RUMFORD — The faces have changed over the years, but there’s always a battle royale when Mountain Valley and Dirigo square off in a girls’ basketball.

Junior Ambyr Wilson knew what was on the line.

She scored the eventual winning basket on a driving layup with 24 seconds remaining as Dirigo rallied for a 42-40 triumph over Mountain Valley on Friday night.

It was a close game as the lead changed sides five times down the stretch.

Kayla Gaudin gave Dirigo a lead with a layup, but Makayla White banked in a shot off the glass to tie the score at 40-40. On the ensuing possession, Wilson got the ball on the right side of the key and also lost the ball on a high dribble. She went to the left and dribbled in uncontested.

“I wasn’t thinking much when I received the ball,” said Wilson, who hadn’t scored a basket since the first quarter. “I just knew that if I scored then we would win. In the second half, we needed to settle down and have good shot selection.”

Mountain Valley (5-2) did have the ball under the basket in the final quarter, but two shots banged off the rim. It was the second meeting between the rivals at Puiia Gymnasium. Ayla Allen scored 21 points as the Falcons held on for a 48-46 triumph against Dirigo earlier this month. The teams will play again in Dixfield in February.

“We needed pressure defense,” said Dirigo coach Reggie Weston, whose team has won four-straight games. “I knew with Ayla (Allen) out that Mountain Valley didn’t have a sure ball handler and Chrissy Briggs was heating up, so we stayed right on the (ball).”

The Falcons were hindered when Allen was unable to play in the second half. She strained tendons in her lower left leg. Allen scored seven points and collected nine rebounds in the first half.

Dirigo (4-2) was led by Alyssa Wade, who scored 22 points and drained a three pointer to tie the game 36-all in the fourth quarter.

Mountain Valley pulled ahead when Briggs’ (six points) second trey ran around the rim and fell in for a 29-26 lead after three quarters. The Falcons missed all nine shots from beyond the arc in the first half.

“Our strategy down the stretch was to get the ball in the middle,” Mountain Valley coach Tammy Gallant said. “Dirigo was trapping and the girls were dribbling the ball in to the corner. We needed to reverse the ball and get some movement. It was harder having to play without Ayla tonight, but some younger players stepped up and that will do a lot to boost their confidence.”

Makenzie Gallant buried a trey and two free throws in the fourth quarter. Brooke Dolloff scored a team-high 10 points and added seven rebounds. Senior guard Katlin Armstrong added eight points.

The Falcons held a 20-12 lead at halftime, but Dirigo went on a 10-3 run to begin the second half. Paige Murphy started things by stealing the ball and hitting a short jump shot. Wade (five assists, five steals) stole the ball twice and scored. Angela Ronan (10 points) scored from inside on a Wade assist.

“We knew we needed to play hard,” Wilson said. “This was the second game in their gym. We had to take it to them.”

Dirigo made 15 of 24 shots in the fourth quarter and had 18 turnovers in the game. MV shot 33 percent and committed 21 turnovers.