AUGUSTA – The pink or blue T-shirts touting the Poland Regional High School cheerleading team’s 2007-08 catch phrase might have looked presumptuous, considering that the school and the program have existed only about half as long as the state championship meet, itself.

“Our legend lives on,” read the emblazoned message.

Then again, after further review, that philosophy probably sells the Knights short. Their tradition, legend, call it what you will, appears to be merely beginning.

Four years after becoming the first athletic program from its school to win a state championship, Poland cheering still boasts that distinction. Only now the Knights are two-time Class B champions after a pair of brilliant performances Saturday evening at Augusta Civic Center.

“There are no words to describe it,” said Poland co-captain Ally St. Pierre, one of 10 seniors on the Knights’ squad of 19. “We knew it might be our last time performing, so we went out there and had fun. We had the most fun we’ve had all season.”

Poland followed Biddeford (Class A), Washington Academy (C) and Central Aroostook (D) in hoisting state championship trophies.

After defeating John Bapst by almost three full points in the preliminary round, Poland nearly doubled that margin in rolling up 157.2 of a possible 175 points with its encore.

Neither exhibition was a rock-solid certainty after the injury bug harassed Poland during the two weeks between its Western Maine regional championship triumph and its pursuit of state glory. Senior Cassie Gerard walked with a noticeable limp due to a pinched nerve and muscle spasms in her back, but she was somehow able to perform her tasks in each of Poland’s high-energy, twisting, technical, three-minute routines.

“It’s been going that way for her all week, and as soon as we got off the floor after the first round, she was in tears,” Poland coach Amanda Scripture said. “We had to change a couple things around in stunts, but she’s a trooper, and she pushed through it.”

Shut out of the championship round for several seasons, Monmouth Academy rejoiced after a runner-up finish in Class C.

The Mustangs hold the all-class record with eight state titles, but the last one arrived in coach Leanne Yeaton Burnham’s first season as head coach in 2002.

“I’m over the moon,” Burnham said. “We hadn’t been to callbacks in five years. We proved that we deserved to be there, and I feel like we finally got recognized for the difficulty of our routine.”

Monmouth led the opening round at 133.5. The Mustangs nearly duplicated that with a 131.7 in round two, but reigning champ Washington of East Machias stepped up to a 137.6 with its second chance.

“It makes it easier to finish second when it’s that much of a margin,” said Burnham, who chose not to tell the Mustangs their score after their first performance. “Those were the highest scores we’ve ever had.”

Lewiston reached the Class A final but settled for a hard-fought fourth behind Biddeford, Marshwood and Scarborough. For the first time in the history of the competition, all four finalists topped 160 points.

“When you get teams that are within one-tenth of a point of each other, you have to be flawless,” said Lewiston coach Lynette Morency. “We were 153 winning regionals two weeks ago, and we were 159 and 160 today. You can’t get any better than that. I would hate to be a judge.”

The qualifying round was even closer, as evidenced by Edward Little’s tumble from second to fifth, and elimination, due to a single penalty point for a tumbler who touched the mat to regain her balance after coming out of a tuck.

“Maine is one of the few states where the judges are on the floor with us and not up on a pedestal,” said EL coach Nicole Adams. “They don’t see some of the other boo-boos that every team makes. Aside from that, I’m very happy. That’s the highest score ever for Edward Little. When I saw our score, I was sure it would be enough.”

St. Dom’s finished third in Class C, joining Poland and Monmouth as local teams qualifying for the New England Championships on March 15 in Woburn, Mass.