AUGUSTA - Not many teams have beaten the Cony Rams in Augusta.

The Oxford Hills girls' basketball team already accomplished that feat when it ended Cony's lengthy home unbeaten streak earlier this year.

The Vikings have the Rams' domination of its home away from home in their sights when they meet the defending Class A champs in the Eastern A final today at 4 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center.

"The girls want to see them again," said Oxford Hills coach Nate Pelletier. "To be honest, I think they'd rather beat that team and win Eastern Maine than any other team."

Cony has won four straight regional titles and has not lost in Augusta since the Eastern A tournament was relocated from the Bangor Auditorium. That success can be pretty intimidating to most foes.

"I think the confidence level for the girls is very high, especially knowing we can beat Cony," Pelletier said. "We have done it. It's not going to be easy. Some teams, they haven't done it in so many years, they get down 10 points and get discouraged."

The Vikings gave the Rams a good scare in last year's semifinal despite missing Terry Bunce to an injury. Then in the first regular-season meeting this year, Oxford Hills stunned the Rams on its home court, 36-31. It ended a home-winning streak that dated back nine years.

"I don't know how to explain it," said senior forward Kyla Martin. "We were so excited to do what we'd never been able to do, and to do it on their home court got us so pumped up. When we came out and got that first steal, it got us going."

The teams had a rematch late in the regular season, but the Vikings were banged up and lost 70-34. Center Megan Joyce and guard Lindsay Fox were both injured in the previous game with Edward Little. So the already injury-riddled Vikings were minus two key components.

Oxford Hills is a much different club than the one Cony steamrolled that night, and the Vikings are anxious to prove it. Emmylou Blake, who was injured against Brunswick, is the lone Viking out of action.

"We've almost got our whole bench back," Martin said. "We've really pulled together as a team."

Cony has a potent combination of Rachael Mack (18.4 ppg, 18.4 rpg) inside and Shelby Pelkey (11 ppg) on the perimeter. The Rams' young guards have shown poise during the tournament, but the Vikings haven't been fazed by impressive resumes in this tourney. They eliminated fourth-ranked Bangor, the top defensive team in the KVAC North, and then toppled top-ranked Lawrence, the highest scoring team in its conference.

Joyce (10 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Kari Pelletier (17.1 ppg) have had outstanding games, but the Vikings have also gotten production from Melanie Cloutier, Teira Durgin, and Fox. Oxford Hills has also reached deep into its bench and received a wealth of effort from everyone, especially on defense.

"We're really pumped because we beat them during the regular season, and I think we can do it again," said junior guard Lauren Brett.

The Rams will be the favorites in Augusta. The tournament staff is full of people with Cony ties, and the PBS broadcast this week features announcers with Cony connections. All that is fine with the Vikings.

"We've always been the underdogs," Martin said. "It doesn't matter. We have that edge in their heads. We're a totally different team than the last time."