of Gorham, 10-6.
Gorham beat Noble of North Berwick 7-2 in the A South final.
The B state contest will pit 17-2 Cony High of Augusta, 4-2 winner over Hermon, against 16-3 Fryeburg Academy, a 4-3 victor over Greely of Cumberland Center, at 4:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s.
The C final will be a rematch of last year’s state game won by Monmouth Academy 9-1 over Washington Academy of East Machias. First pitch will be at 1 p.m. at Bangor’s Mansfield Stadium.
Washington Academy is 18-1 after its 4-0 win over Lincoln’s Mattanawcook Academy in the C North final while 18-1 Monmouth Academy beat Maranacook of Readfield 12-1.
Fort Fairfield (17-0) and Telstar of Bethel (16-3) will meet in the D final at 1 p.m. at St. Joseph’s. Fort Fairfield nipped Bangor Christian, 2-1 in eight innings, for the North title and Telstar topped Richmond 12-1 in the South final.