Two winning streaks came to an end Tuesday night for the Leavitt Hornets.

The defending state B champs lost to Camden Hills  68-60 in Camden. The loss ended a pair of streaks that dated back to the 2009-2010 season.

Leavitt had not lost a game since losing in the Western B semifinal to Greely. The Hornets had won 29 straight, going 22-0 last year and 7-0 to start the current  season.

The loss also ended a regular season win streak that dated back to Jan. 8, 2010, when the Hornets lost at home 64-57 to Nokomis. It was Leavitt’s only loss of the regular season that year.  Leavitt had won 34 straight regular-season games since that loss.

Camden Hills outscored Leavitt 27-21 in the final quarter Tuesday, after holding a two-point lead at the half. The unbeaten Windjammers (7-0) are ranked second in Eastern Class B behind Presque Isle.  Jordan Knowlton led Camden Hills with 30 points.

Leavitt (7-1) is still ranked No. 1 in Western B. The Hornets received 27 points from Kristen Anderson and 26 from Adrie Newton in the loss.

The Hornets have the toughest stretch of its schedule coming up, including a rematch with Nokomis, who Leavitt beat in the Class B state game last year. Leavitt hosts Medomak Valley (5-2, ranked sixth in Eastern B) next Tuesday and unbeaten Gardiner (8-0, ranked third in Eastern B) next Thursday. Then Nokomis comes to Turner Tuesday, Jan. 24. The Warriors are currently 7-0 and ranked fifth in Eastern B.

Coaches Vs. Cancer

When Madison and Spruce Mountain meet up Friday Jan. 13, the game won’t just feature two of the top Mountain Valley Conference squads.

The game hopes to raise cancer awareness and donate money toward research. Proceeds from several themed basket raffles, a 50-50 raffle,  a Remembrance Wall and other fund raisers will help raise cancer awareness and make a financial contribution to cancer research.

Both Madison coach Al Veneziano and Spruce Mountain coach Gavin Kane have been fighting respective battles with cancer.

“This is great opportunity for us to do a very small part in an effort to help with making a donation to cancer research, and the hope to one day, see this awful disease conquered by new medications and treatments,” Kane said. “I felt that holding an awareness night on Jan. 13 would be fitting as both Madison coach Al Veneziano and I are going through cancer treatments. We also want to invite others who have had cancer, currently have cancer, or who have lost loved one’s to cancer to join us at Spruce Mountain High School.”

The varsity game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Jay. Madison is currently 6-0 and ranked first in Western Class C, while Spruce Mountain is also 6-0 and in fourth in Western B.

Needed wins

Prior to Monday’s loss,  Dirigo was on a much-needed winning streak. With wins over Monmouth, Winthrop, Lisbon and Mountain Valley, the Cougars had won four straight. Those wins  put Dirigo (4-3) into second place in Western Class C behind unbeaten Madison.

“We actually had lost six in a row, including two this year, before we won those four games,” said Dirigo coach Reggie Weston, whose team lost down the stretch last winter and were eliminated by Livermore Falls in the Western C quarterfinals. “So we had a bad spell there against some very good teams.”

The Cougars were humbled by Spruce Mountain on Monday, falling behind 18-0 to start the game. Weston says he’s glad for those types of difficult games because they’ll better prepare his Cougars. Dirigo hosts Mt. Abram on Thursday and has upcoming challenges with Spruce Mountain, Boothbay and Madison.

“Those four wins provided a little bit of a lift,” Weston said. “They also know that we haven’t beaten many teams with a lot of wins that are going to be point-worthy down the road.”

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