The Boothbay girls basketball team finished with a lone defeat this season, but it was the game that mattered the most. No. 2 Monmouth Academy defeated No. 1  Boothbay, 51-47,  Feb. 24 to win its second consecutive Class C South championship at the Augusta Civic Center.

This was the third consecutive year Boothbay and Monmouth clashed in the tournament. In all three years, the “Clash of the Titans” winner has won the regional championship. This was the first year the two rivals met in the final. Boothbay entered the championship game 20-0 and Monmouth was 19-1. The Mustangs’ only defeat this season occurred Dec. 18 in Boothbay Harbor.

In the two Mountain Valley Conference foes’ one regular season game, the Seahawks won 50-47. But in the tournament, it was Monmouth’s 3-point shooting and scoring depth which ended Boothbay’s season.

Boothbay junior guard Faith Blethen scored a game-high 21 points and senior Page Brown added 15. The Seahawk duo combined for 76.5 percent of team scoring. Monmouth countered with guard Tia Day who scored a team-high 14 and teammates Kaeti Butterfield added 12 and Abbey Allen, who won the Robin Colcord Award as tournament Most Outstanding Player, had 12. Two other Mustangs provided an added scoring punch with Hannah Anderson scoring six points and Abby Ferland scoring five.

In a close contest, Monmouth’s 3-point field goals also played a significant role in the team’s victory. The Mustangs hit five 3-pointers to Boothbay’s one. The balanced Monmouth scoring attack meant Boothbay couldn’t focus its defense on one or two scorers. “I’m not going to make any excuses. They are a good team and it’s always a battle. They shoot the ball very well, and when you miss an assignment, they make you pay,” Boothbay coach Brian Blethen said.

The first quarter ended 11-11. But Monmouth exploded for 19 second quarter points and led Boothbay, 30-23, at halftime. The Mustangs’ lead grew to 36-26 midway through the third quarter. Boothbay struggled offensively for most of the contest and shot 37 percent from the field (19-51).

Midway through the third quarter, Boothbay made its move. Blethen hit a 17-footer followed by a Brown basket, and a Glory Blethen drive to the hoop brought Boothbay within two. Boothbay’s  6-2 run trimmed Monmouth’s lead to 38-36.

Boothbay tied the game at 38 when Brown connected two free throws with six minutes and 18 seconds remaining. Monmouth regained the lead on a Day 3-pointer. Boothbay senior guard Sydney Meader drove in for a layup cutting the lead to one, but the Seahawks got no closer.

Allen expanded the Mustang lead to three with two free throws. With time running out and Monmouth nursing a small lead, the Mustangs began working the clock. With three minutes and 16 seconds left, Boothbay countered with a half court defensive trap. But Monmouth was up to the challenge. Monmouth beat the trap for layups forcing Boothbay to foul. Monmouth’s lead grew to 47-40.

Boothbay made one last rally in the last minute. Faith Blethen scored five points, including a long 3-pointer trimming the deficit to 50-47, but Monmouth made one of two free throws halting the Seahawk surge.

This was Boothbay senior Page Brown’s third tournament game against Monmouth. Boothbay won in 2016 and lost in 2017 and 2018. She will remember this year’s game for Monmouth’s perimeter shooting and a teammate’s heart.

“I thought we played well, but I have to give Faith Blethen a huge shout out. What an amazing competitor she is, playing with pneumonia, and scoring 21 points,” she said.

Other Seahawk scorers were Sydney Meader with five, Glory Blethen with three, and Kylie Brown with two.

Monmouth (20-1) advances to the Class C State Championship game at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday, March 2 against Northern Maine champ Houlton (21-0) at the Augusta Civic Center. Houlton defeated No. 2 Dexter, 33-30, in overtime.