By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

AUGUSTA – The first shot didn’t fall. Then the second one missed. Then another and another and another followed.

When Rangeley started Thursday’s Western D semifinal game missing its first five shots, it didn’t seem too disconcerting. It was a pattern that only continued, however, ultimately bringing down the unbeaten Lakers.

For the second time in two years, Valley ended Rangeley championship hopes with a stunning 58-47 upset.

“It just wasn’t in the cards for us today,” said Rangeley coach Heidi Deery. “Every opportunity we had we took it, but they had an answer for it. So I just say credit to the hard working kids at Valley and a great coach.”

The defending Class D state champions had won 38 straight, starting and ending with two semifinal game losses to Valley..

Kristin Baker, who shattered Rangeley’s dreams from the free-throw line two years ago, delivered the knockout blow again. The junior guard had 36 points for the Cavaliers, one shy of the Western D record set in 1998 by Monmouth’s Kate Chuprevich.

“Our coach, if we were playing an NBA team, he’d make us believe we could beat them,” said Baker. “He’s a great motivator.”

Valley coach Gordon Hartwell says he felt the Laker seniors may have reached their ceiling while his young team had room to grow. So despite losing twice in the regular season, 57-35 and 65-38, Hartwell expected his club to bring all it had.

“From January 7th on, I think we’ve grown a lot,” said Hartwell. “I knew our kids would be ready to play because they always get fired up for Rangeley. It’s a great rivalry.”

Rangeley shot just 16-for-58 in the game. The Lakers got 25 points from Krysteen Romero and Sarah Schrader managed 14 points, but the Laker had few transition points, few shots from the outside and had to rely greatly on Romero’s production in the post. The Lakers, which averaged nearly 60 points during the regular season, were held to under 50 for the first time this year.

Hartwell felt his team had to limit Rangeley’s penetration and ability to rebound. The Cavaliers also limited its turnovers, never allowing the Lakers to get its running game going.

“The girls did just a tremendous job with that,” said Hartwell. “I knew Kristin would be strong after what people considered to be a poor game, not me.The other kids stepped up. Jeri-Dee (Fitzmaurice) had a monster game on Romero, even with foul trouble. Morgan Staples and Chelsae Lawyerson, to be a true team, you’ve got to have more than Kristin. That’s the point we’ve tried to hammer home all season.”

Fitzmaurice had 10 points while Lawyerson added eight.

While Rangeley (18-1) struggled early, Valley (15-4) raced out to a strong start, building a quick 7-1 lead. Rangeley managed to stay within reach the entire first half but fell behind early in the third quarter. Baker hit a jumper and set up Fitzmaurice to give Valley a 31-23 lead. Rangeley had its strongest surge of the game midway through the quarter with six straight points from Romero during an 8-2 run. Romero’s score with 2:45 left had Rangeley within 33-32, but a Baker 3-pointer and a Morgan Staples basket, off a Baker pass, turned the momentum back to Valley.

“Last game, I wasn’t doing much, and I passed off to them and they carried us,” said Baker, who had 14 in a close quarterfinal win over Vinalhaven. “I have great teammates.”

Baker set up Staples late in the quarter and hit a jumper in the closing seconds to keep the lead at nine, 44-35.

“We made a couple of runs, but when we’d normally just continue to cruise, we didn’t,” said Deery. “We just hit bumps in the road, whether it was calls or plays by Valley. It didn’t really seem to matter.”

Rangeley started the fourth with four points from Schrader and a rebound by Romero to get the Lakers within 44-41. Valley managed to pad the lead little by little. Baker had 13 of Valley’s 14 points in the final quarter, including nine from the free throw line.

Rangeley got within 49-46 with 1:58 left on a Romero free throw and got a single free throw from Schrader with 1:22 left to get within two. The Lakers finished meekly, missing six shots and turning the ball over twice in the closing minutes. Schrader’s fifth foul with 1:22 left put Baker at the line for two free throws that made it 53-47. Rangeley couldn’t get the steal it needed off its pressure, and Baker continued to pad the lead from the line.

“I give all the credit to Valley,” said Deery.”We tried to make our runs and they answered every one.Some days that’s the way it goes. We’re a great team and if it’s going to be decided on one game, so be it.”