BANGOR---- Two great teams, two legendary coaches, playing for the class C boys state championship.
That is what will be on display Saturday, March 2nd at 8:45 p.m.when the Penquis Patriots take on the Boothbay Seahawks in the final high school game that will ever be played at the Bangor Auditorium.
The Patriots have used a strong team defense and the offense from two of the best high school basketball players in the state to capture their first regional title since 2000.
Isaiah Bess scored 22 points including nailing a three pointer to tie the score at 38 in the fourth quarter and Trevor Lyford recorded 11 points including the game winning layup in the Patriots 46-41 regional final victory over Houlton.
Cody Herbest played solid defense to limit Houlton's sophomore standout Kyle Bouchard to 10 points.
Coach Tony Hamlin recorded his 400th career victory in the win over Houlton.
The junior duo of Bess and Lyford led the Patriots to a 20-1 record this season. The Patriots lone loss came in a game that Bess and Herbest missed on January 7th against Dexter.
Bess and Lyford combined for 39 points in the Patriots 51-23 quarterfinal victory over Stearns. Bess scored his 1000 career point in the first quarter.
The Patriots used their strong defense to defeat Dexter 46-23 in a semifinal game.
Hamlin (31st year) and Seahawks coach I.J. Pinkham (36th year) are no strangers to facing off in state championship tilts.
Hamlin and the Patriots defeated Pinkham and the Seahawks 58-45 in the class C 2000 state championship game.
Boothbay defeated Piscataquis community high school (PCHS) 71-66 in the class C 2001 state title game
Boothbay (20-1) defeated Wiscasset 67-43 in the quarterfinals,Madison 55-42 in the semifinals and Waynflete 70-52 in the Western Maine Final.
Anthony DiMauro and John Hepburn each scored 21 points in the regional final.
Calais and Waynflete will meet for the class C girls state championship at 7 p.m.
Just before the girls game a ceremony will be held to honor the basketball tournament history at the Bangor Auditorium.
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