By Mike Violette
Not many teams can make a regional final in one year then lose a dominant 6′ 9″ post player to a transfer THEN come back and finish as the #1 seed the following season.., but the Messalonskee Eagles have done just that. Without Merrick Smith, they still brought back a loaded, senior laden starting 5 and Wednesday night at the Augusta Civic Center, Messo only took 41 shots from the floor compared to 58 for Camden Hills. But, the Eagles made 23 of their 41 shots for a white hot 56 % in beating #5 Camden Hills by a score of 63-61. And it’s a good thing the Eagles shot the lights out.., because they had to offset the incredible performance of Camden Hills’ Nolan Ames who went off for 36 points in the loss for his team. More on Mr. Ames later.
Messo got off to a pretty quick start as Ty Bernier hit his first two shots, a 2 and a 3 and the Eagles led 5 zip. The Eagles led most of the opening quarter but a late run by CH tied the game at 15 after 1. In the second quarter.., Messalonskee again led for a lot of the quarter but Matthias McPhail knocked down a 3 pointer to give CH the lead at 21-19 for the first time in the ballgame. Messo and CH rode the see saw for the rest of the first half and Camden Hills led 32-29 at the break.
Messalonskee sorta.., kinda.., took control of the game.., a little bit.., by outscoring CH 15-7 sparked by Ty Bernier’s 8 points in the quarter and led by 5 after 3, 44-39. Early in the 4th quarter.., Ryan Parent made a free throw, Nolan Ames missed a deep 3 then Bernier stole the ball and hit a lay up and Messo had their largest lead of the game, 47-41. Messalonskee was on their way, right? Nope.., because you can’t stop Nolan Ames of Camden Hills. You can’t even hope to contain him. Ames went off for 20 of his game high 36 in the final quarter making shots of every kind to keep CH in the game. Included in those 36 points was young Mr. Ames 1000th career point. And oh.., by the way.., Ames is just a junior. Really. Wow. While Ames was going off for 20 in the quarter.., Ty Bernier was doing ok too. Bernier, always cool, calm and collected on the floor, pumped in 11 very needed point of his own to hold Ames and the Windjammers at bay (see what I did there?). A balanced attack help Messo big time. Aside from Bernier’s 22, Messo got 14 points and 5 rebounds from Parker Reynolds and Ryan Parent had 12 and 6 boards. Make it 13 consecutive wins for Messo and they have not lost in 2025. Their last lost came on December 30. Look it up. I did.
So.., Messalonskee lost a heartbreaker to Hampden Academy last year in the regional finals and guess who is waiting for them.., again.., in this year’s regional final? Who else but the Hampden Academy Broncos. Get your popcorn ready for Friday night at 7:45, baby!
