The recent Deering High School grad was the first one in line Monday, waiting on the hottest tickets in town. Chaisson got to Hadlock Field shortly after noon hoping to get first dibs on the final 4,000 tickets for Monday’s Class A baseball state championship.

The first 3,000 tickets sold out in a hurry Saturday and the final 4,000 went on sale at 4:30. So Chaisson and the thousands who followed had to wait out the afternoon.

“I had to work Saturday,” said Chaisson. “So I was, all right, I’m just going to come down Monday.’ I wanted to make sure I got my tickets.”

The game featured a rematch from last year’s game, pitting unbeaten Deering against Mt. Ararat and the star pitcher Mark Rogers, the high school phenom who was recently drafted fifth overall by the Milwaukee Brewers.

There was no question where Chaisson’s allegiances were. He made it clear he was a Ram fan.

“Have been for four years and will be the rest of my life,” said Chaisson. “I’m here to see my boys. I’m not here to see Rogers. I’m here to see my guys. Rogers is just a pitcher. He’s a good pitcher, but that’s all they have. Look at the whole lineup. It’ll be a decent game, but I think my school will come out on top.”

The line started to grow around 1 p.m. despite some afternoon showers. While Deering and Mt. Ararat fans came in droves, there were plenty on hand with little or no preference.

“We’re not picking any favorites,” said Mark Dolloff, the Oxford Hills wrestling coach. “But we’d like to see Mt. Ararat win.”

Dolloff was there with four middle schoolers, Andrew Keniston, D.J. Newell, Matt Verrier and Eli Dolloff. The kids, all baseball teammates, had the day off from practice, and Dolloff was on vacation. By the time they reached the line, it stretched up the sidewalk from Hadlock well beyond the Portland Exposition Building. After a little more than an hour, Dolloff and the boys got in.

“We thought we’d get together and come down,” he said of the Monday morning decision. “It’s not often you get a chance to see two quality teams like this.”

Steve McLain, his son Jon McLain, and friend Seth Gallant made the trek from Bangor.

“I saw Rogers pitch against Brewer last week, but Jon wasn’t able to go,” said McLain.

By the time McLain and the two high school sophomores got into line, it was just past 3:30. There might have been a thousand fans in line ahead of them. Gallant had also seen Rogers pitch last week in the regional final but wanted a second look.

“I was kind of far back last game, like behind the outfield fence,” said Gallant. “So I didn’t really get to see him.”

By 6 p.m., Hadlock Field was bulging at the seams, and the announcement that Rogers was getting the start excited the crowd. Since the Maine Principals’ Association elected to move the game from Gorham High School to Hadlock, the hype grew. The growing interest in this showdown may have surpassed any other event in recent Maine high school sports.

“There’s nothing that comes easily to mind,” said Dick Durost, executive director of the MPA. “Obviously the basketball tournaments, and last fall we had eight or nine thousand at the football championships, but for the one game and certainly the sport of baseball, which is truly loved by the people in the state, this particular game is unprecedented.”

The MPA offered the respective schools the opportunity to sell tickets, but both declined. Mt. Ararat finally requested 500 tickets Monday. By game time, Hadlock was seemingly filled to its 7,000 capacity. The MPA didn’t have final attendance figures, but Durost said the field may have just had enough space, as no one had to be turned away.

“I never expected to see this place full for a high school game,” said Deering third baseman Neil Esposito. “I was shocked.”

Second base umpire Dan Deshaies worked in the minor leagues for eight seasons and told players they won’t see this kind of atmosphere at that level.

“It’s an event,” said Deshaies. “It’s just a great atmosphere for all these kids. You can’t top this. Every kid out there is going to remember this for the rest of their lives.”

Deshaies said that with every play there was a roar that enveloped the field. It made it hard to hear anything. The six errors in the game may have been a product of such a large audience. Many of the players hadn’t played before such a mass before. Rogers had seen significant crowds during the season, but nothing compared to this.

“We were a little nervous in front of a packed house like this,” he said. “There’s bound to be some nerves. It was a lot of fun. It’s going to be something no one will forget. It was a great environment and a lot of fun to play baseball today.”

When Rogers was pulled in the fifth inning after a Jeff Skillin single made it 4-0, the Eagle received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd.

“I thought that was really great,” said Rogers. “It’s just the respect they have not only for myself but for our team. I was very thankful for that. It meant a lot. It’s something I won’t forget.”