CLASS A
Bangor (18-1) vs. Gorham (15-4)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Mahaney Diamond, St. Joseph’s College
Players to watch: Bangor – Zach Ireland (sr., shortstop), Tyler Parke (sr., catcher), Zach Cowperthwaite (jr., pitcher), Charlie Budd (sr., center field), Noah Missbrenner (jr., first base).
Gorham – Ben Nelson (sr., shortstop), Ryan Norris (sr., pitcher), Lucas Roop (sr., outfield), Nolan Brown (sr., center field), Brogan McDonald (sr., catcher).
Game notes: Bangor is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the Class A state championship game and has won the previous four. Gorham is making its first appearance in a state title game since 2005, when the Rams beat Mt. Desert Island 7-2 for the Class B crown. Bangor has won 12 games in a row; Gorham has won 10 straight. Cowperthwaite and Norris are the likely starters. Neither is a big strikeout pitcher, instead pitching to contact, so that will put pressure on both defenses to make plays and not give any extra outs. The head coaches, Dave Morris of Bangor and Chuck Nadeau of Gorham, were teammates on Bangor’s 1985 state championship team.
– Mike Lowe
CLASS B
Wells (17-2) vs. Brewer (14-5)
Saturday, 11 a.m.
Mansfield Stadium, Bangor
Players to watch: Wells – Cam Cousins (sr., first base/pitcher), Tyler Bridge, (jr., first base/pitcher), Michael Wrigley (sr., catcher), Liam Bell (sr., shortstop), Tyler Carpenter (so., center field/pitcher).
Brewer – Evan Andrews (sr. pitcher/infield); Josiah Cyr (sr. pitcher/infield), Andrew Kiley (jr. catcher), Kobe Rogerson (sr. shortstop), Levi Williamson (jr. pitcher/infielder).
Game notes: Wells is making its first appearance in a state championship game since 1980, when it won the Class C title. Brewer, which had only one returning starter from last year, last played in a state title game in 2008, losing to Deering in Class A. These are very similar teams that rely on good pitching and better defense. Pitchers on each team do not get a lot of strikeouts, so the defenses are very involved in the action. The lineups are deep, even the bottom of the order. Wells scored six runs in the first inning against Greely en route to an 8-3 victory in the Class B South championship game. Brewer beat top-seeded Ellsworth, 4-2, in the Class B North final.
– Mike Lowe
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