AUGUSTA - The largest potential threat to Madison's seemingly inevitable claim to a Western C title this year has been Monmouth Academy.

Monmouth already spoiled Madison's hopes for a perfect regular season and pushed the Bulldogs to the limit in the Mountain Valley Conference title game.

With the regional title at stake Saturday night, Monmouth hoped to be the ultimate obstacle and interupt Madison's championship dreams, but the Bulldogs let nothing get in their way. Madison lived up to all preseason expectations to claim its first title since 1994.

The Bulldogs built an early 13-point lead and held off a late charge by Monmouth in a 37-34 win in the Western C championship game at the Augusta Civic Center.

"We just always wanted it," said Madison guard Danielle Hebert, one of eight seniors on the team. "We've been after it since sixth grade. We've been working so hard and to finally get where we are is amazing."

Hebert and center Margo Russell led the Bulldogs with 12 points each. Russell was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Lacey Ashbrook added nine for Madison while Briann Emery led an outstanding defensive effort.

"It's the most amazing feeling in the world," said Emery. "We've been playing together since sixth grade. Madison has never won a Gold Ball, and we want to be the first team to do it."

Despite falling behind, the Mustangs gave the Bulldogs quite a scare before Monmouth's late rally fell short.

"The team to beat was Madison," said Monmouth coach Rick Amero. "If somebody was to tell us we'd go 19-3 at the beginning of the season, I would probably have looked at them funny. I'm just so proud of these kids.

"We're not sad that we lost the game, but sad that it's an end of an era. Four years of these seniors, it was a great run."

Monmouth got 11 points each from Jenn Lola and Katie Woodman. Lola had seven of her points in the first quarter but was held in check for much of the game thanks to Emery's efforts. Lola had 28 in Monmouth's regular season win over the Bulldogs.

"Coach V (Al Veneziano) told me 'I want you to stay up in her face, don't let her score, don't let her move, don't let her do anything,'" said Emery. "That's what I tried to do the entire game, stay in her face and annoy her."

Six straight points by Lola in the first quarter opened a 9-5 lead for Monmouth, but the Bulldogs trimmed that to 11-9 by the end of the first on an Ashbrook three-pointer.

Hebert scored seven straight in the second to put Madison ahead. A Russell basket late in the half gave the Bulldogs the halftime lead, 18-17.

"I was so pumped for this game," said Hebert. "I was praying and trying to pump up our team. I just gave it all I had. I got that steal at the beginning, and that pumped me up."

The third quarter turned the tide in Madison's favor. Ahead by one midway through the quarter after a Lola basket, Madison (20-1) scored seven straight. Hebert had a drive. Ashbrook hit a three-pointer, and Russell scored in the paint.

The Bulldogs kept it coming in the fourth with five straight.

"We sometimes tend to come out a little flat," said Lola. "I guess this wasn't the best time to do it."

Monmouth couldn't answer. The Bulldogs went over eight minutes without scoring and didn't get a field goal in the fourth until 3:33 remained. The Mustangs didn't get an offensive rebound until the fourth quarter.

"It was pretty rough," said Amero. "Madison did a nice job disrupting our offensive flow. We were taking some awfully good shots in that quarter, but we weren't getting any second shots."

The Mustangs weren't done though. After two free throws by Woodman, Monmouth's defense cranked up the pressure and rattled Madison a bit. Alyssa Morin, Woodman and Lola scored six straight to get within 34-29. After two Russell free throws, a Woodman three-pointer and a Morin rebound got Monmouth within two with 45 seconds left.

Hebert made it a three-point game with a free throw in the final minute.

"I was nervous," said Hebert. "I was just thinking that no one was around. 'It's just practice. It's just practice.' I kind of blocked out everything."

Monmouth had a crack at the equalizer during one final possession. Lola and Armstrong both had looks at three-pointers but missed.

"It's really frustraing," said Lola. "They were going in and they just popped right out. You can't complain. They were the shots I wanted. They just didn't go in."