AUGUSTA, Maine- Anna Dewolfe has committed herself to playing Divison I basketball starting next season at Fordham University. The senior guard saved one of her best games for last and proved she may be named the best player in the state next week, notching 28 points to lead the Greely Rangers to an undefeated season with a 54-42 win over Hampden Academy in a Maine Principals’ Association girls Class A state championship game Friday night at the Augusta Civic Center.
Greely (22-0) scored the first five points of the game with Dewolfe scoring six of her teams first 10 points, and the Rangers led 10-6 at the end of the first quarter. Dewolfe left the game for about 1:15 of the second quarter with an apparent ankle injury she was favoring. Hampden took advantage scoring four of the first six points of the second quarter to cut the lead to 12-10, on two free throws from Amelia McLaughlin and a basket by junior guard Lydia Brillant. Dewolfe then re-entered the game, and Greely went on a run to take their largest lead of the game. An 8-0 run helped by a three pointer by Camille Clement, a two point jumper by Clement, and a three pointer by Dewolfe made it 20-10. The Broncos would keep chipping though getting it down to five twice at 20-15 and 22-17, on free throws by Megan Deans and another basket for Brillant. But a basket by Mollie Obar, two at the line by Dewolfe, and then a jumper by Dewolfe just before the quarter buzzer made it 28-17 Greely at the haltime break.
The Rangers went up 13 early in the third, but the Broncos had no quit in them. An 8-3 HA run highlighted by a McLaughlin three pointer cut the deficit to 33-25 halfway through the quarter, and closest Hampden had been since late in the second. A Greely miss and a Bailey Donovan rebound on the next possession with a chance to cut it to five or six had the crowd from HA on their feet. Donovan though had the ball stripped from her by Madison Scott, that led to a three pointer by Brooke Obar to push the lead back to 11 and regain momentum. Sydney Hodgdon scored five straight points later in the quarter, nailing a three pointer and a two point basket to get the Broncos right back in the game 38-32. Dewolfe scored her second basket of the quarter late to give the Rangers a 40-32 advantage headed to the fourth quarter. Hampden could only get within seven the rest of the way, as Greely pushed it late to a 14 point lead, getting a three pointer and two point basket from Dewolfe and also a 4-5 effort from the line from the senior in the final eight minutes of her career. Dewolfe had nine in the last quarter of the Rangers 14 points.
Dewolfe added four rebounds, three assists, and four steals to her game high point total, including 7-9 from the foul line on the night. She will wait and see whether she will be called to be named Miss Maine Basketball in a banquet next Friday night, prior to the McDonalds Senior All Star games the next day at Husson University in Bangor. Clement added 14 points, and Brooke Obar had six to also lead Greely. The Rangers are now back to back state champions in Class A, and hold the longest current winning streak in the state at 38 games. Hampden finishes their season at 17-5, making the state game for the second straight year against Greely, after an upset win over previously unbeaten Skowhegan whom they had fallen to twice in the regular season. Donovan had 18 points and 13 rebounds to finish her stellar career with the Broncos. Donovan will also be involved in the All Star game next weekend. Deans and McLaughlin both had seven points, with Deans grabbing six rebounds. Hampden had 26 turnovers in the game, many that were unforced. Hampden Head Coach Nick Winchester said, “Some of that is gonna be the environment you’re playing in and the team you have. In the tail end of the first half and into the third quarter we did have some unforced, no defensive pressure, just lost our composure a bit and it led to just easy baskets for them (Greely). And against a team like that you almost have to be perfect, and we had a bunch scored against us as well on offensive rebounds”.
Members of the Greely Rangers pose with the gold basketball, moments after winning the Class A girls state basketball championship over Hampden on Friday, March 1, 2019 in Augusta. Photo by Chris Lessner (click to enlarge)
GR 10 18 12 14- 54
HA 6 11 15 10- 42
Rebounds- Greely 12 Hampden 26
Free throws- Greely 14-18 Hampden 9-11
Turnovers- Greely 10 Hampden 26
