By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

AUGUSTA – The chance was there.

Down by just four points, the Rangeley girls’ basketball team watched the top-ranked Valley Cavaliers miss shot after shot after shot as the fourth quarter ticked away.

The only problem as far as the Lakers were concerned was that they couldn’t take advantage. Though Valley missed its first 11 shots in the final quarter, Rangeley couldn’t do much more offensively and watched the Cavaliers build their lead in a 39-31 victory in the Western D championship game.

“I couldn’t have asked for more unless we had won,” said Rangeley coach Heidi Deery. “That’s all I wanted. I wanted a chance to be there. We had our chance. We just couldn’t get it done. They deserve it, and I’m happy for them.”

Valley (21-0) had lost in the regional final twice in the last three years, including last year’s dismal outing against Hyde. The Cavaliers struggled but managed to outlast a game Laker effort.

“It’s been our plan all year – to try to get to the gold ball game,” said Valley guard Kristin Baker. “We went to North Carolina this summer and practiced. We did a lot this summer, and it paid off.”

Baker finished the tournament with a record 82 points, breaking the mark of 68 set by Buckfield’s Julie Cooper in 1987. Baker had also set a new single-game standard this week with 39 points. The Cavalier, who totalled nearly 80 points in two regular season games against Rangeley this year, struggled and finished with 15 against the pesky Laker defense but was named the tournament’s most outstanding player. After scoring eight in the first quarter, Baker had just 10 through the first three quarters.

“We executed our gameplan defensively, as far as I’m concerned, to a T’,” said Deery. “I was hoping we could score 40 points on them, and we didn’t.”

Valley’s Morgan Staples and Sandra Porter helped offset Baker’s struggles with 10 and eight points respectively, especially down the stretch.

“How about a tremendous struggle,” described Valley coach Gordon Hartwell, whose team meets Woodland in the state championship next weekend in Augusta. “We were working for every one of them. From the field, it was scary. We have a history of being scary in this game, and we kind of continued that.”

The Lakers (15-6) got 12 points and eight rebounds from Ashley Quimby and nine points from Nicole Crupi.

Though Valley opened a six-point lead in the first quarter, a 1-for-15 second quarter helped the Lakers surge ahead, 17-16, at the half.

“We were up one at halftime,” said Deery. “I said We’ve made it a 16-minute ballgame now.’ I was very happy with that.”

After being undisciplined in the first half against Rangeley’s defense, the Cavaliers tried to be more patient and work the ball more effectively. It was a 9-2 stretch in the third quarter that opened up a 31-23 lead.

“I think it settled people down a little bit,” said Baker, who added seven rebounds, six steals and five assists. “We tried to get it down low. Because of the 1-3-1, the post was open. That’s what we tried in the second half.”

Down by one after an Abby Madeira basket, Baker fed Sandra Porter for a fast break basket that put Valley ahead for good. Baker hit a leaner and Staples drilled a 3 for a 27-21 lead. After a Quimby basket, Porter scored in the post for an eight-point advantage.

Angela White’s rebound to start the fourth made it 31-27, but the Lakers went six minutes without another field goal. When Valley missed its first 11 shots, Rangeley couldn’t rally. The Lakers had two opportunities to cut the lead but failed, hitting just one of its first 11 shots in the quarter. When Baker put back her own rebound with 5:01 left, and Porter scored on a rebound, the Lakers were down 35-27 with 3:36 left. Crupi fouled out moments later. Though Rangeley got within six twice in the final minutes on free throws by Morton and a leaner by Quimby, the Cavaliers iced it with a jumper from Baker and foul shots by Baker and Staples.

“We told them in the lockerroom that the seniors had been in this game three times,” said Hartwell. “Their seniors, for the most part, haven’t. I said How about using that. Our experience should count for something.’ I think it did.”

The Lakers had lost four starters from last year’s club that lost to Valley in the semifinals and returned a team that had lived in the shadow of Rangeley’s most recent success. Deery says the loss was disappointing but still rewarding.

“To be here in the Western Maine final and play Valley to an eight-point ballgame and keep Baker to 15 points, they’ve obviously been very coachable over the season,” said Deery. “I’ve never had a group come so far from November to February.”